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10/29/2006, 12:01 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 65
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Using protein skimmer only at night
The noise my protein skimmer makes is pretty loud in a room that is otherwise quiet. I have been thinking about just using the skimmer at night but was wondering the potential downsides? I turned it off a bit ago and noticed a small drop in PH.
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10/29/2006, 01:13 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: ILL
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Some times it takes a while for a skimmer to kick in I do not think this would be good.
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I hope it works, sure cost enough. Current Tank Info: 180 reef,3 250w mh,4 80 watt t5,53 gal sump, 40 gal refugium, cal reactor,pos reactor,1/3 hp chiller,etts protien skimmer,octopus controler,40 gal frag. |
10/29/2006, 02:27 PM | #3 |
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 476
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I'd try to quiet the skimmer down (different pump?) and keep it running 24x7 if possible.
HDAlien
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¡ʞuɐʇ ʎɯ ǝʌo1 ı Current Tank Info: 220 gal. reef |
10/29/2006, 03:01 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Dallas, TX
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what kind of skimmer is it?
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Loading...... Current Tank Info: 90g BB sps 30g sump. 2x175w mh. 2x110w vho act. Vortech. tunze 6025. ER rs 135. TLF phos. ACjr |
10/29/2006, 03:12 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Jupiter, Fl
Posts: 802
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After seeing all the discolored waste build up that it mine collects, only time that its going off is when the power is truly out. Ill never stop running it.
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10/29/2006, 03:36 PM | #6 |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 120
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I shut mine down at night so that it doesn't suck out the oyster eggs and phyto that I feed.
It's definitely more productive and pulls more skimmate in the morning than it does in the evening. I wouldn't be afraid to run it part time. |
10/29/2006, 05:20 PM | #7 |
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Poulsbo, WA
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Many reefers runs their skimmers part-time and there are articles in Reef Keeping about it. Someone recommended that I run mine only at night but I can't remember why now.
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Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted |
10/29/2006, 05:48 PM | #8 |
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Location: Columbus, Ohio
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Here's the reason I've heard for running it at night if you're only going to run it part time:
pH tends to drop at night once photosyntesis stops and CO2 levels start rising. As a result, running your skimmer at night helps vent CO2 and keeps your pH more stable. It's probably true and a strong argument for running skimmers at night. It makes sense to me anyhow. I just worry more about my feeding situation and potential harm to nocturnal planktonic activity than I worry about pH. I've never found slight pH changes as a result of CO2 fluctuations to be deleterious. |
10/29/2006, 06:09 PM | #9 |
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That was it! Good call. I think it was recommended in relation to me adding a large Ca reactor to the system. I feel the same as you in that in the morning when the lights first come on, the tank is crystal clear, but as the day progresses, water quality drops due to fish activity, feeding and algal growth. So I decided to keep mine running 24/7.
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Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted |
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