TOO SOON FOR PROTEIN SKIMMER

[xzebra007]

Simple question I have is how soon is too soon to add a protein skimmer? Just two weeks in at this point and no fish, waiting for another 2 weeks before adding fish.

 

[The_Paradox]

It’s not going to hurt anything, if anything oxygenating will help cycle.

 

[xzebra007]

It’s not going to hurt anything, if anything oxygenating will help cycle.

Thank you very much for the quick response!

Much appreciated my friend.

 

[findingAqua]

Simple question I have is how soon is too soon to add a protein skimmer? Just two weeks in at this point and no fish, waiting for another 2 weeks before adding fish.

I added mine after around 2 months and it didnt really do much, now it seems to be collecting but i do also used a filter sock

 

[Uncle99]

If your nutrients are low or decreasing, not time.
Only add exporting equipment when needed, ie, nutrients continuously are rising, week to week.

 

[xzebra007]

I added mine after around 2 months and it didnt really do much, now it seems to be collecting but i do also used a filter sock

Yes, running mesh filter socks from WB.
Thank you!

 

[xzebra007]

If your nutrients are low or decreasing, not time.
Only add exporting equipment when needed, ie, nutrients continuously are rising, week to week.

Still cycling and improving, perhaps I should wait til I get fish?

 

[Uncle99]

Still cycling and improving, perhaps I should wait til I get fish?

The skimmer is a great tool to pull waste from the water however, it takes both good and bad algae and bacterium with it.

I add my skimmer when nutrients start to rise, this certainly will be the case as you add importers (fish)

As you build, you’ll add corals which are also exporters.

I watch nutrients carefully, week to week, to avoid either bottoming or rising continuously.

When they start to rise, I add one piece of export equipment, in this case a skimmer and I see what this does to nutrient levels. If they stabilize in the normal band, I stay here until they start increasing.

If they don’t fall somewhat, or they start to increase down the road, I might carbon dose or set a refuge to stabilize them.

For me it’s a game of balancing what is being added versus what is being processed.

That game changes as the system matures.

Resist adding equipment unless it has a direct purpose.

 

[xzebra007]

The skimmer is a great tool to pull waste from the water however, it takes both good and bad algae and bacterium with it.

I add my skimmer when nutrients start to rise, this certainly will be the case as you add importers (fish)

As you build, you’ll add corals which are also exporters.

I watch nutrients carefully, week to week, to avoid either bottoming or rising continuously.

When they start to rise, I add one piece of export equipment, in this case a skimmer and I see what this does to nutrient levels. If they stabilize in the normal band, I stay here until they start increasing.

If they don’t fall somewhat, or they start to increase down the road, I might carbon dose or set a refuge to stabilize them.

For me it’s a game of balancing what is being added versus what is being processed.

That game changes as the system matures.

Resist adding equipment unless it has a direct purpose.

Great details and makes sense....thank you very much for responding and your help!

 

[Port City Reefer]

The skimmer is a great tool to pull waste from the water however, it takes both good and bad algae and bacterium with it.

I add my skimmer when nutrients start to rise, this certainly will be the case as you add importers (fish)

As you build, you’ll add corals which are also exporters.

I watch nutrients carefully, week to week, to avoid either bottoming or rising continuously.

When they start to rise, I add one piece of export equipment, in this case a skimmer and I see what this does to nutrient levels. If they stabilize in the normal band, I stay here until they start increasing.

If they don’t fall somewhat, or they start to increase down the road, I might carbon dose or set a refuge to stabilize them.

For me it’s a game of balancing what is being added versus what is being processed.

That game changes as the system matures.

Resist adding equipment unless it has a direct purpose.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, as for I am new as well. What nutrients should I be looking at specifically? I just recently set up my tank 8/26 and added 2 clowns 9/16 once LFS tested and confirmed 0 ammonia.

 

[The_Paradox]

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, as for I am new as well. What nutrients should I be looking at specifically? I just recently set up my tank 8/26 and added 2 clowns 9/16 once LFS tested and confirmed 0 ammonia.

If you do not have coral than ammonia is the big one. Once your tank is cycled though you do not really need to worry about unless something dies and starts to decay. If you do start adding coral you will want to monitor phosphorus and nitrate. As far as what numbers they should be no one agrees other than not zero.

 

[Uncle99]

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, as for I am new as well. What nutrients should I be looking at specifically? I just recently set up my tank 8/26 and added 2 clowns 9/16 once LFS tested and confirmed 0 ammonia.

Nitrate and phosphate are must haves as they are used by everyone living.

Say nitrate at 5-15ppm and phosphate at say 0.1-0.2pom.

These nutrients are used up to some degree by everyone and in a new system, good guy algae’s and bacteria use these to increase their numbers and keep your tank clean and corals fed.

 

[Port City Reefer]

Nitrate and phosphate are must haves as they are used by everyone living.

Say nitrate at 5-15ppm and phosphate at say 0.1-0.2pom.

These nutrients are used up to some degree by everyone and in a new system, good guy algae’s and bacteria use these to increase their numbers and keep your tank clean and corals fed.

So if my water is reading both 0 on nitrate and phosphate (Hanna and Red Sea tests), and tank seems to be settling well. Just keep feeding every other day and weekly water changes while NOT running my reefmat fleece and Nyos skim?Until both nutrients rise to your recommended ranges?

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

Correct. You don’t need them till you add fish.

 

[Uncle99]

So if my water is reading both 0 on nitrate and phosphate (Hanna and Red Sea tests), and tank seems to be settling well. Just keep feeding every other day and weekly water changes while NOT running my reefmat fleece and Nyos skim?Until both nutrients rise to your recommended ranges?

Zero is a number (if true) in either or both we don’t want for long, this lack favors the start of bad guys, the Dino Cyano guys.

Feeding the same amount each and everyday is important, I don’t use that to raise or lower them, I want consistency in feeding fish (and the system itself).

You don’t need a lot of stuff online in a new system, it takes stuff out, what your looking for is stability, ie, what you consistently put in, is taken out, leaving a trace of both available for the system to utilize.

If over the next week or so, you need to start seeing both up a little, and if this the trend, keep going until the targets are reached, then, through the use of skimmers and water changes and any other export method you employ, get them to hold.

 

[Port City Reefer]

Zero is a number (if true) in either or both we don’t want for long, this lack favors the start of bad guys, the Dino Cyano guys.

Feeding the same amount each and everyday is important, I don’t use that to raise or lower them, I want consistency in feeding fish (and the system itself).

You don’t need a lot of stuff online in a new system, it takes stuff out, what your looking for is stability, ie, what you consistently put in, is taken out, leaving a trace of both available for the system to utilize.

If over the next week or so, you need to start seeing both up a little, and if this the trend, keep going until the targets are reached, then, through the use of skimmers and water changes and any other export method you employ, get them to hold.

very very well explained and I’m on it. Thank you very much!

 

[billyocean]

A skimmer is a case by case basis. I have one but have never used it because there isn't a need for it. Some people are really heavy nutrient in and need one for export. Advice would be like mention previously and add if you must but it's not a 100% necessity in some cases

 

[Port City Reefer]

A skimmer is a case by case basis. I have one but have never used it because there isn't a need for it. Some people are really heavy nutrient in and need one for export. Advice would be like mention previously and add if you must but it's not a 100% necessity in some cases

Far enough on the skimmer aspect. But what about the reef mat fleece roll I have installed, currently not running anything. No fleece roll, no filter sock. I was told as many others have explained “build” the eco system. But when is it the right time to start running the fleece?

 

[Uncle99]

Far enough on the skimmer aspect. But what about the reef mat fleece roll I have installed, currently not running anything. No fleece roll, no filter sock. I was told as many others have explained “build” the eco system. But when is it the right time to start running the fleece?

You would start to employ other forms of export when your system cannot keep up with normal operations and maintenance routines.

So, as an example.

I started with just carbi-sea dry rock and sand, and a skimmer.
I starting adding a fish or too each month to watch the effect the additional loads on my maturing system. In 8 months we had all the fish going, 10 including 4 tangs. During the later stages, nutrients were increasing on a regular basis, so, I started to carbon dose for a few months.

Over the next two years, the tangs got big, so bigger wastes, nutrients starting rising again, so, I added fuge for additional processing and now after 3 years, no further filtration is needed.

At the same time, I added corals almost weekly, they have a small impact on processing, but mop up some.

Now that the corals are big now, I’m starting to see lower nitrate values (yesterday 1ppm) when for a year, she stayed 5ppm.

So, for a month now, I’ve had to dose some Neo-nitro to put it back at normal operating levels.

So, full circle in 3 ish years, from pulling too much, too adding directly.

Maybe something in this rant my help you.

 

[billyocean]

You would start to employ other forms of export when your system cannot keep up with normal operations and maintenance routines.

So, as an example.

I started with just carbi-sea dry rock and sand, and a skimmer.
I starting adding a fish or too each month to watch the effect the additional loads on my maturing system. In 8 months we had all the fish going, 10 including 4 tangs. During the later stages, nutrients were increasing on a regular basis, so, I started to carbon dose for a few months.

Over the next two years, the tangs got big, so bigger wastes, nutrients starting rising again, so, I added fuge for additional processing and now after 3 years, no further filtration is needed.

At the same time, I added corals almost weekly, they have a small impact on processing, but mop up some.

Now that the corals are big now, I’m starting to see lower nitrate values (yesterday 1ppm) when for a year, she stayed 5ppm.

So, for a month now, I’ve had to dose some Neo-nitro to put it back at normal operating levels.

So, full circle in 3 ish years, from pulling too much, too adding directly.

Maybe something in this rant my help you.

Well stated!

Far enough on the skimmer aspect. But what about the reef mat fleece roll I have installed, currently not running anything. No fleece roll, no filter sock. I was told as many others have explained “build” the eco system. But when is it the right time to start running the fleece?

Uncle explained it well. The roller is going to pull more out than socks because it's always like having fresh socks. Just keep an eye on your levels and it will tell you all you need to know as far as timing of equipment