The Reef Tank banner

How long to run a protein skimmer in reef tank?

56K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  Chad  
#1 ·
Ok, so I have a 75 gallon uniquarium up and running about a 1 1/2 yr's now. Started adding corals and anemones over the past couple of months. Added a coralife 65g protein skimmer to the tank about 3 months ago. I was told by a friend not to run the skimmer 24/7. How long should I run the skimmer for daily?
 
#3 ·
He said running it 24/7 will remove some trace elements needed by corals. I have 1 of 4 anemones that is not eating frozen shrimp so he said the 1 anemone is filter feeding stuff from the water but if I run the skimmer 24/7 I remove what he needs to thrive. I have been running the skimmer 24/7 with no prob's that I am aware of. I have only had that 1 anemone for a couple of days so I figured it was just settling in. The other 3 eat like pigs so I thought in time so would this 4th one. Everything in the tank looks great. I do small water changes every 2 weeks to help with the corals and anemones.
 
#4 ·
If you had a skimmer that was rated 3 or 4 times the capacity of your water system, you could possibly remove needed elements for your corals. This is the case for me now, with a skimmer that is rated for 7-800 galons, and we're skimming a system with total water less than half that, until our 400 gallon is set up.

We have lots of soft corals, but not a lot of fish, who's poop is supposed to help feed the corals. By skimming 24/7 we were not seeing hardly any growth in our corals. Another factor that finally caused me to put the skimmer on a timer was the removal of Iodine by the skimmer.

The shorter skimming period, along with water changes and measured Iodite has worked out for me.

I don't believe this is the case for most reefers with matched equipment for their systems.
 
#6 ·
i also heard that running a skimmer 24/7 could be bad for your system, i on the other hand do run my skimmer all day every day but i might add a timer to the plug and have it on 12 hours on 12 hours off as i noticed the calcium levels dropping since i added the skimmer. by the way heres somebody elses view : http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/proteinskimmers/a/aa021601_5.htm

after reading this ill problys just leave mine running.
 
#10 ·
i noticed the calcium levels dropping since i added the skimmer.
Ok, just in case some else mis-reads this statement and says OMG and does something rash.

Icecream sales peak at the same time as drowning deaths, it is called a spurious relationship. Icecream does not cause drownings (rather summer temperatures result in several actions that lead to both drowning and icecream).

If you calcium drops when you added a skimmer, this does not mean that the skimmer is removing calcium... skimmers do not remove calcium. Rather, several things could have happened. Often DOC and waste that inhibit growth of certain creatures, when these are reduced, the creatures grow, utilizing and absorbing more calcium... a good thing:beer:
 
#9 ·
I don't know how/why the "don't run the skimmer 24/7" myth started but I am expecting it was a result for reducing energy usage.... most likely for downdraft skimmers and the like with large pumps. Now with softie tanks (or where dirty tanks are preferred) the trick is not oversizing the skimmer, not turning a skimmer off. Still, skimmers are not 100% effective in removing all organics, even with multiple passes, so a skimmer does not remove all organics. Even then, for a skimmer to work constantly, there always has to be more organics in the water than the skimmer can remove. I am way oversize in my skimmer needs, 8" bodied MSX with a bubble blaster pumps which "rates me" up to 300g on a 65g. I still can't remove all organics, but at the same time, if I didn't feed as heavily the head eventually disappears (only after a long while with low feedings). Skimmers take time to build a nice head of organics and foam column, turning it off knocks it down and any organics left then dry and fowl the neck or re-enter the water. If you are going to stop a skimmer, then just go skimmerless. As far as removing Iodine, Iodine is a major component for algae growth and most iodine is sourced from harvesting kelp/algae anyways. I have no problem of the skimmer removing it especially, since most commercial salts are high is iodine from my readings. Skimmers do not remove any of the major "trace" elements needed for coral growths, they remove dissolved organic compounds. If the skimmate is wet, it will remove the elements dissolved in the water in the amount that is in the wet water.

The friend isn't crazy because there is some good "thought" behind it, it is just based on mis-information and misapplication of "skimmer theory"
 
#12 ·
How long should you run a skimmer? Only until you get a bigger one!!!
:funny: I need to remember that line!

... and I have been sitting around wondering if I should downsize (for more fuge room).
 
#18 ·
Hey, I just found out that today is National Ice-cream Day... weird
 
#19 ·
I run mine 24/7, on a 46g bow, and skimmer is rated for 400g. Sometimes my wife turns it off at bedtime as my BLD 40 pumps will resonate with ea other. My Iodine is high, and I've quit supplementing it. In all honesty 2 skimmers that size wouldn't hurt a thing.

If you do reg. water changes, most of your traces will be in there.

You can't skim out calcium according to Jeff Turcheck at Lifereef, who designs and builds all Lifereef systems and components. But you can get calcium deposits in the venturi if not properly hooked up or cleaned occaisionally with white vinegar.

I too was concerned about the same issue of overskimming with this sized tank till I get my stand built for my 100g. After talking with Lifereef, Jeff set my concerns asside.

Some reefers use only live rock and skimmer for all filtration.
 
#20 ·
Just for the record, in theory skimmers can remove trace elements. We've had this discussion in other threads and lab tests have shown they do and can remove them.

HOWEVER, the amounts are so small that a simple water change is usually enough to renew them. As pointed out above by Creamhorses it would take a massive skimmer on your system to do it harm.