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Rcpilot · 09-23-2007, 07:34 PM

Sorry for lagging on this topic. I started the thread and then went away for a weekend getaway with the wife and kids.

I just ran my tank "skimmerless" for 48hrs. I simply turned off the air intake so that my skimmer couldn't suck in any air and create bubbles.

I have a little tiny bit of algae growth on the side walls.

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
pH 8.2 +/-
Alk 3.7
dKH 9.5
Salinity 1.023 +/-
Calcium 475 - coming down slowly, it was 500+

I might try a set schedule for skimming. I DO think a reef needs a good skimmer. No question about it. But, I think I may be skimming out all my trace elements and nutrients with such a huge skimmer in my HOB refugium.

I'm going to go ahead and turn on the skimmer tonight and see how the collection cup looks in the morning. I'll give it 12hrs to run and skim. Then I'll probably shut it off for 48hrs again. And skim for 12hrs again. I'm going to try that routine for a couple weeks and keep testing parameters.

09-23-2007, 07:34 PM	#12 (permalink)
Rcpilot Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Arvada, CO. Posts: 297 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Over Skimming Sorry for lagging on this topic. I started the thread and then went away for a weekend getaway with the wife and kids. I just ran my tank "skimmerless" for 48hrs. I simply turned off the air intake so that my skimmer couldn't suck in any air and create bubbles. I have a little tiny bit of algae growth on the side walls. ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 0 pH 8.2 +/- Alk 3.7 dKH 9.5 Salinity 1.023 +/- Calcium 475 - coming down slowly, it was 500+ I might try a set schedule for skimming. I DO think a reef needs a good skimmer. No question about it. But, I think I may be skimming out all my trace elements and nutrients with such a huge skimmer in my HOB refugium. I'm going to go ahead and turn on the skimmer tonight and see how the collection cup looks in the morning. I'll give it 12hrs to run and skim. Then I'll probably shut it off for 48hrs again. And skim for 12hrs again. I'm going to try that routine for a couple weeks and keep testing parameters.