Turning OFF my skimmer

[Mudbeaver]

My tank is a high nutrience 150 G reef tank , principaly because its a softy tank, but also because its a system connected to a display refugium 75g . I also have a NPS zone in there( high dosing of supplements) Gorgonians, suncorals,clams and sponges all ove the tank. Since most of my tank requires pytoplancton and brine shrimp in fair amount, i dose broadly.

I realise that what ever i dose gets skimmed OFF by my skimmer. Its rates for 300 Gal (Reef Octopus SUPER SRO 3000INT In-Sump Protein Skimmer.) and my system is a total 210 G system .

But if i leave it on i waste my dosing formulas and supplements. So i unplug the colection cup so the water just flow right through. Although it doesn't collect anything at least it gets areated .

Anyone else do or have to do this. If so how long do you do it.

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The refugium feeding the reef by gravity

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I write big for my iphone friends.:p

[Vinny Kreyling]

I would just take the collection cup off if all you want is aeration.

[Mudbeaver]

Some one suggested to put it on a timer for 24h per week, does this sound reasonable? I need more input before i do this for real.

[wildman926]

Why change something that is working?

[Mudbeaver]

Why change something that is working?

Yes but i'm sure i should do some skimming at some point no? This is uncharted territory for me , i'm just not sure about doing this all the time. Thats what i was told some do, but skimming just 24 h a week seems a lot of waste staying in the tank. I need more input on this by people who've done it or doing it . I've heard of people runing without skimmers but is it viable....thats the question.

Anyway thanks for your interest.

[reefgeezer]

Maybe just adjust the water level inside the skimmer lower to produce a dryer foam? That will allow the skimmer to push foam up into the cup when organics get high but not so much otherwise.

[Vinny Kreyling]

You are looking for added doses to remain in the water longer without skimming them out. To do this you have 3 options - 1 the skimmer gets shut down - 2 the collection cup is removed allowing for extra water movement keeping things in suspension,
and 3 - if you want more gas exchange to boot turn the pump on.
The only way to determine if the skimmer has to operate is trial & error in your situation.

[wildman926]

Yes but i'm sure i should do some skimming at some point no? This is uncharted territory for me , i'm just not sure about doing this all the time. Thats what i was told some do, but skimming just 24 h a week seems a lot of waste staying in the tank. I need more input on this by people who've done it or doing it . I've heard of people runing without skimmers but is it viable....thats the question.

Anyway thanks for your interest.

Skim 24x7. You are supposed to remove what does not get eaten, or it decays/rots and adds waste to the system, which you will then have an algae problem.

BTW - beautiful tanks.

[Mudbeaver]

You are looking for added doses to remain in the water longer without skimming them out. To do this you have 3 options - 1 the skimmer gets shut down - 2 the collection cup is removed allowing for extra water movement keeping things in suspension,
and 3 - if you want more gas exchange to boot turn the pump on.
The only way to determine if the skimmer has to operate is trial & error in your situation.

I think your right i'll have to go by trial and error. My set up is a bit unique cause it contains 3 zones sort of all 3 needing nutrient rich environment.

My NPS zone needs, brine shrimps and phytoplacton.

My Macroalgaes need regular dosing of iron, seachem flourish, iodine

My softies including my clams and sponges likes extra phyto and filter feeder food.

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Mon%20systeme/My%20great%20shots/Photo719.jpg

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[Mudbeaver]

Skim 24x7. You are supposed to remove what does not get eaten, or it decays/rots and adds waste to the system, which you will then have an algae problem.

BTW - beautiful tanks.

Thanks for the compliment. Yes i know that and thats my first reflex, thats why i use to leave it on. But from my readings on, Sponges, gorgonians, clams, and other filter feeders, they don't comsume their food, like fish, that is immediatly.

Its taken over a certain amount of time, by filtration in the case of sponges, gorgonians have to have a chance to "grab" ingest deploy polyps and ingest, its not like done over 15 min. Hence waterflow and time laps .

The same with absorbtion of iron and other elements. Its not consumed the same way. And if the skimmer takes everything out whats the point of dosing, from the bottle if 10 min later its in my cup to be dumped.

Makes no sense to me to pour supplement if i don't give it time to be consumed, no? I'm just asking, this . And then i got this message to turn my skimmer on only 24h during the week, wow that was a surprise.

A far cry from my habits, lol. Thats why i posted about if anybody do turn if OFF and how long.

[Timfish]

. . . I need more input on this by people who've done it or doing it . I've heard of people runing without skimmers but is it viable....thats the question.

Anyway thanks for your interest.

Nice tank! I am very interested in your long term success with the sponges and gorgonians.

Here's some skimmerless systems I've been running:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uf5IyXvajg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eCQSVdqBQA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs_etaHSOfQ

This system had clams successfully reproduce (not Tridacna, see http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2174608 )
http://youtu.be/5AnmQXmE8d0

Note the bad red hair algae (Lyngbya) problem at the beginning of this video. It took over from green hair algae that showed up about month three (wish I'd started taking picturtes sooner). The maturation process pretty much followed the chart given by Nilsen and Fossa on pg 164 of Vol I "The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium" albeit slightly slower but all the nuisance cleared up without any remediation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjMFWHC4uBM

Ken Feldman, et al, has published a very good series of articles on his research looking at GAC, TOC and skimming. Here are the links for those interested:

Ganulated Activated Carbon pt. 1 & 2
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/1/aafeature1
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/2/aafeature1

Total Organic Carbon in Aquaria
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/8/aafeature3
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/9/aafeature2

Protein Skimate Analysis
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/2/aafeature

Protein Skimmer Performance
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/1/aafeature2
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/1/aafeature

Bacterial Counts in Aquaria vs Reefs
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/3/aafeature1

And a final thought here's a comment made by Charles Delbeck in Coral Nov/Dec 2010 pg 127 "When I see the colors of some of these low nutrient tanks, I can't help but be reminded of bleached coral reefs . . . Our crystal-clear aquaria do not come close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs. And so when we create low-nutrient water conditions, we still have to deal with the rest of a much more complex puzzle."

[Fredfish]

Mudbeaver. That is a stunning tank!

[Mudbeaver]

Nice tank! I am very interested in your long term success with the sponges and gorgonians.

Here's some skimmerless systems I've been running:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uf5IyXvajg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eCQSVdqBQA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs_etaHSOfQ

This system had clams successfully reproduce (not Tridacna, see http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2174608 )
http://youtu.be/5AnmQXmE8d0

Note the bad red hair algae (Lyngbya) problem at the beginning of this video. It took over from green hair algae that showed up about month three (wish I'd started taking picturtes sooner). The maturation process pretty much followed the chart given by Nilsen and Fossa on pg 164 of Vol I "The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium" albeit slightly slower but all the nuisance cleared up without any remediation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjMFWHC4uBM

Ken Feldman, et al, has published a very good series of articles on his research looking at GAC, TOC and skimming. Here are the links for those interested:

Ganulated Activated Carbon pt. 1 & 2
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/1/aafeature1
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/2/aafeature1

Total Organic Carbon in Aquaria
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/8/aafeature3
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/9/aafeature2

Protein Skimate Analysis
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/2/aafeature

Protein Skimmer Performance
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/1/aafeature2
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/1/aafeature

Bacterial Counts in Aquaria vs Reefs
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/3/aafeature1

And a final thought here's a comment made by Charles Delbeck in Coral Nov/Dec 2010 pg 127 "When I see the colors of some of these low nutrient tanks, I can't help but be reminded of bleached coral reefs . . . Our crystal-clear aquaria do not come close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs. And so when we create low-nutrient water conditions, we still have to deal with the rest of a much more complex puzzle."


This is AWSOME info man thank you very much, i've added your vid to my collection, too good. to follow my thread here; http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2327805&page=6

[Mudbeaver]

Mudbeaver. That is a stunning tank!

Thanks you can follow me here for more details;
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2327805&page=6

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I realise that what ever i dose gets skimmed OFF by my skimmer.

What are you dosing that you believe is being skimmed out?

[slief]

Damn Mud, your tanks are looking great.

If it were me, I'd keep the skimmer running 24/7. Not everything you dose is getting pulled out via the skimmer.If you are really worried about that, dose directly into the return pump section of your sump. I'm sure most of what you dose would show on the test kits. If you are showing low levels, dose more as needed. If nothing else, just leave the collection cup off as you have been doing but I doubt you are saving much by doing so. As for shutting the skimmer down for 24 hours, that would cause your skimmer to have to go back through minor break in and as such, I would avoid that. Also you have the gas exchange and dissolved O2 provided by the skimmer. Both of which are valuable contributions from the skimmer over and above nutrient export.

That said, judging by the health and success of your tank, it's obvious you are doing things right. I wouldn't change much if anything other than perhaps not removing the skimmer cup but even that probably isn't having much if any impact on your tanks health at this point.

[Mudbeaver]

Damn Mud, your tanks are looking great.

If it were me, I'd keep the skimmer running 24/7. Not everything you dose is getting pulled out via the skimmer.If you are really worried about that, dose directly into the return pump section of your sump. I'm sure most of what you dose would show on the test kits. If you are showing low levels, dose more as needed. If nothing else, just leave the collection cup off as you have been doing but I doubt you are saving much by doing so. As for shutting the skimmer down for 24 hours, that would cause your skimmer to have to go back through minor break in and as such, I would avoid that. Also you have the gas exchange and dissolved O2 provided by the skimmer. Both of which are valuable contributions from the skimmer over and above nutrient export.

That said, judging by the health and success of your tank, it's obvious you are doing things right. I wouldn't change much if anything other than perhaps not removing the skimmer cup but even that probably isn't having much if any impact on your tanks health at this point.



In my explanation i say when i talk about shutting down my skimmer, i don't mean pulling the plug; i mean letting the skimmate escape from the cup. I leave the skimmer on to areate the water and keep the gas exchange going. After a certain length of time i put the little plug back onto the cup.

As an example after dosing the skimmer skimmed my supplement right out of the water in no time. How do i know; we all know how skimmate smells right. Well that water was 1- just barely colored and it didn't smell all ; i hadn't touched the dial or made any ajustment , it was still set for dry skimmate. 2- after a very short time it stopped as sudden as it started. The color was what i had dosed too.

Another thing is i made a mistake by choosing a skimmer too strong for the tank i think. rated for a 300G while my whole system is 210-230G ; it sucks up extremely well anything that is floating in there. Its a very good skimmer, no doubt about it, i'm please with it. I just need to figure out how to work with it lol.

Right now i'm on my third day, it took 3 days for the supplement to be absorbed by the tank inhabitants. The question can be asked am i dosing too much. i have a huge bioload that requires lots of attentions, NPS gorgonians and sponges, ordinary songes, ordinary gorgonians, clams, my reef is Softies only, then i have a huge macroalgae tank that requires lots of iron to help in the export of my nitrates and phosphates, since i've turn my GFO OFF.

So fauna marin is a huge part of my dosing ; Ultramin S,N,F,Ultra seafan, Ultra clam,Ultra organic, Reef Roids ,Live Phytoplancton, Acropower, i have my own supplement receipe that seem to work , i experiment with each batch and record the differences in responces with pictures and measurements via camera lens. And my Aqualog, thats a great site for keeping a log , they have graphs according to your reading its a perfect way to back check your steps and keep schedules.

This is a few article on the subjec of iron and why i dose so much of it;

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10750-005-4363-3

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/chemistry

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php#13

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[Mudbeaver]

Very interesting, the old saying only different style, a lesson in humility maybe, just brilliant. Amazing result. With no skimmer and very little technology, no sum even. The sound a bit muffle but the subject is worth listening too.

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_PKjd-TA1kM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Turning my skimmer OFF , seems ridiculous when listening to this guy, lol. Any way a few hours Off wont necessary hurt i guess.

[Fishy 1]

Hey mud buddy, if it were me I'd have the skimmer on a timer and set to skim fairly dry. Then I'd set the timer to turn off the skimmer when I dosed and then turn it on 6 hours later or so and then run until you dose next. That way the tank will have some time to soak up the nutrients before the skimmer does. And since your running a softie reef you don't want super clean SPS water and leaving the skimmer off for a bit and skimming dry should give you the results you want. Just my 2 cents:). The tanks are looking great by the way:thumbsup:

[Mudbeaver]

Hey mud buddy, if it were me I'd have the skimmer on a timer and set to skim fairly dry. Then I'd set the timer to turn off the skimmer when I dosed and then turn it on 6 hours later or so and then run until you dose next. That way the tank will have some time to soak up the nutrients before the skimmer does. And since your running a softie reef you don't want super clean SPS water and leaving the skimmer off for a bit and skimming dry should give you the results you want. Just my 2 cents:). The tanks are looking great by the way:thumbsup:

Yep thats my aim actually, just trying to figure out the time set to input in my apex. Thats why i'm observing the time it takes for the solutions to be taken in and not be captured by the skimmer, if its 4-6 hours more or less. Observation and then i'll set it in motion. Thanks bud see you at the new place lol :thumbsup:

[Fishy 1]

Yeah trying to figure out when to set it will be the tricky part.
Yup I'll see you there:)

[vette.tech]

I realise that what ever i dose gets skimmed OFF by my skimmer.

What are you dosing that you believe is being skimmed out?

+1 and I don't believe that your observation of the skimmate and smell is the most accurate way of determining what was skimmed out, it's possible your over thinking this for no reason

[spamreefnew]

I have been reading and reading and reading about natural filtration,skimmers,and coral feeding. I also ran skimmerless for the last four years. (ATS only) I just can't seem to keep sps or grow lps corals without some skimming for some reason. So from now on I will skim but I will skim very dry and have my skimmer on a timer.

[Mudbeaver]

I have a few Tube vids with good example but i prefer myself to have a skimmer.

However it seem possible for some to be able to do it without a skimmer. I guess its all about the set up, and the bioload.

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I'm not saying its the way to go , of course no its just to illustrate that turning my skimmer off wont have dire consequences like some could predict. I prefer myself to have the technology at my disosal and respect everyone choices in the matter.

But marvel at the same time at those who are able to acheive such tank without it; pretty amazin no? In any case finding the right balance is all i can hope for , for my system and i hope you can too. Mine is to have my refugium replace my GFO reactor and the skimmer not pulling out my supplements i put in for my corals and animals in my tank.

[Fibinotchi]

What a beautiful set up. It's a shame it's stuck in a small little room. Need a comfortable chair in there to spend the day looking at it.

[Mudbeaver]

What a beautiful set up. It's a shame it's stuck in a small little room. Need a comfortable chair in there to spend the day looking at it.

Actually i've got the best seat in the house;

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Mes%20renovations%202013/065.jpg

I'am right in from of it, eye level view with a coffee in the morning, beer in the evening, a nice porto and cheese later night with the moonlights ....

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Mes%20renovations%202013/070.jpg

Very comfortable futon, for two :p surrounded by beauty :lolspin:

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[Fibinotchi]

Can't beat that.

[Subsea]

What a beautiful display of reefkeeping!

While I have been skimmerless for more than 30 years, I have never achieved displays to that level of beauty. It is a testimony to the keeper of the reef. The title of Reef Aquarium Volume 3 says it in a differrent way, "Science, Art and Technology". When one looks at so many beautiful systems with seemingly conflicting methods to maintain them, the one component that stands out is the keeper of the reef. Even with methods that are poor, if the reefkeeper works hard enough, some bad methods can be compensated for by good husbandry. To your point about the skimmer removing beneficial things which you dose, as has been pointed out, it is a Question of Balance. That is where the Art comes into the equation. While it may be difficult to quantify with scientific equations, the beauty of your tanks is the testimony that "you got it right".

In your analogy of not wanting to remove beneficial things from the water, I discontinued the practice of RO/DI as a required protocol more than 20 years ago. My use of aquifer groud water straight into the tank was first motivated by economics, but I could not buy into the science that abounded in the hobby. My present well is 900' deep in Edwards Plateau limestone formed from an ancient ocean that covered the Texas Hill Country. I do little chemical testing in my aquariums. As I am Cajun, French twice removed, I am a "laissez faire" reefkeeper. I have had both the Lower Colorada River Authority and Ward Lab analyse my water: TDS at 26,040 ppm. Na at 9227 ppm, K at 428 ppm, Ca at 393 ppm, Mg at 1266 ppm, Sulfate at 1067 ppm. Why would I want to remove these constituents from the water? Everything that grows, needs them. The fertilizers which are a nuisance but still required to fuel growth in our reef aquariums measured at undetectable levels: Nitrate <0.01 ppm, Ortho Phosphorus < 0.01, Total Phosphorus < 0.01 ppm, Total Iron .02 ppm, Manganese < 0.01 ppm.
Obviously, some of the aquarium hobby science is not etched in stone. You need no further proof of the science in your tank then the beautiful display that you maintain.

I really like your using a gravity feed from your refugium to display tank. Instead of a return pump damaging the micro fauna and fana produced in the refugium, zooplankton is introduced without damage.
Viva la difference,
Patrick

[wildman926]

Why change something that is working?

I will repeat the question. Why change something that is working?

Due to the many different practices of reefkeeping, the success stories are testament to the adaptability of our reef inhabitants, as no two tanks are the same, and that the reefkeeper is providing a stable, constant environment, as is the ocean.

So, keep up the routine of what your are doing, is what makes the most sense to me.

[Fredfish]

...
Viva la difference,

Indeed.

[Mudbeaver]

What a beautiful display of reefkeeping!

While I have been skimmerless for more than 30 years, I have never achieved displays to that level of beauty. It is a testimony to the keeper of the reef. The title of Reef Aquarium Volume 3 says it in a differrent way, "Science, Art and Technology". When one looks at so many beautiful systems with seemingly conflicting methods to maintain them, the one component that stands out is the keeper of the reef. Even with methods that are poor, if the reefkeeper works hard enough, some bad methods can be compensated for by good husbandry. To your point about the skimmer removing beneficial things which you dose, as has been pointed out, it is a Question of Balance. That is where the Art comes into the equation. While it may be difficult to quantify with scientific equations, the beauty of your tanks is the testimony that "you got it right".

In your analogy of not wanting to remove beneficial things from the water, I discontinued the practice of RO/DI as a required protocol more than 20 years ago. My use of aquifer groud water straight into the tank was first motivated by economics, but I could not buy into the science that abounded in the hobby. My present well is 900' deep in Edwards Plateau limestone formed from an ancient ocean that covered the Texas Hill Country. I do little chemical testing in my aquariums. As I am Cajun, French twice removed, I am a "laissez faire" reefkeeper. I have had both the Lower Colorada River Authority and Ward Lab analyse my water: TDS at 26,040 ppm. Na at 9227 ppm, K at 428 ppm, Ca at 393 ppm, Mg at 1266 ppm, Sulfate at 1067 ppm. Why would I want to remove these constituents from the water? Everything that grows, needs them. The fertilizers which are a nuisance but still required to fuel growth in our reef aquariums measured at undetectable levels: Nitrate <0.01 ppm, Ortho Phosphorus < 0.01, Total Phosphorus < 0.01 ppm, Total Iron .02 ppm, Manganese < 0.01 ppm.
Obviously, some of the aquarium hobby science is not etched in stone. You need no further proof of the science in your tank then the beautiful display that you maintain.

I really like your using a gravity feed from your refugium to display tank. Instead of a return pump damaging the micro fauna and fana produced in the refugium, zooplankton is introduced without damage.
Viva la difference,
Patrick

Thanks i read a lot and try to combine what seems to be common sense to. It like people cleaning their glass every day and asking afterwards why do my snails die.

So i leave my glass go for a few days a week and see my snails eating and grazing on it. I don't need to add food , its growing for free. so why clean and then feed them .

Basic common sense makes reef keeping easier too. Leaving my light a bit longer produces more microalgaes for the tank grazers, another way too help your cuc survive.

Choosing good tank mates and not one for , or simply because its attractive or fun to watch is also a big part of a tank success in my view.

I also like to give my tank a break; stop all dosing , cleaning and simply see the affect for a whole week. You'd be surprise sometimes of the results. It can be the dosing, the feeding, or anything in between, but the tank will react and show you how it works.

Learned alot like that. Some dosing was too excessive some feeding too, not enough of this too much of that. Leaving your fish without food for a week, is a big statement, they all find something to munch on if you have a balanced system. And you find out pretty soon how and why.

Thanks for your time and input.

[Aquarist007]

Beautiful tanks
I've been participating on a few threads regarding not skimming. One point people seem to be forgetting is that the rate of skimming is affected both by the skimmer pump and the flow through the sump. In many cases that is not a lot so that a lot of water is not being processed by the skimmer and simply returned to the display tank
Even then the skimmer is only between 35 and 50 % effective. That effectiveness in turn depends on TOC... TOC contains good organics and problematic organics.
So skimming is going to at least take out some unwanted organics and probably not much good organics

[Mudbeaver]

Beautiful tanks
I've been participating on a few threads regarding not skimming. One point people seem to be forgetting is that the rate of skimming is affected both by the skimmer pump and the flow through the sump. In many cases that is not a lot so that a lot of water is not being processed by the skimmer and simply returned to the display tank
Even then the skimmer is only between 35 and 50 % effective. That effectiveness in turn depends on TOC... TOC contains good organics and problematic organics.
So skimming is going to at least take out some unwanted organics and probably not much good organics

Interesting point, but your return pump will circulate your water several times the tank's water volume per hour if you have a good pump. And if your flow pumps are good and you have enough of them the organic material should remain in the water column long enough to be pick up.

This is one reason i took a skimmer that was rated higher then my actuall system volume. Also as indicated in my OP the root of my problem as well lol. Typical dam if you do dam if you don't lol.

Its all about how the system has been conceved from the begining. The Master plan if you will. When i did mine; coast to coast was a must for better skimming, a higher rate skimmer, etc and other thing when into the design.


http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Mon%20systeme/IMG_4817.jpg


If you have the basic little square box i agree some skimming is missed.

I write big for my iphone friends

[Aquarist007]

C' est magnificant
Would appreciate your advise on my system. It's crystal clear but basically sterile.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=23075872&postcount=393

I've been making changes recently to increase micro organisms ect but would appreciate any suggestions

Tks
Scotty

Original set up
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=23033508&postcount=364

[Mudbeaver]

Ok well i've been switching my skimmer OFF for periods of time between 4 to 12 hours , for the last 3 months now. I'm at 12 hours regularly now and my observations are as follows;

-My sponges seem to have regain better colors and a smoother surface.
-The damaged sponges have repared themselves.
-increase in filter sock changing, by 3
-Increase in Skimming in morning and day time. 04;00 to 16;00
-Increase in growth in all corals except zooz.
-Increase of hair algaes
-Nitrates 5ppm phosphate 0.5ppm (normal and desirable with and for my system)
-Skim cup emptied every day now not every 2 days.
-Water very clean and clear, no smell
-No particules or film on the surface
-Temp 74-75oF
-Gravity 1.026
-Cal 450ppm
-Mg 1500
-Alk 8.0
-Feeding twice a day
-Supplements Mix; 0009 ( Ultramin F;Ultra Clam,UltraOrganic,Ultra seafan, Ultra Reef Vitality, Reef-Roids, Ultramin S,Spirulina Powder, Iodine, Iron) in a 500ml bottle ; Dosed 3ml every hour 24/7

My new video almost a year in

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KW6FVujdAZw?list=UULnnCETzkTfNQ1xK2Ji7U9g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[marcusbacus]

For some reason in the past month or so I have noticed that when I turn my skimmer off for more than an hour or 90 minutes the fish start gasping and get lethargic quite fast (It's a RSM 250), and I don't think I have a large fauna so that the oxygen intake is too high. It has never happened before (3 years with the tank already), but now if I let the skimmer off for more than an hour, there's always some bad signs, no matter what time of the day it is. Fortunately I take no more than 20 minutes to clean it. I never ever turn it of unless for cleaning or... accidentally, when I meant to turn of the lights or something then turn it off instead. I am planning to add a new wavemaker (a wp25, I use a WP10 to replace the slower pump that is now used by the chiller), so the circulation gets a little stronger and if the skimmer gets turned off having another circulation pump might avoid problems, I'll let one doing the waves and the other doing a regular flow, slightly pointing upwards. My biggest scare is everything shutting down at night due to a blackout or something.

[beeker]

typically i just turn mine off for a few hours a day, if i feed i leave it off at least 2 hours and then run it until 10 pm when my lights start to die down and shut it off for the night until i wake up the next day seems to work well for me, although i'd never recommend someone not to run their skimmer at least 4 hours a day, but it all depends on bio-load, fish stock and feeding.