Should I leave my Skimmer on while on vacation?

[Tony888]

Hi Everyone,

I'll be out of town for 6 days and want to get some input. Should I leave my skimmer on while I'm gone? I have a ATO system that will take care of the RODI water, chiller to maintain the temperature, and my lights are programmed to the Hydra 26.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Hi Everyone,

I'll be out of town for 6 days and want to get some input. Should I leave my skimmer on while I'm gone? I have a ATO system that will take care of the RODI water, chiller to maintain the temperature, and my lights are programmed to the Hydra 26.

Do you have a controller on your tank such as an apex or reefkeeper? It'd be better nutrient wise to keep it running. However you'd hate for it to overflow. But if it does at least it'd be back into the sump if its an in sump skimmer. If you have a controller you can rig a float switch to cut power to the skimmer if it gets full or overflows.

 

[Tony888]

Do you have a controller on your tank such as an apex or reefkeeper? It'd be better nutrient wise to keep it running. However you'd hate for it to overflow. But if it does at least it'd be back into the sump if its an in sump skimmer. If you have a controller you can rig a float switch to cut power to the skimmer if it gets full or overflows.

Hi Crabs,

I'm new to the hobby and will have to slowly save up for an Apex system.

 

[cloak]

How long does it usually take for the skimmer cup to fill up? (or at least half way) I'd definitely leave the skimmer on, but 6 days might not be enough time for the cup to reach capacity. Like mentioned above though a little skimmate overflowing into the tank is not a bad thing.

 

[Tony888]

How long does it usually take for the skimmer cup to fill up? (or at least half way) I'd definitely leave the skimmer on, but 6 days might not be enough time for the cup to reach capacity.

I clean the skimmer cup every 2 days or as needed. However, I only have coral and CUC in the tank.

 

[cloak]

How full is the skimmer cup after 2 days? You should be able to do the math and figure out it if will overflow or not.

 

[boozeman27]

Tune the level down to skim dry so you can increase the number of days between emptying. It is your number 1 source of oxygenating the water.
Ps. Beware making changes right before you leave. Best to change and observe for a week or 2 to make sure things balance out.

 

[Tony888]

How full is the skimmer cup after 2 days? You should be able to do the math and figure out it if will overflow or not.

I have the Eshopps S-200 skimmer and it can go crazy and fill the cup in a day or two. It just depends on the water level.

 

[Tony888]

Tune the level down to skim dry so you can increase the number of days between emptying. It is your number 1 source of oxygenating the water.
Ps. Beware making changes right before you leave. Best to change and observe for a week or 2 to make sure things balance out.

I'm not sure what you mean by skim dry? Turn down the skimmer to a low setting so the foam does raise into the cup? Sorry for not fully understanding your advice.

 

[MTBake]

Turn it down so the foam doesn't raise so fast. Not sure about your skimmer, but I can adjust the height of the collection cup on my Reef Octopus. If I raise the cup, I get drier skimmate. That in turn makes the collection cup fill up slower.

You could also add a drain line into a bucket or drain. You would have to drill a hole in your collection cup and add a line though.

 

[Diznaster]

Not sure about your particular skimmer, but many have tuning instructions. Usually reducing air input makes the foam denser and the skimate is darker and fills slower. My skimmer goes kind of crazy wet for a day after I clean the neck (I don't adjust it because I know it will settle down), so maybe you are seeing that depending on the level of cleaning cleaning every 2 days. I agree with it being a major source of oxygen and would hesitate to turn it off. If it is in your sump and would only overflow into your sump then I would lean toward leave it on. The waste it overflows would be what came from your tank and it would be there anyways if the skimmer was off. If it is going to flood your house, I'd reconsider the placement. How soon is vacation? Can you let it go for 6 days when home and see what happens? Another option is a $20 light timer. I picked one up a while back for holiday lights and it could be set for days of week and times. Something like that at least you could run it for M-T-W and hope your PH/Oxygen was OK for 3 days (Th-F-S when off). If you do need to turn it off all week, maybe you can put an air pump before the bubble trap in your sump (if you have one).

 

[rkpetersen]

On the S200, turn the water level knob clockwise several turns to lower the water level (by raising the exit gate). This will allow the skimmer to continue to oxygenate the water but will collect little or no skimmate in the cup ('skimming dry'), while you're on vacation. Return it to normal operation when you return. Reduced skimming or even no skimming for a week shouldn't be a problem unless you are carbon dosing.

 

[Tony888]

On the S200, turn the water level knob clockwise several turns to lower the water level (by raising the exit gate). This will allow the skimmer to continue to oxygenate the water but will collect little or no skimmate in the cup ('skimming dry'), while you're on vacation. Return it to normal operation when you return. Reduced skimming or even no skimming for a week shouldn't be a problem unless you are carbon dosing.

Thank you for explaining the term dry skimming. I will most likely go with this approach. What are your thoughts on if I just take the skimmer cup off and let the foam overflow into the sump for oxygenating the tank?

 

[cloak]

I have the Eshopps S-200 skimmer and it can go crazy and fill the cup in a day or two. It just depends on the water level.

Just out of curiosity how big is your DT?

 

[Tony888]

Not sure about your particular skimmer, but many have tuning instructions. Usually reducing air input makes the foam denser and the skimate is darker and fills slower. My skimmer goes kind of crazy wet for a day after I clean the neck (I don't adjust it because I know it will settle down), so maybe you are seeing that depending on the level of cleaning cleaning every 2 days. I agree with it being a major source of oxygen and would hesitate to turn it off. If it is in your sump and would only overflow into your sump then I would lean toward leave it on. The waste it overflows would be what came from your tank and it would be there anyways if the skimmer was off. If it is going to flood your house, I'd reconsider the placement. How soon is vacation? Can you let it go for 6 days when home and see what happens? Another option is a $20 light timer. I picked one up a while back for holiday lights and it could be set for days of week and times. Something like that at least you could run it for M-T-W and hope your PH/Oxygen was OK for 3 days (Th-F-S when off). If you do need to turn it off all week, maybe you can put an air pump before the bubble trap in your sump (if you have one).

Thank you for your advice. I won't be on vacation for another 3 weeks so I have time to experiment with different options.

 

[Tony888]

Just out of curiosity how big is your DT?

34 gallons. Started small since I'm new to the hobby.

 

[BluTang85]

I would def leave the skimmer running, can u run the drain line into a bucket

 

[Tony888]

I need to check when I get home.

 

[rkpetersen]

Thank you for explaining the term dry skimming. I will most likely go with this approach. What are your thoughts on if I just take the skimmer cup off and let the foam overflow into the sump for oxygenating the tank?

If I understand you correctly, that would be fine but would likely create quite a mess from splashing, over the course of a week. And no real reason to, as the S200 has a drain hose attached to the cup, which you could just unplug. Also, not sure if you meant this, but the foam itself doesn't do anything for oxygenation; it is the microbubbles in brief but close contact with water in the skimmer body that provides all the additional gas exchange. This is also where ozone has its effect, and where CO2 scrubbing has its effect.

 

[MARK M. DAVIS]

I would leave the skimmer on. Take the skimmer cup off. If it bubble back into the tank, no big deal. Don't use an overflow bucket since you won't be home to monitor. That would be a source of all water draining from your tank.

 

[MARK M. DAVIS]

I would leave the skimmer on. Take the skimmer cup off. If it bubble back into the tank, no big deal. Don't use an overflow bucket since you won't be home to monitor. That would be a source of all water draining from your tank.

 

[MARK M. DAVIS]

I would leave the skimmer on. Take the skimmer cup off. If it bubble back into the tank, no big deal. Don't use an overflow bucket since you won't be home to monitor. That would be a source of all water draining from your tank.