Skimmer Off At Night?

Rovert · 11/08/2008, 11:30 AM

Did a search but couldn't find the right answer to this.

I seem to recall that most microfauna and larvae that corals feed upon are most active at night. Therefore, would it not make sense to turn the skimmer off during the peak hours overnight when the water column is more densly populated with this stuff?

Be very interested to hear discussion on this.

Thanks!

SnowManSnow · 11/08/2008, 11:32 AM

IMO the extra 42 hrs a week (night hours) of Skimming is of greater importance than whatever good would come of having the stuff not skimmed during this time.

B

Rovert · 11/08/2008, 11:45 AM

I see your point, but here's what I was thinking.

Most of us run our skimmers 24x7x365, short of the few moments when they're being cleaned.

We also feed our tanks Golden Pearls, Marine Snow, Cyclopeeze, brine shrimp and other products. So we're adding more biomatter to decompose to nitrates, which means we need to keep the skimmer running to extract what we've manually added.

Wouldn't it be better, if the tank already has natural foodstocks, to let that take the place of manual (artificial) feedings?

To your point, if the 'harm' of turning off the skimmer is because we're adding nutrients manually to the tank, if the food is already there in a natural form, wouldn't it be more beneficial to stop manually feeding and stop skimming overnight for a few peak hours wind up being a gain because we're not adding more crap to the tank that will break down?

bureau13 · 11/08/2008, 02:07 PM

Remember, the skimmer is doing a lot of oxygenation...if you turn it off entirely, make sure you have other pumps running, etc.

jds

Rovert · 11/08/2008, 02:15 PM

Understood.

Guys, I'm talking about turning off the skimmer for maybe two or three hours overnight, to coincide with the peak activity of microfauna in the tank, rather than leaving it running during that time and skimming out the natural foods that the corals eat.

emoore · 11/08/2008, 03:48 PM

Don't forget that many skimmer pumps are not meant to be cycled like that. It could shorten the life of the pump.

Rovert · 11/08/2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by emoore
Don't forget that many skimmer pumps are not meant to be cycled like that. It could shorten the life of the pump.

I doubt turning them off and on again once in 24 hours will do much harm, but I'd consider it part of the cost of having a tank.

Rovert · 11/12/2008, 07:43 AM

Bump.

Anyone else have an opinion on this?

kaskiles · 11/12/2008, 05:09 PM

I'd hate to have to wake up in the middle of the night and blow start mine...

Wouldn't you accomplish the same thing by getting a smaller skimmer, and reducing the flow rate through your sump? But that way it would happen all day long.

pwoller · 11/13/2008, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rovert
I doubt turning them off and on again once in 24 hours will do much harm, but I'd consider it part of the cost of having a tank.

I think you would be suprised at the damage that can be done by turning the pump on and off that often.

11/08/2008, 11:30 AM	#1
Rovert Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Pike County, PA Posts: 1,774	Skimmer Off At Night? Did a search but couldn't find the right answer to this. I seem to recall that most microfauna and larvae that corals feed upon are most active at night. Therefore, would it not make sense to turn the skimmer off during the peak hours overnight when the water column is more densly populated with this stuff? Be very interested to hear discussion on this. Thanks! __________________ "Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers, and men, crooked."

11/08/2008, 11:32 AM	#2
SnowManSnow Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Georgia Posts: 956	IMO the extra 42 hrs a week (night hours) of Skimming is of greater importance than whatever good would come of having the stuff not skimmed during this time. B __________________ It's dark as the inside of a cow out here! - Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 120 MRC acrylic Tank (love it). Constellation T5s Mixed Reef

11/08/2008, 11:45 AM	#3
Rovert Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Pike County, PA Posts: 1,774	I see your point, but here's what I was thinking. Most of us run our skimmers 24x7x365, short of the few moments when they're being cleaned. We also feed our tanks Golden Pearls, Marine Snow, Cyclopeeze, brine shrimp and other products. So we're adding more biomatter to decompose to nitrates, which means we need to keep the skimmer running to extract what we've manually added. Wouldn't it be better, if the tank already has natural foodstocks, to let that take the place of manual (artificial) feedings? To your point, if the 'harm' of turning off the skimmer is because we're adding nutrients manually to the tank, if the food is already there in a natural form, wouldn't it be more beneficial to stop manually feeding and stop skimming overnight for a few peak hours wind up being a gain because we're not adding more crap to the tank that will break down? __________________ "Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers, and men, crooked."

11/08/2008, 02:15 PM	#5
Rovert Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Pike County, PA Posts: 1,774	Understood. Guys, I'm talking about turning off the skimmer for maybe two or three hours overnight, to coincide with the peak activity of microfauna in the tank, rather than leaving it running during that time and skimming out the natural foods that the corals eat. __________________ "Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers, and men, crooked."

11/12/2008, 07:43 AM	#8
Rovert Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Pike County, PA Posts: 1,774	Bump. Anyone else have an opinion on this? __________________ "Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers, and men, crooked."

11/08/2008, 02:07 PM	#4
bureau13 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,936	Remember, the skimmer is doing a lot of oxygenation...if you turn it off entirely, make sure you have other pumps running, etc. jds

11/08/2008, 03:48 PM	#6
emoore Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 570	Don't forget that many skimmer pumps are not meant to be cycled like that. It could shorten the life of the pump.

11/12/2008, 05:09 PM	#9
kaskiles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Merritt Island, FL Posts: 726	I'd hate to have to wake up in the middle of the night and blow start mine... Wouldn't you accomplish the same thing by getting a smaller skimmer, and reducing the flow rate through your sump? But that way it would happen all day long.