Protein Skimmer On or Off when cycling ?

[Regular_Reefer]

What’s the opinions on running your protein skimmer when cycling. My tank has been cycling for about 24 days. Live Sand/dry rock

 

[andrewey]

Practically speaking, I don't think it makes much of a difference. I run them so I can break them in if they are new and it allows me to dial them in. I also use the time to program my apex and set levels with my sump/ATO in relation to the skimmer being on/off during certain events (e.g. coral feeding, maintenance).

 

[shwareefer]

Awesome air exchange seems worth any lost organics that would have contributed to the cycle. And skimmers are fun to play with.

 

[Regular_Reefer]

I’ll probably start mine up in a few days to give it some break in time before I start adding fish

 

[K7BMG]

I have started two tanks.
One had it going from the start.
The other not until I added fish.
For me I found no pro or con either way.
Cycle time was almost identical.

 

[Regular_Reefer]

I was curious because the back of the bottle I used to seed the tank stated to turn off the skimmer and remove fine filtration. But some of the reading I’ve been doing I. The mean time made it seem like it was more common to run the skimmer from the start as well. I’m in no rush either way just more of a curiosity.

 

[K7BMG]

I was curious because the back of the bottle I used to seed the tank stated to turn off the skimmer and remove fine filtration. But some of the reading I’ve been doing I. The mean time made it seem like it was more common to run the skimmer from the start as well. I’m in no rush either way just more of a curiosity.

Well I would go with the directions and not run it.
I did not read them when I cycled the tanks.
YMMV. sometime I can be bad about following instruction.
Juat ask my better half LoL

 

[Regular_Reefer]

Well I would go with the directions and not run it.
I did not read them when I cycled the tanks.
YMMV. sometime I can be bad about following instruction.
Juat ask my better half LoL

I feel ya! This is probably the first project In my life that I’ve literally read everything twice and continue to do research on. I have no idea what I’m doing and have been learning as I go

 

[shwareefer]

I was curious because the back of the bottle I used to seed the tank stated to turn off the skimmer and remove fine filtration. But some of the reading I’ve been doing I. The mean time made it seem like it was more common to run the skimmer from the start as well. I’m in no rush either way just more of a curiosity.

When you add bacteria they are floating free until they find surfaces to settle and multiply on. If you've seen a bacterial bloom (looks like white smoke in the tank) that is an example of lots of bacteria with no home and they are quite skimmable in that state. The manufacturer is just trying to give you best odds by not skimming out what you just added before it can find a home.

 

[Regular_Reefer]

Thanks for the replies