Feeding time question -- pumps & powerheads

[cd77]

Thanks for everyone's help so far -- your advice has all been great so far, and I've even passed it along to my local LFS employees who've also been please/fascinated with some of your ideas. Tomorrow will by my one month anniversary of purchasing the tank and I hope to post pictures soon showing where I'm at!

Most of the people I've spoken with, and from a lot of what I've read, it seems like people turn off their submersible pumps and powerheads during feeding time.

Question #1: Do you also turn off your sump return pump and protein skimmer during feeding?

So far, I haven't wired things up yet to make it easy for me to turn off any pumps during feeding. I'm working on this -- in fact, I was up around 3am this morning using my dymo label maker to mark all of the wires -- just to be prepared.

Basically I'd like to have it setup so that I can just hit a switch to turn everything off during feeding, then hit it again after feeding. I just need to know what everyone recommends be turned off. Any help would be appreciated.

Question#2: I've mounted my timer power strips to the interior side of my cabinet -- is there any easy way to mount a switch of some kind to easily turn off a strip -- like maybe a switch that has a female AC and male AC attached to it that could be custom mounted to the tank for ease of access rather than opening up the cabinet for feeding every time?

[loosecannon]

Cd77; I have avrey thing but lights on a strip plug, one push of my big toe and all off. latter the same toe back on.

[cd77]

I figured that might be the case -- ugh, my coralife skimmer doesn't like to be turned on/off at will and it absolutely despises filter sock changes.

Why am I starting to think my LFS sold me a crappy skimmer....

Anyone have theirs rigged with a DIY switch of any kind? I like the toe idea.. but my stand is so packed already I don't think I could rig it up easily to switch the strip on/off with my toe.

[NewNanoDude]

Only problem I have when turning my super skimmer on and off is the microbubbles going nuts. I might try to see if a filter sock around the output instead of the bubble diffuser will make this better. Will give a try when i get another sock cleaned.

Holla!

[loosecannon]

Your lfs. did sale you a crappy skimmer. Let the skimmer run buy it`s self! p.s. you don`t have to use your toe, ther are other body parts that workalso!

[cd77]

I'm not sure I followed that looscannon, "Let the skimmer run buy it's self!" (?)

When I pull out my socks without reducing the intake, the skimmer will begin to start wet skimming sometimes to the point it overflows. When I put them back in, it's microbubble time -- I'm only cleaning socks when I have to right now just because I have to reset the skimmer nearly every time I do it (set it to half input, wait ~12 hours) before its good to go again. It is also a bit sensitive to water levels in the sump return compartment where it lives -- without the ATO I would have returned that thing in a heartbeat.

NewNanoDude -- are you saying you're going to set your filter socks up after the water passes through the skimmer -- wouldn't that be bad?

Oh well, suggestions for a top of the line skimmer that is about the same size would be appreciated :)

[deklin]

I personally would not turn off your skimmer or sump return during feeding. Unless you are feeding or dosing something that will make your skimmer go crazy such as amino acids. If that's the case I'll take the collection cup off and let the skimmer overflow into the sump for a while. Turning off the skimmer can cause a sharp drop in your dissolved oxegen levels which in turn can cause the PH of the tank to fall.

[funman1]

Granted I can cheat because I built my own controller..
But I press a button on my controll panel, and it then shuts down,
The skimmer, the main return, and the ATO system.

I shut down the main return because I don't want all the food going down the overflows into the sump!!

AFTER 20 mins with only the powerheads running, the main return pump will kick back on.
Then 3 hours later, the Skimmer will comeback online, as with the ATO system.

This way if I dose Phyto with that feeding the corals have some time to "grab" it from the water before the skimmer comes back on and grabs it all before they do..

[cd77]

funman1 -- is this the system you're referring to?

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/586/115072Picture_080-med.jpg

Was that fairly difficult, or require you to do some serious wiring? It sure looks cool!

[cd77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10727172#post10727172 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by deklin
I personally would not turn off your skimmer or sump return during feeding. Unless you are feeding or dosing something that will make your skimmer go crazy such as amino acids. If that's the case I'll take the collection cup off and let the skimmer overflow into the sump for a while. Turning off the skimmer can cause a sharp drop in your dissolved oxegen levels which in turn can cause the PH of the tank to fall.

The sump return is a mag 9.5 (~950 GPH) It'll blow the food around pretty well all by itself.. I don't mind leaving the skimmer on, but right now I'm seriously leaning towards purchasing a nicer skimmer before I start a DIY project for feeding time.. I just don't know what to get, or if it would even make a difference. I think the retail on the Corallife was over $200 from my LFSThis (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=13924) is the skimmer I have right now I believe. Heh, figures F&S prices are much better.

As is, with simple filter sock cleaning (still can't seem to find the ring socks I need for the pro flex 100 sump I have to just swap them every day or two) I have to turn it off -- I've also heard that some reefers have their skimmer on a timer to turn off occasionally -- I admit I haven't read much about how skimmers work, so I'm not familiar with the science behind it at all..

[deklin]

I agree that you could do better on a skimmer and if it's an area that you'd like to upgrade you might as well do it sooner rather than later. I have found that a nice skimmer will make many other aspects of this hobby much more enjoyable.

There are many good skimmer choices out there and it is hard to give a specific recommendation without a price range or more info on your planned tank. A couple that you could look at are the Tunze DOC 9005 or 9010 or Euroreef RS-100. If you're looking to spend a little more money, check out the euroreef RC-80.

I haven't presonally used any of these models though, I started with an AquaC EV series and wasn't happy with it but then upgraded to a BubbleMaster and love it. A bubble master would probably be too much for your tank size though.

My fish don't have any problem at all tracking the food down even if I leave all my powerheads running, so I wouldn't worry to much about leaving a return on.

[funman1]

No cd77, That was my first system I built. That was no big deal at all. Just a switch and a plug...
That system however is STILL in use on one of my nano tanks..

Then I built this system which is still on the other Nano tank..
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=892753


Here's the one I'm talking about, for my 30G system..

Start of unit thread...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1013411

Somewhat finished unit thread..
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1017295

LMK if you have any questions.

[cd77]

Steve -- Wow. Very cool DIY project. You got me searching my office for my old Xilinx software and breadboards with all the possibilities that came to mind.. except for the fact that I lived in 5V DC land when I was studying embedded systems -- I have too much respect (read: fear) for AC and too little knowledge to start toying around, but I'll read through it again and let you know if I have any questions. I think a switch and a plug is all I really need -- Very cool, thank you!

Deklin -- The Tunze DOC looks like it would be perfect, and would easily fit in my sump. If I can convince my wife I'll post a new thread in the reef discussion forum asking if anyone uses it and what their impression is. Thanks for the tips -- unfortunately I don't quite have the room for the Bubble master :)

I'll try to post some pics tomorrow (one month tank anniversary and all) to get some general feedback and let everyone rant at me for stocking my tank too quickly ;) oh well, addicts will be addicts.

Thanks for all the tips and info, everyone!