First skimmer-need some advice

[glb]

I just bought a Coralife nano skimmer for my 12g nanocube. I know they're not the greatest but it was practically free. I also wanted the aeration it would provide. It is producing wet skimmate with some particles in it. It's a dull light green color. I'm very pleased that it's pulling stuff out of the water, and my ph has stabilized since I started it, probably because there's less co2 in the water. Here are my questions:

Where in the tube where the bubbles are should they start out? I mean when you tune it, should the bubbles reach the bottom of the collection cup, closer to the top, or somewhere in between? I can raise or lower it by altering air flow or by slightly moving the collection cup up or down.

Is wet skimmate a problem? You have to empty the cup more often, but is that the only downside?

How soon after I installing a skimmer should I notice a difference in nitrates/phosphates? My nitrates are about 5-10ppm and phosphates are 0.05ppm. I also have a phosban reactor. I know these numbers aren't too bad but I just got some sps (birdsnest, Hollywood stunner chalice, Jedi mind trick monti) and I'd like to feed them more often without worrying about my numbers.

Would I get better skimmate if I could somehow elongate the tube that dumps into the collection pump?

Could I add a co2 adsorbent to the air line to bump up the ph a little more? Right now it runs 7.8-8.0.

My parameters are fine. Alk is running 9-9.5kh, ca is around 490ppm and mg is about 1380. The only thing I dose is kalk for the Alk and ca.

Any help for this skimmer newbie would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ebushrow]

So I will try and help here where I can ...see text in red. My overall question is why did you put a skimmer on it at all? It's more beneficial IMO to do a 5 gallon water change every week since you will export the nutrients that way quickly and replenish the lost(used) trace elements like calcium....never the less, see my suggestions below

I just bought a Coralife nano skimmer for my 12g nanocube. I know they're not the greatest but it was practically free. I also wanted the aeration it would provide. It is producing wet skimmate with some particles in it. It's a dull light green color. I'm very pleased that it's pulling stuff out of the water, and my ph has stabilized since I started it, probably because there's less co2 in the water. Here are my questions:

Where in the tube where the bubbles are should they start out? I mean when you tune it, should the bubbles reach the bottom of the collection cup, closer to the top, or somewhere in between? I can raise or lower it by altering air flow or by slightly moving the collection cup up or down. usually to the bottom of the cup, so that the proteins have some distance to travel thus being more concentrated.

Is wet skimmate a problem? You have to empty the cup more often, but is that the only downside?downside is that you will have to replace more RODI and salinity shifts will be an issue with such a small water volume

How soon after I installing a skimmer should I notice a difference in nitrates/phosphates? My nitrates are about 5-10ppm and phosphates are 0.05ppm. I also have a phosban reactor. I know these numbers aren't too bad but I just got some sps (birdsnest, Hollywood stunner chalice, Jedi mind trick monti) and I'd like to feed them more often without worrying about my numbers. Protein skimmers do not really do anything for nitrates or phosphates unless you add something to remove them....they are removing dissolved solids....there may be some benefit to it, but I've never read that someone found this to happen or seen it for myself. Much of what you are probably seeing is the dissolved oils and small coral food particles coming out

Would I get better skimmate if I could somehow elongate the tube that dumps into the collection pump?probably not

Could I add a co2 adsorbent to the air line to bump up the ph a little more? Right now it runs 7.8-8.0.chemistry will always be a fight for 12 gallons....8 is not too bad

My parameters are fine. Alk is running 9-9.5kh, ca is around 490ppm and mg is about 1380. The only thing I dose is kalk for the Alk and ca. Calcium in high IMO for sure. If you properly mix your saltwater you should keep things in balance....the only thing that might help is buffer such as aquavitro 8.4

Any help for this skimmer newbie would be greatly appreciated!

 

[glb]

So I will try and help here where I can ...see text in red. My overall question is why did you put a skimmer on it at all? It's more beneficial IMO to do a 5 gallon water change every week since you will export the nutrients that way quickly and replenish the lost(used) trace elements like calcium....never the less, see my suggestions below

I change 10% of the water every week. You're right that water changes can handle things for the most part. I added a skimmer primarily to increase aeration of the water, believe it or not. I have a lower ph due to excess co2 and I thought the skimmer might help. It actually did. The tank was running 7.7-7.9 before the skimmer and now is stable at 7.8-8.0, with much less low fluctuations (it went to 7.6 a few times). My parameters are fine so that wasn't the problem. I also have the option now of making a little co2 scrubber and hooking it to the air line if I want the ph a little higher, which I might because I have some SPS now.

The other reason was I want to feed my corals more heavily without having to worry about my numbers as much. I'd also like to keep the nitrates at around 5 tops, which I haven't been able to do with water changes alone.

Third, and perhaps the silliest, is that I'm jealous of all the big tanks with their skimmers and I just thought having one would be cool. I had a gift card so I basically got it for free. I'm endlessly fascinated by skimmers and finally just had to have one. Even if all it did was aerate the water, I'm happy with the results. But the little thing actually skims! Not the black coffee, soupy skimmate, but it is pulling the junk out of the water.

 

[ebushrow]

I understand what you are saying here, could I make a suggestion of increasing the water changes to 5 gallons a week instead of 1.2 gallons just for ease and better waste export....a 5 gallon bucket has to be easier to mix than the 1.2 and would also get rid of nitrates and phosphates faster.

Forgot to ask... You are using RODI right?

 

[glb]

I understand what you are saying here, could I make a suggestion of increasing the water changes to 5 gallons a week instead of 1.2 gallons just for ease and better waste export....a 5 gallon bucket has to be easier to mix than the 1.2 and would also get rid of nitrates and phosphates faster.

Forgot to ask... You are using RODI right?

I use distilled because the RODI at the LFS isn't reliable. A 5g would be a 50% water change every week. I think that would be too much. Like I said, the parameters aren't bad now, I just want to make them better.

 

[glb]

Bump. Any help would be appreciated!