How do you use your Protien Skimmer

[Aquadude1]

I would use a skimmer for aeration even if that’s all it did, but I also want to heavily remove dissolved organics. I see no reason to limit that effect.

I get that but if all i wanted to do was aerate i would buy something much cheaper to do that.

I have nothing against skimmers, sometimes i just wonder if its possible some of what they pull out could be used by corals.

 

[Aquadude1]

@Subsea @VintageReefer
Curious on your thoughts as I know you both dont run skimmers.

 

[X-37B]

How do like the sump of the 112? If you could do it again would you get the package without the sump and buy another or do you like the im one

I have 3 ext full systems. The IM sysyem is plug and Play. After many years with various sumps I like the full system as it's very well designed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I get that but if all i wanted to do was aerate i would buy something much cheaper to do that.

I have nothing against skimmers, sometimes i just wonder if its possible some of what they pull out could be used by corals.

You mentioned airstones, which can help aerate, but have terrible salt spray/creep issues. It’s not as simple as it sounds.

Corals are not generally expected to be big users of most dissolved organics, and that is why they accumulate in reef tanks, turning the water yellow and potentially boosting pests that use them (e.g. cyano) unless you deal with them somehow.

Corals will certainly consume particulates, such as zooplankton.

 

[Aquadude1]

I get that but if all i wanted to do was aerate i would buy something much cheaper to do that.

I have nothing against skimmers, sometimes i just wonder if its possible some of what they pull out could be used by corals.

You mentioned airstones, which can help aerate, but have terrible salt spray/creep issues. It’s not as simple as it sounds.

Corals are not generally expected to be big users of most dissolved organics, and that is why they accumulate in reef tanks, turning the water yellow and potentially boosting pests that use them (e.g. cyano) unless you deal with them somehow.

Corals will certainly consume particulates, such as zooplankton.

Oh yeah just dropping in a airstone by itself would be a mess. Two solutions i have found is to run it under a filtersock or make an acrylic housing for it similar to a santa monica scrubber.

 

[X-37B]

Just an example of how I control po4 and no3.
Just tested.
No3 5.6
20ml vodka daily all at once
Po4 .196
Added 1/2 cup of p minus gfo, no rinsing required.
This will bring Po4 down to .1.
Rinse and repeat when it gets to .2. This lasts around 2-3 weeks.

 

[Aquadude1]

Just to clarify something I said earlier, my goal in filtration is to allow heavy frequent feedings and to remove as little as possible of stuff I would have to turn around and add back.

In my mind if someone is using a skimmer and feeding heavy but constantly adding nitrate and phosphate through various other means they are fighting themselves. It can definitely work, i would just like to avoid having to do that balancing act.

 

[Aquadude1]

Just an example of how I control po4 and no3.
Just tested.
No3 5.6
20ml vodka daily all at once
Po4 .196
Added 1/2 cup of p minus gfo, no rinsing required.
This will bring Po4 down to .1.
Rinse and repeat when it gets to .2. This lasts around 2-3 weeks.

Have you ever used a refugium or scrubber instead, or do you prefer carbon dosing?

 

[X-37B]

Just to clarify something I said earlier, my goal in filtration is to allow heavy frequent feedings and to remove as little as possible of stuff I would have to turn around and add back.

In my mind if someone is using a skimmer and feeding heavy but constantly adding nitrate and phosphate through various other means they are fighting themselves. It can definitely work, i would just like to avoid having to do that balancing act.

Start with live rock and you won't have that issue.

 

[X-37B]

Have you ever used a refugium or scrubber instead, or do you prefer carbon dosing?

I use a skimmer even when running a fuge. My old 45 has both.
Again live rock for the win.

 

[Aquadude1]

Just to clarify something I said earlier, my goal in filtration is to allow heavy frequent feedings and to remove as little as possible of stuff I would have to turn around and add back.

In my mind if someone is using a skimmer and feeding heavy but constantly adding nitrate and phosphate through various other means they are fighting themselves. It can definitely work, i would just like to avoid having to do that balancing act.

Start with live rock k and you won't have that issue.

I agree that live rock helps, i am confused on how it helps nutrients from bottoming out.

Do you think its because its already bound with nutrients and populated with algea and bacteria, or something else?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just to clarify something I said earlier, my goal in filtration is to allow heavy frequent feedings and to remove as little as possible of stuff I would have to turn around and add back.

In my mind if someone is using a skimmer and feeding heavy but constantly adding nitrate and phosphate through various other means they are fighting themselves. It can definitely work, i would just like to avoid having to do that balancing act.

Folks do not typically add back the plethora of organics that a skimmer removes, which includes toxins and yellowing compounds.skimmers are not primarily for reducing N and P, IMO. At least, I do not use them for that purpose, nor are they especially effective at it.

Folks certainly run fine tanks without skimmers, I just don’t think it’s optimal in many cases.

 

[Aquadude1]

Just to clarify something I said earlier, my goal in filtration is to allow heavy frequent feedings and to remove as little as possible of stuff I would have to turn around and add back.

In my mind if someone is using a skimmer and feeding heavy but constantly adding nitrate and phosphate through various other means they are fighting themselves. It can definitely work, i would just like to avoid having to do that balancing act.

Folks do not typically add back the plethora of organics that a skimmer removes, which includes toxins and yellowing compounds.skimmers are not primarily For reducing N and, IMO. At least, I do not use them for that purpose, nor are they especially effective at it.

Folks certainly run fine ta is without skimmers, I just don’t think it’s optimal in many cases.

Yeah thats actually why I want to find the best way to use a skimmer the saftey net of what it removes makes sense to me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In my current tank I have GAC and skimming to remove organics, and a refugium with ulva to export N and P. In my previous tank I used all of those plus GFO and vinegar dosing.

 

[X-37B]

I agree that live rock helps, i am confused on how it helps nutrients from bottoming out.

Do you think its because its already bound with nutrients and populated with algea and bacteria, or something else?

It does not keep nutrients from bottoming out. It does provide nutrients to the system from day one. Dead rock starts do not and it's why so many battle the uglies and end up having to add no3 and po4.
I prefer a more natural way to start a system. Within 2-3 weeks you can add coral, fish, cleanup crew.
Starting with live rock and a skimmer from day one is just my preferred method.
I have done 50/50 on my old 120 and the dead rock got the uglies and took 2+ months for rhem to start looking like live rock. No uglies on the live.

 

[56longroof]

Any particular reason you skim wet?

I feed heavy and carbon dose. Just trying to get the most dos out as possible to keep nitrates manageable.

 

[56longroof]

What skimmer are you running?

Reef Octopus INT 150

 

[skey44]

I started my tank with dead liverock from my yard (I cured in a brute bucket) with little to no ugly stage. I think the biggest difference in dry rock vs liverock/old dry live rock is nutrient sync vs nutrient equilibrium. I especially think phosphates at equilibrium from either liverock or previous live rock that hasn’t been bleached or overly cleaned is a big factor in startup success and progress.

 

[Aquadude1]

Any particular reason you skim wet?

I feed heavy and carbon dose. Just trying to get the most dos out as possible to keep nitrates manageable.

Makes sense.

 

[Subsea]

Just to clarify something I said earlier, my goal in filtration is to allow heavy frequent feedings and to remove as little as possible of stuff I would have to turn around and add back.

In my mind if someone is using a skimmer and feeding heavy but constantly adding nitrate and phosphate through various other means they are fighting themselves. It can definitely work, i would just like to avoid having to do that balancing act.

Heavy in and heavy out works. True, to a large extent they cancel each other out. However, no matter which way you skin the cat, it is still a balancing act.

I actually do light frequent feedings, remove as little as possible relying on nutrient recycling. I dose ammonia and when I bring my water to LFS for analysis, inorganic nitrate & inorganic/orthophosphate read zero. So, I have little inorganic nutrients and high organic nutrients (POC).