View Full Version : Skimmer down in snowstorm - asking for help
Nlangan
02/06/2010, 02:43 PM
I'm socked in here in MD with something like 2 feet of snow and of course this is the moment my Skimmer gives out. It's a fairly new system -- I'm still dialing the chemistry and I screwed up and overshot on alkalinity. The result has been two weeks of calcium snowstorms in the tank. As per RHF I continue to add liquid calcium to replace what precipatates out, using Kent liquid calcium additive. I think this led to rapid calcium buildup freezing one of the sicce pumps on my MSX 250. I'm pretty sure I could fix it with an overnight soak in white vinegar. White vinegar has been on the shopping list for weeks. I was in a miserably long line at the Grocery store just before this storm hit and I remembered the vinegar but I didn't want to lose my place in line and I thought, "it can wait." Two days later I'm socked in, all the stores are closed, and my skimmer is kaput.
I disassembled the sicce and scrubbed as best I could with a toothbrush but nogo. I wonder if lemon juice would do? You know those lemon shaped containers of lemon juice? I've got one of those and it's like 60% full. No list of ingredients on the container so I have no idea if its got additives. Not sure what other household acids I have around here...
Assuming I have to go skimmerless I wonder if anyone has any advice for me. I've got a pretty light bioload. Some LPS and softies, Kole tang, 2 dartfish, 4 flame anthias, 1 flasher wrasse and 2 cleaner shrimp. No fish is over 3" long. Except for the tang, they are all carnivores. They can fast for a day but it might be Tuesday before I can get to a store (today is Saturday).
I'd welcome your suggestions.
bhammer
02/06/2010, 02:58 PM
You can try lemmon juice. I have used houshold bathroom cleaners with good success. Most soapscum removers will do a good job.
I wouldn't fret about it. there are many large tanks running around without a skimmer and for years and years, there was no such hing and reef tanks did fine. If it's been a while since you last did a w/c, you could do one and then 10% every week or so and you would be just fine.
Nlangan
02/06/2010, 04:06 PM
Hmmm. I've got shower cleaner. Drop the pump in a bucket with some "scrubbing bubbles". Interesting idea - I'm not brave enough to try that just yet - but I consider this plan B.
As far as going without a skimmer, I guess I'll have to try it but the critters aren't going to like the reduced rations. My MSX pulls a significant amount of goo so I know I've been overfeeding. So hopefully I'll be fine for a while with my only filtration being a 40 gallon fuge packed with lr, a filter sock, and carbon.
blrrobinson21
02/06/2010, 04:10 PM
You will be fine for awhile. I havent ran a skimmer for a year. So far everything is doing good. Ive only got a few softies and a few fish though. If you can just make sure your doing your water changes. Good luck over there, the radar looks like its not going to let up for awhile.
dvmsn
02/06/2010, 04:13 PM
I have run tanks completely w/o skimmers. You'll be fine for several days.
Chris27
02/06/2010, 04:14 PM
I wouldn't worry about it for a day or two - if you're that worried do a water change when you get it back on line.
Nlangan
02/07/2010, 09:06 AM
That makes me feel better. Thanks all.
otrlynn
02/07/2010, 09:22 AM
I agree with the above posters. A few days without the skimmer should not be a problem. Doing an extra water change would help the situation if you know you have been feeding a bit too generously. It is a good idea to cut back on the feeding anyway. Over time it will promote unwanted algae even with a good skimmer--I speak from experience on that. If you have an old hang-on-back filter sitting around, you could put that on the tank to help filter out detritus, and make sure you are keeping your filter sock clean. Under no circumstances would I clean anything aquarium related with a commercial bathroom cleaner though! You have no idea what is in that stuff and how many times you would need to rinse it to get it all off. Why take that risk?
tufacody
02/07/2010, 09:28 AM
What concerns me is the "two weeks" of calcium snowstorms. Really an isolated event like this shouldn't cause two weeks of calcium fallout. If I were you I'd forget dosing at all and just do larger than normal waterchanges until your parameters are back to normal.
Playa-1
02/07/2010, 11:00 AM
I think you're making a big mistake with all the dosing and adjustments. I agree with tufacody and you would serve your livestock well with a series of water changes to bring your parameters back in line. I would also suggest that you post your water test results for everything that you are testing for. This will give us a better idea of your situation. The prolonged precip event is an indication that you have a serious problem. IMO the skimmer isn't your biggest problem right now. How high is the Alk?
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