Skimmer died.....should I stop biopellets until skimmer fixed?

[bucfan]

I run a BB 100g with a 35g sump. I use a Reef Dynamics BP reactor and a RLSS skimmer. My skimmer just stopped working. Think the pump is dead. My understanding is that when running BPs you need to keep the skimmer on 24/7 to provide oxygenation. Since my skimmer is dead and I don't know if I can fix it this week, do I turn off the effluent in the BP reactor. The BPs will keep churning, only nothing will get into the tank. Or do I keep the BP effluent going despite no skimming?

 

[rich850]

Stop carbon dosing immediately it is catastrophic with no skimmer

 

[jdl513]

Problem is if you stop the biopellets you will be starting from scratch on that when the skimmer is restarted.

I would consider placing a portion of the pellets in a media bag then put that bag in your sump.
This should keep a bacteria culture growing on the pellets alive to reseed the reactor after you get the skimmer back up and running.

 

[bucfan]

That's how the Reef Dynamics reactor works the effluent/outflow can be turned off but the BPs keep churning. It has 2 separate controls. Hence I figure the bacteria should stay. I think the answer is BP off till skimmer back on.

Do I need to do more frequent water changes till skimmer back online?

 

[Mike J.]

Stop carbon dosing immediately it is catastrophic with no skimmer

This! You'll end up with a bucket of slime and dead stuff. I would turn everything off and skim the water change off the top of the water in the sump first.

 

[jdl513]

Not trying to stir the pot here...this is just what I would do!

The problem with complete shutdown is the reactor will take 6 weeks or more to re-establish after the skimmer is restarted.
A small seed population would greatly reduce this recovery time.

I would remove all but a small handful of the biopellets and either put them in a media bag somewhere in the sump or leave them in the reactor at a greatly reduced flow so they barely tumble.
This will significantly reduce the amount of bacteria that can foul the water, but preserve a small seed colony to quickly repopulate the fresh pellets you add once the skimmer is back up.

Lastly I would also get a back up skimmer pump that can "hold the fort" as soon as practical.
It is not a question of if it is a matter of when your skimmer pump will break down again.

 

[Dowtish]

Not trying to stir the pot here...this is just what I would do!

The problem with complete shutdown is the reactor will take 6 weeks or more to re-establish after the skimmer is restarted.
A small seed population would greatly reduce this recovery time.

I would remove all but a small handful of the biopellets and either put them in a media bag somewhere in the sump or leave them in the reactor at a greatly reduced flow so they barely tumble.
This will significantly reduce the amount of bacteria that can foul the water, but preserve a small seed colony to quickly repopulate the fresh pellets you add once the skimmer is back up.

Lastly I would also get a back up skimmer pump that can "hold the fort" as soon as practical.
It is not a question of if it is a matter of when your skimmer pump will break down again.

+1 to all of this!

 

[Mike J.]

Not trying to stir the pot here...this is just what I would do!

The problem with complete shutdown is the reactor will take 6 weeks or more to re-establish after the skimmer is restarted.
A small seed population would greatly reduce this recovery time.

I would remove all but a small handful of the biopellets and either put them in a media bag somewhere in the sump or leave them in the reactor at a greatly reduced flow so they barely tumble.
This will significantly reduce the amount of bacteria that can foul the water, but preserve a small seed colony to quickly repopulate the fresh pellets you add once the skimmer is back up.

Lastly I would also get a back up skimmer pump that can "hold the fort" as soon as practical.
It is not a question of if it is a matter of when your skimmer pump will break down again.

Yes, this is what I meant. When I said turn everything off I was answering his water change question. What I meant to say is turn off all the pumps so the slime and VOC's would float to the top of the water in the sump so he could skim it out.

 

[Zoacoral]

which RLSS skimmer did you have? I know that dont answer you question, just curious.

 

[bucfan]

which RLSS skimmer did you have? I know that dont answer you question, just curious.

DB8i

 

[bucfan]

Not trying to stir the pot here...this is just what I would do!

The problem with complete shutdown is the reactor will take 6 weeks or more to re-establish after the skimmer is restarted.
A small seed population would greatly reduce this recovery time.

I would remove all but a small handful of the biopellets and either put them in a media bag somewhere in the sump or leave them in the reactor at a greatly reduced flow so they barely tumble.
This will significantly reduce the amount of bacteria that can foul the water, but preserve a small seed colony to quickly repopulate the fresh pellets you add once the skimmer is back up.

Lastly I would also get a back up skimmer pump that can "hold the fort" as soon as practical.
It is not a question of if it is a matter of when your skimmer pump will break down again.

I understand your recommendation. Only thing is not sure if any of you realized the type of media reactor I have from Reef Dynamics where I can completely shut off the stuff coming out of the reactor (effluent) without shutting off the tumble. In essence I have nothing coming out of the reactor but the bacteria remains since the BPs continue to tumble. I keep it that way till I get my skimmer back up (hopefully in 3-7 days) and when I do I will let the initial water out of the reactor into a bucket then let the reactor run into the sump/skimmer. That way the slime, etc is not let back into the tank. Just wondering if that's a possibility or do I have to take all the BPs out, like you said, even though I have this particular kind of media reactor. Hope someone familiar with a Reef Dynamics BP reactor can chime in.

Thanks to all of you for your quick replies! This hobby throws you a curve ball all the time.

 

[bucfan]

Got a backup skimmer from my lfs while the skimmer pump gets fixed. Thanks to all for their advice. BPs back on line. Let the first 1/2 gallon or so effluent out of the reactor into a bucket. Smelled kinda funky but I am not sure what it's supposed to smell like normally.

 

[gtbarsi]

I realize that this is probably too late but here are my thoughts.

I would keep the reactor running but turn off the effluent, then once a day turn it back on with the output to a waste container. At a rate as low as possible let the reactor produce 1/2 to 1 gallon of effluent in to that waste container. Turn off the affluent, flush the waste, and replace with fresh mixed salt water.

The reason I would do this is to avoid killing off the bacteria by starving them. The bacteria on bio pellets are fast eaters and you do not want to let them go too long between feedings. At the same time you do not want them to get too much too fast as your goal is to get them to survive during this period where they are not getting as much to eat.

Just my .02, Jeff @ Reef Dynamics would be the ultimate authority as to the best thing to do here since he engineered the first re-circulating bio pellet reactors. PS I do not recommend asking him about any non RD products.

 

[Chameleon]

if you turn off the reactor wont it go anaerobic on you and cause issues there??

 

[bucfan]

Thanks for the suggestions. As to my experience. I had the skimmer effluent off for 24 hours till I got a replacement skimmer. Let the first 1/4 gallon effluent into a bucket. Smelt nasty and was kinda darkish. Think it builds up some nasty stuff while it is not draining. Probably anaerobic reaction occurs. In the retrospect one should release the effluent outside the sump twice daily.