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darkiss
11/22/2012, 03:28 PM
should skimmers be ran 24/7?


Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

mtaquarist
11/22/2012, 03:34 PM
I would like to know as well. My hob skimmer seems to idle a lot. When I first started the tank it skimmed non stop

cloak
11/22/2012, 04:03 PM
If your going to spend good money on a skimmer, there's really no reason why it shouldn't be running 24/7 IMO. Even when it's idling, it's still helping to aerate the water. :thumbsup:

Allmost
11/22/2012, 04:16 PM
the only time you would not run it 24/7 would be if your tank was WAY too clean [which does not happen for us keeping fish, you just feed the poor fish more :)]

or if you have none Photosynthesis corals {NPS} and during feeding them it might be a good Idea to turn skimmer down, but 99.9% of reefs have Skimmer running 24/7

darkiss
11/22/2012, 04:30 PM
Okay so 99% of them run all the time I was wondering because my skimmer has been making wet skim mate lately and was not sure if it just can't skim any more because there is nothing.

My skimmer is on the lowest setting as well. Typically it makes darker skim mate.

hossa81
11/22/2012, 04:43 PM
If you want your tank to be as healthy as it can get, you should. The only time you don't is if you are feeding your fish.

Allmost
11/22/2012, 04:50 PM
Okay so 99% of them run all the time I was wondering because my skimmer has been making wet skim mate lately and was not sure if it just can't skim any more because there is nothing.

My skimmer is on the lowest setting as well. Typically it makes darker skim mate.

what kind of skimmer are you using ?

is the water level constant ?

darkiss
11/22/2012, 05:00 PM
I use ato so my water level is constant.

Using remora hob skimmer with a 500gph pump.

I turned it off now, just in the last two days it has been skimming wet. It has only been off for 3hrs and will turn it back on in a few hours.

Also I change 15% of water weekly.

mtaquarist
11/23/2012, 09:58 AM
Thanks for the info guys! I only have two tiny clowns and one mushroom in my 65gal so thats probably why mine idles all the time.

coralsnaked
11/23/2012, 02:00 PM
More air less water into skimmer for drier skimmate, but I prefer the wetter skim as i feel like it is pulling more waste from the tank than a drier skim does.

darkiss
11/23/2012, 02:04 PM
Yea I was just making sure it is not going to mess up my salt values because of so much wet skimmate.

chrisfont23
11/23/2012, 04:27 PM
should skimmers be ran 24/7?


Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

Yes. Most of the pumps used with skimmers are intended to, meaning they shouldn't be on/off/on/off etc. I run mine 24/7 unless I am dosing something that I don't want skimmed out (like Phyto).

reice923
11/24/2012, 01:47 PM
I would run it 24/7 like the other poster said if your paying all this money for a expensive skimmer why not run it allday