over skimming

[saltwaterpicaso]

I have habbit of buying stuff that is over rated for my tank lol so for the last few years I struggle with lps color especially hammers and frogspawn but all lps fade in color I really think my skimmer is just 2 strong and my water is to stripped of nutrients. my tank water volume is about 120 gallons my skimmer is rated for 400 its a reef octopus elite 200. my question is how do I keep skimming with keeping the colors good should I just skim for a few hours a day or just at night I'm lost on what to do I do feed the corals 2 times a week a mixture of mysis aminos polyp booster and reef roids all mixed together but it seems not enough to keep deep colors any input would help am willing to try anything

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Have you measured inorganic nutrients?

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

phosphate on the hanna url checker just reads 000 and nitrate is the same I tried api both show nothing. took my water to the local fish shop same thing the water colum is stripped I also run carbon and gfo and just bought ozone I always have had clear water just wanted to see if I could get it even better but in my journey I have gone to far I believe I also use aquaforest pro biotic salt. I have so far switched to there regular reef salt. I have about 12 fish in the tank I feed flake and pellet every night corols are fed every wensday sunday water change and filter sock change is every wensday 15 gallons. I have treid less water changes seems to just grow more algea on the glass and back of the tank I also have a refugium with cheato

 

[redfishbluefish]

Your issue isn't over skimming, it's not having enough inorganic nutrients! Your water is too clean.

 

[Maacc]

Pull your gfo and carbon for awhile. You will be amazed how things turn around in a few months.
If you keep the ozone in the skimmer no need for carbon.
Just watch and test for a while and don't freak out if the numbers bounce around for a bit.

 

[Scorpius]

Im treating for Bryopsis with Fluconazole currently. I'm over three weeks without skimming and my coral colors are improved. I too run an oversized skimmer and here I thought if I didn't skim the sky would fall. lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Im treating for Bryopsis with Fluconazole currently. I'm over three weeks without skimming and my coral colors are improved. I too run an oversized skimmer and here I thought if I didn't skim the sky would fall. lol

In my experiment where I shut off my skimmer for a few months, I concluded that aeration was inadequate without it. That was evidenced by my pH getting too high.

 

[bhavy]

I need to follow this as I also have been running to much GFO and Carbon. My levels are .000 also. My Montipora colors are so dull! Goniporas and softs unaffected. I cut my GFO to 1/3 or 1 1/2 cup for my 200gal tank. No carbon. I also bought the Red Sea color kit (4 part kit). Started dosing that .5ml per day. Any other comments invited!

 

[Scorpius]

In my experiment where I shut off my skimmer for a few months, I concluded that aeration was inadequate without it. That was evidenced by my pH getting too high.

My skimmer is still running for aeration, but is draining back into the sump. I thought lack of aeration lead to low O2 levels/ CO2 rising lowering Ph.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My skimmer is still running for aeration, but is draining back into the sump. I thought lack of aeration lead to low O2 levels/ CO2 rising lowering Ph.

Lack of aeration results in a larger day/night pH differential, and will raise or lower the overall pH depending on whether the tank has an excess or deficiency of CO2 relative to the air.

In my tank and home, using limewater, the tank typically had a deficiency of CO2, especially during the day.

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

so along with turning the skimmer down losing the gfo and more feeding is there anything else I can be doing and is getting rid of the carbon really necessary I only run about a cup worth

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

so along with turning the skimmer down losing the gfo and more feeding is there anything else I can be doing and is getting rid of the carbon really necessary I only run about a cup worth

I don't think GAC is having much impact on nutrients. I'd leave it.

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

another thing these guys that are running unls sps tanks that have lps coral in them how are they keeping them nice and colorful when there water is stripped

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

another thing these guys that are running unls sps tanks that have lps coral in them how are they keeping them nice and colorful when there water is stripped

Who are you talking about?

 

[luke33]

Adequate skimmer, GFO, Carbon....Ozone......no wonder your water is so clean! I don't think your skimmer is over sized as it seems adequate to me. If it was over sized you would have sporadic times of soda fizz with no foam head. If you always see a foam head you are fine. I would pull the GFO and see how things react, but thats just my opinion ofcourse : )

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

I was just speaking in general like when I google search or read forums on here people running zeovit and other methods with great looking lps and the ozone is new only ran it a week that will be staying off line or maybe ran just if I see some hazing in the water. and yes the skimmer always has a foam head the problem is in my area I don't have any professionals to come look at my tank and offer input

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was just speaking in general like when I google search or read forums on here people running zeovit and other methods with great looking lps and the ozone is new only ran it a week that will be staying off line or maybe ran just if I see some hazing in the water. and yes the skimmer always has a foam head the problem is in my area I don't have any professionals to come look at my tank and offer input

Many people who run ULNS aquaria also specifically add foods specifically for their corals.

 

[luke33]

What kind of lights are you using? Besides your LPS are your other corals doing well?

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

yes zoas grow and look good shrooms are growing good and look good only thing that really fades is any torch hammer octo its very odd my open brain looks great except a slight color shift because its under led now but other than that most all looks good just a little drab I guess

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

I have pictures of everything when I first bought it months ago I will take pictures tonight and put them up