How often should I run my skimmer?

[kennedpa]

I run mine 34/7, 8 days a week, 385 days a year.

Super man Rev defying laws of reefing as usual! How's that FTS coming along.

Hope things are going well for you!

 

[jassimps]

I run a Tunze 9415 skimmer on 75 gallon mixed reef, rimless display with additional 30 gallon Trigger Systems sump. I started off running the skimmer 24/7... 365 days per year. Late last year early June, I placed skimmer on an Apex timmer to turn off while my three Kessil a360we lights were ON from 1:30pm to 11pm. I stop doing that practice in early December since there was no noticeable difference in coral growth. Plus the added wear & tear on the motor was taxing and created challenges with the ATO system.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

. Do I run this skimmer constantly?

yes. for air mainly. just pick a "dry skim"

 

[Nathan Belz]

Ok so apparently I am in the minority! I run my skimmer on a reverse daylight schedule. This helps to even out PH in the tank and honestly my skimmer is oversized. The proteins in the tank from food breaking down take time to get into the water past where a skimmer can get them out. I pull the same amount out as I used to, but have half the electric cost, better ph, and an improved pump life.

I however only feed fish every few days, but the corals get fed daily. If you are feeding corals then it's a wast of money to pull everything out of the tank before they feed.

Finally, you can inadvertently create a ULNS tank by overskimming, but that's not something you are likely to do if you are feeding daily.

 

[Fattytuna]

Run my skimmer for 12 hours a day. I know fish stores that don't run any skimmers. My sps polyps extend twice as long when he skimmer is off

 

[Luke Schnabel]

You don't need to run your skimmer 24/7. In fact it could be better for your coral to leave all that "food" in the water so they can suck it up. I run my skimmer for only 12hrs a day. Monitor your Nitrate and Phosphate.... if they are high skimming will help getting them down. If they are not reading then skimming 12hrs a day will help raise your levels.

 

[Scott.h]

It depends. I have a tank that I'd rather not run it all the time, as I have to dose nitrates. However if I don't run it my ph sometimes dips below, 7.8. If I didn't have the ph issue I'd run it 12 hours. So it depends on your bio load really.

 

[Val Shebeko]

I agree- we did jack the thread a little. [emoji3]

I think a thread for feeding and culturing live foods is a GREAT idea. I would follow along and hopefully learn a bit- and then dive into to doing it myself. [emoji106]

Take brine shrimp eggs and de encapsulate them and pour them in. Fish and small things eat them up . They can eat the eggs orvifvthey hatch the shrimp. Di it for a little whilecand youbill get a self sustaining colony going in your tank.

 

[MartinWaite]

I run a protein skimmer that's for a 700 litre tank and my tank is only 120 litres and I run it all day everyday, to run it it part time will cause problems with setup on the skimmer due to the skin that's stuck to the sides of the skimmer drying out and then getting wet again, will all require the skimmer needing reset all the time plus the knocking on and off of the skimmers pump will reduce the life of the pump. I.M.O.

 

[kennedpa]

Take brine shrimp eggs and de encapsulate them and pour them in. Fish and small things eat them up . They can eat the eggs orvifvthey hatch the shrimp. Di it for a little whilecand youbill get a self sustaining colony going in your tank.

Interesting. I don't net. I agitate the culture and scoop feeding all stages. That would be awesome if that happened but ... my skimmers probably wrecking them 24/7

 

[kennedpa]

I run a protein skimmer that's for a 700 litre tank and my tank is only 120 litres and I run it all day everyday, to run it it part time will cause problems with setup on the skimmer due to the skin that's stuck to the sides of the skimmer drying out and then getting wet again, will all require the skimmer needing reset all the time plus the knocking on and off of the skimmers pump will reduce the life of the pump. I.M.O.

Swabbie!! Keep that clean all day baby.

 

[Brian W]

The fish go nuts on the live brine shrimp. I was like

that smiley, lol

 

[Brian W]

I run mine from 6:30 am - 9:30 pm. Lights go off at 10pm. I clean the cup when it needs it after it shuts off and I feed around 9:30 pm before the fish go the bed so they can sleep fat and happy! The skimmer is pretty loud and this is the only reason why I cut it off at night. Otherwise I would run it 24/7 if I had a sump and if my cabinet was enclosed.

I have a Reef Octopus 150 INT skimmer on a 40 gallon frag tank. Its a little crowded right now. lol