Skimmer and water change

Koddie Doo · 01/17/2017, 07:25 AM

How long after a large water change do you wait to turn on your skimmer? Typically I do a 5 gallon water change every week and I just leave my skimmer running last evening I did a 20 gallon water change. Turned off my skimmer to do this and when I turned it back on it went crazy. So how long do you think I should wait before I turn it back on.

Diana A · 01/17/2017, 07:27 AM

I never had that happen to me. As soon as i am done, i turn everything on.

Str8linespeed · 01/17/2017, 07:50 AM

Same, as above. I turn everything back on after the WC. Never a problem.

Diana A · 01/17/2017, 09:01 AM

Are you adding any liquid(s) to your tank that causes the skimmer to go crazy during the water change?

sde1500 · 01/17/2017, 09:15 AM

I give the return pump enough time to refill the DT, and have the water levels balance back out again, then turn the skimmer back on. Could just be your skimmer went nuts because water level was too high?

greg683x · 01/17/2017, 01:17 PM

Water level was also my first thought. I always shut the skimmer off before disconnecting the return pump. The raised water level will throw it all out of wack, especially if it ends up overflowing bc if you hadn't cleaned your skinner out yet the contents of the cup are getting dumped right back into the water

Timfish · 01/17/2017, 01:29 PM

20 years ago I figured out the solution was to get rid of the skimmer.

sde1500 · 01/17/2017, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timfish

20 years ago I figured out the solution was to get rid of the skimmer.

Really contributes to the OP's question...

RobZilla04 · 01/17/2017, 02:29 PM

Did you change any filters along with the water change that sent you skimmer into a frenzy?

nereefpat · 01/17/2017, 02:35 PM

I leave mine running the whole time. It sits in a constant level chamber that doesn't rise more than an inch or two even with the return pump off.

Koddie Doo · 01/17/2017, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobZilla04

Did you change any filters along with the water change that sent you skimmer into a frenzy?

I think this is the problem. I washed out the filter in the sump and I used 2 new buckets to mix salt water.

scooter31707 · 01/18/2017, 12:47 PM

I turn mines back on once the water level gets to where it needs to be and then I turn everything else on.

jewlz · 01/20/2017, 10:24 AM

My skimmer is on a 30 second delay after the return pump starts.

roli112 · 01/20/2017, 11:09 AM

My skimmer is set to turn on 45 min after a water change

01/17/2017, 07:25 AM	#1
Koddie Doo Czar of All ThingsAwesome Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: O'Fallon, IL Posts: 2,578	Skimmer and water change How long after a large water change do you wait to turn on your skimmer? Typically I do a 5 gallon water change every week and I just leave my skimmer running last evening I did a 20 gallon water change. Turned off my skimmer to do this and when I turned it back on it went crazy. So how long do you think I should wait before I turn it back on. __________________ I like to superglue living creatures to rocks and suspend a crazy amount of light inches away from the surface of the water just to stare at it. Mostly Softies and Nems / Marineland 90 / RS-200 3rd

01/17/2017, 09:15 AM	#5
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	I give the return pump enough time to refill the DT, and have the water levels balance back out again, then turn the skimmer back on. Could just be your skimmer went nuts because water level was too high? __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

01/17/2017, 01:29 PM	#7
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	20 years ago I figured out the solution was to get rid of the skimmer. __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

01/17/2017, 02:29 PM	#9
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	Did you change any filters along with the water change that sent you skimmer into a frenzy? __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

01/17/2017, 02:35 PM	#10
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	I leave mine running the whole time. It sits in a constant level chamber that doesn't rise more than an inch or two even with the return pump off. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

01/17/2017, 07:27 AM	#2
Diana A Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: New Jersey Posts: 682	I never had that happen to me. As soon as i am done, i turn everything on.

01/17/2017, 07:50 AM	#3
Str8linespeed Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Oakdale, MN Posts: 461	Same, as above. I turn everything back on after the WC. Never a problem.

01/17/2017, 09:01 AM	#4
Diana A Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: New Jersey Posts: 682	Are you adding any liquid(s) to your tank that causes the skimmer to go crazy during the water change?

01/17/2017, 01:17 PM	#6
greg683x Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 188	Water level was also my first thought. I always shut the skimmer off before disconnecting the return pump. The raised water level will throw it all out of wack, especially if it ends up overflowing bc if you hadn't cleaned your skinner out yet the contents of the cup are getting dumped right back into the water

01/18/2017, 12:47 PM	#12
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	I turn mines back on once the water level gets to where it needs to be and then I turn everything else on.

01/20/2017, 10:24 AM	#13
jewlz Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: North America Posts: 116	My skimmer is on a 30 second delay after the return pump starts.

01/20/2017, 11:09 AM	#14
roli112 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 298	My skimmer is set to turn on 45 min after a water change __________________ 180 gallon mixed reef Current Tank Info: 180g. mix reef