12 Hour skimming

[blkhawk10]

I have an issue keeping nutrients in the tank. I feed 4 times a day and it only seems to raise phosphate and not nitrate, so I've been dosing nitrate. I'm thinking about only running the skimmer at night. Does anyone think there will be issues with this?

 

[Tahoe61]

Please provide specific nitrate and phosphate values.

After running my skimmer at night I noticed no significant increase in values and ended up increasing feedings and dosing nitrates.

 

[blkhawk10]

Phosphate is .02 and nitrate is 5 after measuring today. I've been dosing nitrate for the past 4 days. I'd prefer not to have to dose either of these if possible.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I personally would keep running the skimmer and dosing (it’s what I do). I don’t generally think the small nutrient boost from. Not skimming is worth the reduced organic export and aeration.