Skimmer performance, tracking parameters ...

[Justin Hartmann]

Some of you may have seen my posts and know that I am fighting with high nitrates and algae. I decided that I would try throwing a skimmer into my system and try NOPOX. Some of the advice I have received here along with my beliefs that a system should be able to run somewhat chemical free have caused me to alter my approach a little. I am going to try and just run the skimmer with out the NOPOX for a while and see what happens. If this does not produce the results I am looking for I will try the NOPOX while creating a new scheme to try. See how the NOPOX works in that time.

The skimmer that I ordered arrived a couple days ago and I finally got it installed tonight. Set-up was really simple and it started right up with no problem. It started to push up crud to the collection cup like right away. Nice dark foam with visible large chunks of junk. I am actually kind of surprised at how much has already been pulled out of the water. I did a water change before I installed it and let that circulate a while before I threw it on the system. At any rate, the plan from here is to see if I can get control of my nitrates. I am hoping this helps with export and I will not need to use any chemicals. I will let this break in for about three or four weeks doing water changes twice a week during this period. After that I will run a month with water changes once a week. By the end of this period I should have things broken in and it should be running (once tuned) at optimal performance. I will be logging the tank parameters during these two months so that by the end I can see what effect this has had (while continuing my normal maint habits). I am hoping I see my parameters come (and stay) into optimal ranges in this time and I can start to seriously stock corals and have them explode. I will update here as I can and see if anyone is following along and is interested in progress. If interest falls off I will probably stop updating and just keep the data for my own development. Thanks!!

 

[Ty Hamatake]

I think this will be really cool to see. What are your current levels?

 

[Justin Hartmann]

Ahh good question, I did not even think to add what I am starting out with. I will do another round of full testing tomorrow. I will probably do everything I have tests for just for information sake. Though I do not think ammonia and nitrite will change from the zero they have been since cycling. However, my results from a few days ago are as follows:

Temp - 80
Salinity - 1.026
Ph - 7.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 50
Phosphate - 0.05
Calcium - 450
Alkalinity - 9.2
Magnesium - 360

I will admit I am not the best at the calcium, alk and mag testing as I am still new to it. There may be some big variance here in the beginning but I hope the practice will make me better at it. I don't see a lot of variance in my testing now so I may actually have it down pretty good. I do titrations at work everyday haha, the only one I am not sure if it is correct is the alk. At any rate, I use sourced RO water and mix my own salt with instant ocean reef crystals (cannot get an RO/DI unit yet). Top off done daily. I really am not happy with how my tank looks right now with the algae. I will be taking photos for me to compare progress there. As embarrassing as it may be and the beating I might take from showing it I may post some here for educational purposes. I will decide on that later,

 

[reeftank220master]

Ahh good question, I did not even think to add what I am starting out with. I will do another round of full testing tomorrow. I will probably do everything I have tests for just for information sake. Though I do not think ammonia and nitrite will change from the zero they have been since cycling. However, my results from a few days ago are as follows:

Temp - 80
Salinity - 1.026
Ph - 7.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 50
Phosphate - 0.05
Calcium - 450
Alkalinity - 9.2
Magnesium - 360

I will admit I am not the best at the calcium, alk and mag testing as I am still new to it. There may be some big variance here in the beginning but I hope the practice will make me better at it. I don't see a lot of variance in my testing now so I may actually have it down pretty good. I do titrations at work everyday haha, the only one I am not sure if it is correct is the alk. At any rate, I use sourced RO water and mix my own salt with instant ocean reef crystals (cannot get an RO/DI unit yet). Top off done daily. I really am not happy with how my tank looks right now with the algae. I will be taking photos for me to compare progress there. As embarrassing as it may be and the beating I might take from showing it I may post some here for educational purposes. I will decide on that later,

How long has your tank been up and running?

 

[Justin Hartmann]

It finished its cycle in Oct of 2016 so not very old at all (just shy of 9 months). I am crazy and have spreadsheets and graphs for tons of different things since the tank started. My chart says that the first fish was added Oct 8th 2016. The shrimp to start my cycle was added on Sept 10th 2016.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Aaannnddddd now all I want to see is you're tank

EDIT: I've never seen anyone on this forum "take a beating" for anything (actually one of my favorite things about this place ), especially not for realizing they want to start practicing better husbandry and document it along the way.

How often and what sized eater changes are you going to be doing? My guess is that you won't see a significant reduction in NO3 from the skimming alone, but will have a much easier time keeping them down once lowered through some other type of export.

 

[Justin Hartmann]

Yes, from my research and advice before suggests you are correct. That is why I am going to start with a 20% (only six gallons as it is a 30 gallon tank) twice a week for the first 4 weeks. I hope that this will reduce them closer to where I want them (around 5) while the skimmer is breaking in. The next four weeks will be 20% once a week (skimmer should be broken in by then and running better and tuned). I am hoping by the start of this four weeks it will be closer to five and I can see how well the skimmer is exporting things before they turn to nitrate. This would mean that it would stay stable at around 5. That is my logic anyways not sure if this is how it really should work. I will think about a picture tomorrow when lights are back on haha its really not pretty.

 

[Pongo]

Following for sure.

My tank is only about 1 month older than yours.
I'm not sure how you feel about posting your troubles for all to see and pick through, but for me this kind of stuff is invaluable.
Your learning becomes my learning as you share your progress. Please post those pics so we can all see the progress.
And please list all of the livestock in the tank.
How deep is your sand bed.
Have you thought of adding anything like Marine Pure for denitrification?

 

[reefwiser]

Skimmers have been an essential part of a Saltwater tank since the 60's when Tunze introduced them to the aquarium trade. I would never set up a long term tank with out one. I set up QT all the time without them but I only plan on keeping that type of tank going for a couple of month's. An if I wanted I could always throw a skimmer on one real fast.The Skimmer exports proteins and help aireation of the aquarium .
Here is an article that shows what a Protein Skimmer pulls out of the water.
Feature Article: Elemental Analysis of Skimmate: What Does a Protein Skimmer Actually Remove from Aquarium Water?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sounds good. Keep us updated.

FWIW, my prediction s that nitrate won't decline sufficiently.