How do you use your Protien Skimmer

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m skeptical of the cause and effect. Micro algae don’t typically use organics as a big source of N and P.

Did you measure nitrate and phosphate?

 

[nanocp]

my Nitrate is around 5ppm, while Phosphate is virtually undetectable (colorless). No matter how much I feed, these two values remain stable.
My observation is based on the system's biological response: Under wet skimming with heavy feeding, I consistently encountered Cyanobacteria (red slime). I even tried dosing products like TM Phos-Start, but that led to a Dino outbreak.
However, with dry skimming and the same heavy feeding, the result is simply an increase in healthy green algae, with no Cyano or Dinos in sight.
It seems that wet skimming leans the system toward a bacteria-driven cycle, whereas dry skimming allows more organics to remain and decompose within the tank. This internal decomposition seems to provide a more consistent nutrient flow that supports microalgae, which in turn outcompetes the pathogenic bacteria and Dinos.

I’m skeptical of the cause and effect. Micro algae don’t typically use organics as a big source of N and P.

Did you measure nitrate and phosphate?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks!

It’s an interesting effect.

Lack of seeing the actual changes in phosphate makes explanations more speculative, but I’m not sure why cyano would be deterred by higher nutrients and more green algae. Many folks, myself included, have plenty of nitrate and phosphate but see cyano and not green algae.

 

[nanocp]

Thanks for the insight
I’ve been continuously dosing Phos-Start .
It might seem like a small detail, but when I was running a wet skimmer, none of those adjustments worked... I even had an outbreak of Dinoflagellates. I spent a lot of time troubleshooting feeding and lighting, but the tank remained 'barren' with almost no green algae, and new corals would stress and string (mucus).
At one point, adding GFO (phosphate remover) caused three corals to die within two days. It was likely pure phosphate limitation. My system is a Bare Bottom (BB) tank, and I believe the lack of inorganic P was the primary bottleneck.
-blown cyano outbreak; it was only localized. It feels quite different from the thick, heavy cyano mats typical of high-nutrient systems.
My hypothesis is that the increased availability of inorganic phosphate allowed previously 'locked' or unavailable nitrogen sources to begin cycling again
It is also possible that repeated adjustments between dry skimming and wet skimming result in repeated changes between cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates
Maybe not very accurate. My language is not English

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I certainly agree that phosphate or nitrogen too low is going to be a problem however it arises. Dosing or feeding more is how I generally recommend solving it.

 

[mbuxton]

I just set mine to pull a nice dark stinky slop.
As long as that continues, I don’t touch the setting.
I dump the cup, twice weekly.
I clean the cup weekly.

I do the same.