When to start skimming?

[JKT69]

Tank is in 3rd week of cycle, when should I start skimming? Ammonia spiked off the chart, now nitrites are off the chart, so we are looking good as both should start coming down now. I know it takes a few days to a few weeks for the skimmer to break in, but I'm not sure if it the skimmer would remove anything good...?

 

[dmatt88]

Personally id wait until ur trates spike n you wc before turning on the skimmer.

.............stay thirsty my friend.

 

[JKT69]

Gracias

 

[steved13]

It can be done either way. Some people wait until near the end of the cycle, some start skimming from day 1.

 

[PIMPALA]

I skim as soon as the tank is plumbed. There are all kinds of crap in the water from your rock and sand that are good to go ahead and remove.


but its a personal choice. like many many things in this hobby, there is no right or wrong.

 

[jjmoneyman]

Personally I like a lot of stinkies in the water until the trates take of then I'll skim like crazy. It's all a personal choice though.

 

[JKT69]

Thanks. I'm going to wait until amonia and nitrites come down, probably will start when i add my cuc. Nitrites are up there, nitrates are starting to climb now....

 

[bmplank86]

It's going take a bit to break in your skimmer anyways, I always get a head start and crank it up when I start with a new skimmer

 

[wscttwolfe]

What is the advantage of waiting? I've always been told to start skimmer as soon as the rock goes in. The decaying organisms release lots of ammonia into the water. Until your bacteria levels build up, it would seem that even with skimming, there is more than enough ammonia and nitrite to encourage strong bacteria growth. It might take your tank a bit longer to cycle, but the upside is less chance of killing anything good on/in your rock

 

[TylerHaworth]

I always start skimming as soon as ammonia has spiked.

 

[boosted05pt]

I waited til the nitrates spiked then i did it.

 

[jrl1084]

I just switched tanks and started skimming as soon as turned other tank on and its been pulling all sorts of brown junk out already.