Running skimmer part time, but when?

[Niklas123321]

So my skimmer is fairly loud, and I bought an AC timer to only have it running for half the day. But when should this be? Should the time I have it running include my feeding window?

 

[redeyejedi]

So my skimmer is fairly loud, and I bought an AC timer to only have it running for half the day. But when should this be? Should the time I have it running include my feeding window?

I only run mine through the night and its off while the lights are on.

 

[ReefRusty]

Why?? Just run it 24/7?? What's the advantage of this?

 

[Niklas123321]

"So my skimmer is fairly loud"
reading a post helps lol

 

[ReefRusty]

"So my skimmer is fairly loud"
reading a post helps lol

Yes read that but if its that loud you need to turn it off why run one or even better upgrade? I can hear mine but obviously not an annoying noise just constant and it is what it is. Do it annoying you during the day or at night?

 

[Rjramos]

I have a refugium going and the chaetomorpha can reduce nitrates and phosphates to 0. So I run the skimmer at night from 10pm- 4am. Sometimes I turn it off completely for weeks depending on where my PO4 and NO3 is at.

 

[Niklas123321]

Yes read that but if its that loud you need to turn it off why run one or even better upgrade? I can hear mine but obviously not an annoying noise just constant and it is what it is. Do it annoying you during the day or at night?

I am using a propiatory skimmer that fits well into my AIO fluval flex 32g, I have no sump so getting a different one is difficult.

I only run mine through the night and its off while the lights are on.

I'll probably just do this

 

[Niklas123321]

Different question regarding oxygen, my tank has an almost completely closed lid. I can't really get my vortech mp10 to aggitate the surface, so the only real surface movement is the filter pump from the back chamber.

My only stocking so far is a tiny neon goby, at the day algae should produce oxygen, at night the skimmer should do the work, I'm probably fine, right?

 

[Rjramos]

Different question regarding oxygen, my tank has an almost completely closed lid. I can't really get my vortech mp10 to aggitate the surface, so the only real surface movement is the filter pump from the back chamber.

My only stocking so far is a tiny neon goby, at the day algae should produce oxygen, at night the skimmer should do the work, I'm probably fine, right?

Are you skimming the surface of the tank with an overflow box? Glass lid?

 

[Niklas123321]

Are you skimming the surface of the tank with an overflow box? Glass lid?

not really, the back filter doesn't really have an overflow, its water line is as high as the rest of the tank

 

[Rjramos]

not really, the back filter doesn't really have an overflow, its water line is as high as the rest of the tank

Could be a problem, not so much because of the tight lid, but the inability to skim surface water, which can limit surface gas exchange. If you look at the surface of water through the front glass you probably notice a film of oils and particles. This should be removed and the only way to do it is to skim the surface into an overflow box.

 

[Rjramos]

not really, the back filter doesn't really have an overflow, its water line is as high as the rest of the tank

Could be a problem, not so much because of the tight lid, but the inability to skim surface water, which can limit surface gas exchange. If you look at the surface of water through the front glass you probably notice a film of oils and particles. This should be removed and the only way to do it is to skim the surface into an overflow box

 

[polyppal]

Maybe just set it on a timer to run when your not at home, and come back on during the night after you fall asleep

I find skimmers are most effective at night

 

[Jtk920]

I might be wrong here, I thought to have the skimmer run properly it needs to run almost nonstop? I know they all have that break-in period, but it's been my understanding that if your constantly shutting it off that it won't function good.

 

[Rjramos]

What I have found is that it depends. It depends on how much bioload you have and what means of nutrient export you have. I run refugiums with miracle mud along with skimmers. In a 120 display with large fish fed well and refugium, I run the skimmer full time to maintain low but essential nutrients. On a dual 60 gal frag/grow out set up,(120 gal), 5 fish, with refugium with miracle mud, if I run the skimmer full time my NO3 and PO4 will zero out. So I run the skimmer 10p-4am only and sometimes I’ve turn it off for a week till I get some NO3 and PO4.

 

[Jtk920]

I guess that I was referring to the overall skimmer performance

 

[LegendaryCG]

I only run my IM skimmer from 1-5 am coz it’s annoyingly loud and still manages to remove stuff. There’s a real opportunity for someone to make a nano skimmer that doesnt suck.