Have you ever overflowed a skimmer collection cup?

[Lost in the Sauce]

And as a follow up, if you have overflowed a collection cup, was it Lethal to your system? Were there any fish deaths, coral deaths, algae blooms you attribute to it?

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Never!

 

[dvgyfresh]

Yes , multiple times. Aqua max HOB skimmer the bubbles would be overflowing so much it would lift the lid off lol, no bad effects. I pour the skimmate back into the tank sometimes

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Yes , multiple times. Aqua max HOB skimmer the bubbles would be overflowing so much it would lift the lid off lol, no bad effects. I pour the skimmate back into the tank sometimes

Do you add back the concentrate, Because you are running too close to stripping nutrients?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Do you add back the concentrate, Because you are running too close to stripping nutrients?

This is it! I’ve been low on nitrate lately , I think to myself why buy nitrate additives when I can simply add the skimmate back into the tank? Same if phosphate is low - I don’t put the stuff into the DT but in refugium

 

[Jedi1199]

Well @Lost in the Sauce, I cast my vote and I'm sure you know my opinion.

It may pan out that the consensus is that is ok, but I will NEVER, in any way shape or form, be convinced to advise ANYONE to add skimmate to their tanks. I have SEEN the lethality of it, and won't advise it.. EVER!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

And as a follow up, if you have overflowed a collection cup, was it Lethal to your system? Were there any fish deaths, coral deaths, algae blooms you attribute to it?

Yep, used to happen all the time! No issues that I could tell besides the stink, lol!
Of course, I did/do empty the skimmer cup regularly and at least to a basic wipe down of the cup and skimmer neck, so it's not like I had 3 years' worth of crud polluting my tank... which I believe might be the problem in some cases of "catastrophe"

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Well @Lost in the Sauce, I cast my vote and I'm sure you know my opinion.

It may pan out that the consensus is that is ok, but I will NEVER, in any way shape or form, be convinced to advise ANYONE to add skimmate to their tanks. I have SEEN the lethality of it, and won't advise it.. EVER!

Thank you. I Would like to Discuss it with the collective. Maybe we find others with similar experiences to you and can get to the bottom of it.

 

[Jedi1199]

Thank you. I Would like to Discuss it with the collective. Maybe we find others with similar experiences to you and can get to the bottom of it.

Agreed.. As we are polar opposite on this topic, I also would like to see the collective opinion.

 

[dvgyfresh]

I’ll add that I don’t add skimmer skimmate blindly , like if I dosed reef flux , lanthium chloride , or something but I rarely use chemicals

 

[fishguy242]

YUP... nutrients low ,absolutely pour back into system.
skimmer will take back out.
been doing it for decades.
ill effects ?? corals love it.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Multiple times, sometimes corals look better afterwards.

 

[Jedi1199]

OK.. let's add to this topic.

No 2 tanks are identical.

A tank similar to mine, with all of the same equipment, but WITH a running refugium, would react quite differently to an addition of skimmate. The variables that exist between all of our tanks makes any blanket statement questionable. Again, adding skimmate may work for some, but not others.

In MY OWN system, skimmate added back to the system was lethal within days to over 70% of my population.

 

[F i s h y]

Yes I do in small quantities. Corals seem to really enjoy it.

 

[Jedi1199]

Further, Once I cleaned the skimmer and collection cup, the tank has resumed it's previous healthy operation. Nothing new I have added (aside from the damsel that got eaten) has had any adverse effects.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

OK.. let's add to this topic.

No 2 tanks are identical.

A tank similar to mine, with all of the same equipment, but WITH a running refugium, would react quite differently to an addition of skimmate. The variables that exist between all of our tanks makes any blanket statement questionable. Again, adding skimmate may work for some, but not others.

In MY OWN system, skimmate added back to the system was lethal within days to over 70% of my population.

Also to add... By your own admission, when that happened, you had not cleaned out the skimmer for MONTHS, and you also said that since cleaning it, you have had zero problems.

 

[fishguy242]

ok , i will add no fuge ever, if recommending to someone will not just say pour it in
add a small amount ,to stop from bottoming out.

 

[Lavey29]

I've gotten to the point where I can actually hear my skimmer over flowing before I even enter the room.

 

[SamsReef]

The options in the poll are confusing. Overflowed and releasing are two different actions. For me, overflowed - yes. Releasing back in the tank purposefully - absolutely not. I don’t know which selection to pick.
Hope that helped in whatever you are trying to get out of this poll . Good luck.

Sam

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

ok , i will add no fuge ever, if recommending to someone will not just say pour it in
add a small amount ,to stop from bottoming out.

I think the most common situation is that the skimmer runs when the water level is too high (like after the return pump starts up after a power loss or similar), and the cup overflows before the sump level stabilizes. Usually (for those who have a decent maintenance routine) this does not end up adding very much skimmate back to the system.