skimmer helping with nutrients?

[Susan Edwards]

Does your skimmer help with nutrient export--ie lowering no3 or po4. The skimmer I have is old, so wondering if I should upgrade it. It is an older bubble magus. Trying to make any upgrades on my tank during this "reset"

 

[WIReefer]

I believe they help very much I feed heavy and export a lot. With the amount of gunk I see it pull out it has to be helping!

 

[ichthyogeek]

I think by definition, a skimmer helps with nutrient export. They reduce the amount of organics in the tank, by foam fractionation. Lipids and proteins get caught in the bubbles and exported out before they're broken down into nitrogen and phosphate waste products.

 

[PatW]

Well, yes and no. A skimmer removes macro molecules which will eventually break down resulting in phosphates and nitrates. If you already have phosphates, you can dose carbon (vodka or vinegar) to stimulate bacterial growth. The bacteria absorb phosphates and nitrates in multiplying. If you have a skimmer that is pretty high capacity for your system, the skimmer will remove the bacteria. Hopefully, this will result in a decline of phosphates and nitrates. Like most things in reef aquariums, this works well for some people and not so well for others.

 

[Susan Edwards]

I'm wondering if my skimmer just isn't effective. I've done probably 100% water change in the last 2 weeks, and removed prob 90% of the sand, and no3 is still red. It's a bit paler, but not to 80 yet. I've also blown off and brushed off all rocks, even removing all but the bottom layer. This issue is driving me nuts! I feed fish and I watch it all disappear within minutes. Or most all that I can see anyway

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

It won't remove PO4/NO3, but it will stop food you feed from becoming PO4/NO3. I recently increased my feeding to what I would consider a ridiculous amount so that I could stop dosing NO3/PO4, but my nutrients didn't budge. I'm blaming my skimmer.

 

[Saltyreef]

I'm wondering if my skimmer just isn't effective. I've done probably 100% water change in the last 2 weeks, and removed prob 90% of the sand, and no3 is still red. It's a bit paler, but not to 80 yet. I've also blown off and brushed off all rocks, even removing all but the bottom layer. This issue is driving me nuts! I feed fish and I watch it all disappear within minutes. Or most all that I can see anyway

Sounds like your rocks are harboring the goodies.....
More rip cleaning!!!

 

[G Santana]

A skimmer is IMO indispensable especially if you have a heavy feeding schedule.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Sounds like your rocks are harboring the goodies.....
More rip cleaning!!!

I removed all the rocks except the foundations, put then in a 45 gal and took them 1 at a time to blow and brush then put back what I wanted. Prob. only half the amt. Removed sand from sump and put back cleanned rocks. 1 more water change to remove the rest of the sand. Then I have to blow the rocks again (sand is fine which is the problem) I'll let the tank sit for a week or so before new medium sand added back in.

 

[wvfeefkeeper80]

I'm wondering if my skimmer just isn't effective. I've done probably 100% water change in the last 2 weeks, and removed prob 90% of the sand, and no3 is still red. It's a bit paler, but not to 80 yet. I've also blown off and brushed off all rocks, even removing all but the bottom layer. This issue is driving me nuts! I feed fish and I watch it all disappear within minutes. Or most all that I can see anyway

I’m curious about the amount of water you’ve changed. This could potentially reset your ecosystem and create whole other issues regarding levels, stability and the like.

 

[Shooter6]

I removed all the rocks except the foundations, put then in a 45 gal and took them 1 at a time to blow and brush then put back what I wanted. Prob. only half the amt. Removed sand from sump and put back cleanned rocks. 1 more water change to remove the rest of the sand. Then I have to blow the rocks again (sand is fine which is the problem) I'll let the tank sit for a week or so before new medium sand added back in.

Set up an algae scrubber, a diy one can cost as little as 30.00

 

[wvfeefkeeper80]

I only keep a 32.5 gallon tank and early on thought a skimmer wasn’t worth the noise or breaking in process (bubbles). As the bio load in my tank increased, so did algae and other micro feeding critters. Once I broke in my skimmer, the oil like surface on the water disappeared, algae decreased, tank smelled clean and fresh. There’s no denying what I see in the collection cup. Cleaner tank. Steadier levels and happy fish.
Sold.

 

[This guy is Extra Salty]

I don’t have a skimmer on my system and I have undetectable PO4/NO3.

Granted my tank is a display refugium, loaded with macro algae.

 

[old salt reefer]

I don’t have a skimmer on my system and I have undetectable PO4/NO3.

Granted my tank is a display refugium, loaded with macro algae.

That's funny. I got a good laugh out of it. Thanks.

 

[Bruce I]

I had a similar problem this year. Phospates and nitrates continued to rise resulting in an algae bloom. I was running a reef octopus 110ss at that time. It was pulling out a good load of gunk. I also have a refugium which is lighted about 14 hrs per day.
The answer for me was a phosphate filter. I ran it for about a month, reduced feed and that solved the problem.

just fyi. Hope it helps.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

How old is your tank? ...from what I’ve read in your post on this thread, it seems like you are over reacting.... 100% water changes... taking your rock out.... stability, for the most part, comes from leaving as many thing ps as possible alone...

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

Yes, a skimmer helps drive down nitrates as it effectively reduces the bioload. As the dissolved organics in the water decrease, the bacteria in the tank produce less nitrate.

 

[fishguy242]

hi,you stirred a lot up,let skimmer do it's job,lil time,all that coralline,think your skimmer is fine,unless acting up then go octopus

 

[Susan Edwards]

hi,you stirred a lot up,let skimmer do it's job,lil time,all that coralline,think your skimmer is fine,unless acting up then go octopus

Probably so. I just thought I'd see better numbers a bit faster lol's. Gonna stir things up tomorrow. Prob. last time until new sand goes in.

 

[Susan Edwards]

How old is your tank? ...from what I’ve read in your post on this thread, it seems like you are over reacting.... 100% water changes... taking your rock out.... stability, for the most part, comes from leaving as many thing ps as possible alone...

Tank is over 2.5 years old. 3 yrs jan/feb. So not new. For the better part of this last year, and last, I had horrid algae. Neglecting tank with lack of dosing and water changes seemed to take care of most of the algae as it was pretty clear by the time I started this. And putting only the clean rocks back, not the ones still showing algae should help.

In 2019 I took down a 65 gal and added all that rock to the system. It was way too much rock but I didn't want to waste it. and pretty much tank was neglected most of 2019 and 2020 (trip to europe in 2019 took all my attention and money) . So I'm upgrading what needs upgrading like lights and doing what I can to get it back on a healthy course