skimmer 24/7

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.

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkiss

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkiss

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

11/22/2012, 03:28 PM	#1
darkiss Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 569	skimmer 24/7 should skimmers be ran 24/7? Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

11/22/2012, 04:03 PM	#3
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	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. Last edited by cloak; 11/22/2012 at 04:09 PM.

11/22/2012, 04:43 PM	#6
hossa81 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Geneva,IL Posts: 900	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. __________________ Enjoy life, there's plenty of time to be dead. Current Tank Info: 180 FOWLR, 29 BioCube

11/22/2012, 03:34 PM	#2
mtaquarist Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Montana Posts: 93	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

11/22/2012, 04:16 PM	#4
Allmost Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: canada, toronto Posts: 8,161	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

11/22/2012, 04:30 PM	#5
darkiss Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 569	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.

11/22/2012, 05:00 PM	#8
darkiss Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 569	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.

11/23/2012, 09:58 AM	#9
mtaquarist Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Montana Posts: 93	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.

11/23/2012, 02:00 PM	#10
coralsnaked Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Austin / Port Aransas, TX Posts: 1,479	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.

11/23/2012, 02:04 PM	#11
darkiss Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 569	Yea I was just making sure it is not going to mess up my salt values because of so much wet skimmate.

11/24/2012, 01:47 PM	#13
reice923 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: San Diego Posts: 17	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