Keeping the Food in the Tank

CStrickland · 05/13/2016, 10:16 PM

Hi all!

With my new herbie drains I've hit a snag with feeding my tank. For my last feeding of the day I like to turn off the flow so I can make sure everyone gets a full belly before bed and feed my sun coral, occasionally I feed the lps too. My new, smallish anthias seem to also really like the chance to grab tiny bits without any current, before it gets sucked down the drain.

But when I turn off my return pump the sump water level raises, overflowing my skimmer. I've been cranking up the water level in the skimmer to get the dirty foam up into the cup (so all that foam doesn't dirty the water), and turning it off along with the return pump, and then resetting the skimmer water level when I turn the return back on. This seems very silly.

I tried just killing the powerheads and leaving the return on, but I lost a lot of food both down the overflow and because it got blown away before the coral could grab it.

Tips?

BrokenSpoke · 05/13/2016, 10:28 PM

If you have a controller it's easy. I have a RKL and the skimmer and pump are both set to standby (feeding) when I press a button. This shuts them both off. Then, I have the skimmer on a 10 minute delay so that when the pump comes back on, the skimmer does not come on for another 10 minutes. This gives the sump water level plenty of time to get where it needs to be so that the skimmer does not over flow.

I'm sure those with Apex controllers have a similar way to do it.

CStrickland · 05/13/2016, 10:30 PM

I could put them on a switch like I have the pumps. I was just worried that the foam the skimmer had in the chamber would dump all that waste back into the water when it shuts off. Maybe I'm overthinking it

Reef Frog · 05/13/2016, 11:36 PM

In my case any built up foam usually remains intact in the skimmer body for a good while. It's been my assumption that little if any dirty water escapes. And if some does I figure it will be pulled through the skimmer again soon enough.

Since it's important to keep the food in the tank itself so the fish can get it, I think the skimmer & return should be turned off. I feed foods that are neutrally buoyant too with a turkey basted, shooting it deep into the tank, so it doesn't float to the top. It swirls around mid tank with my Vortech pumps on feed mode so the fish have plenty of time to get it. But when I used freeze dried cyclops for example, I could not saturate it properly and it floated to the top and was wasted as it quickly took a ride down the overflow if my return pump was not turned off.

heathlindner25 · 05/14/2016, 06:15 AM

Well, coming from somebody that likes to pour his skimmer juice in his tank every once in awhile.... I think you'll be okay

Lsufan · 05/14/2016, 10:36 AM

I don't have a apex so I find the American dj power strips come in very handy. It's a box with 8 plug ins that all have a separate switch. I plug in my return, powerhead, heater & skimmer into that & mount it somewhere easy to get to. It sure beats having to unplug stuff from the outlets to turn them off & on. I just flip off all the switches & feed then flip them back on when I'm done

CStrickland · 05/14/2016, 11:05 AM

Yeah, I was looking at those. I think you linked to it in another thread. I have my powerheads on lamp switches, but the return and skimmer are 3prong so they would need something like the dj bar.

I just flip one of these switches on either side of the tank to kill all the ph's

Re: buoyancy - I make my own food, and have worked out a pretty good buoyancy. The trick is not to freeze it right away because the blender traps a lot of air in the food and it will be really floaty when it thaws. I let the mix sit overnight and stir it well before I pack and freeze it. So far so good.

Reel North · 05/14/2016, 11:09 AM

I have my system on an apex, and have the skimmer delay as well set at 10 minutes. I'm changing my feed "A" to longer than 5 minutes soon - not long enough lol. That way, the skimmer comes on when the sump level is near its operating level.

Food in the drains just rots in the sump or in the socks.

An yes - you are over thinking it lol

CStrickland · 05/14/2016, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reel North

An yes - you are over thinking it lol

Def not the first time

kmbyrnes · 05/15/2016, 07:06 AM

My pumps and skimmer are on one strip, Lights and dosers on another.
I just turn off the pumps. Of course, you have to remember to turn them back on !!!!

sde1500 · 05/15/2016, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CStrickland

Def not the first time

And won't be the last lol

Sonyardo · 05/15/2016, 07:43 AM

I turn off the return pump and skimmer. When I'm ready, I turn the return pump on and let the water level stabalize and then turn the power back on to the skimmer.

Ucantwin · 05/15/2016, 04:58 PM

I just put the return pump in feed mode and remove the collection cup from the skimmer and keep I running so it just overflows back into the sump. My powerstrips are far back in the cabinet and would be hard for to reach to turn them off.

05/13/2016, 10:16 PM	#1
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	Keeping the Food in the Tank Hi all! With my new herbie drains I've hit a snag with feeding my tank. For my last feeding of the day I like to turn off the flow so I can make sure everyone gets a full belly before bed and feed my sun coral, occasionally I feed the lps too. My new, smallish anthias seem to also really like the chance to grab tiny bits without any current, before it gets sucked down the drain. But when I turn off my return pump the sump water level raises, overflowing my skimmer. I've been cranking up the water level in the skimmer to get the dirty foam up into the cup (so all that foam doesn't dirty the water), and turning it off along with the return pump, and then resetting the skimmer water level when I turn the return back on. This seems very silly. I tried just killing the powerheads and leaving the return on, but I lost a lot of food both down the overflow and because it got blown away before the coral could grab it. Tips? __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

05/13/2016, 10:28 PM	#2
BrokenSpoke Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 564	If you have a controller it's easy. I have a RKL and the skimmer and pump are both set to standby (feeding) when I press a button. This shuts them both off. Then, I have the skimmer on a 10 minute delay so that when the pump comes back on, the skimmer does not come on for another 10 minutes. This gives the sump water level plenty of time to get where it needs to be so that the skimmer does not over flow. I'm sure those with Apex controllers have a similar way to do it. __________________ Salinity 1.025, Temp 78 +/- .5, PH 8.2, Alkalinity 9.5 on KH scale, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 2, Phosphate .03 Calcium 350, Magnesium 1400

05/13/2016, 10:30 PM	#3
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	I could put them on a switch like I have the pumps. I was just worried that the foam the skimmer had in the chamber would dump all that waste back into the water when it shuts off. Maybe I'm overthinking it __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

05/14/2016, 11:09 AM	#8
Reel North New King of Quarantine Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Hammertown, Canada eh Posts: 1,175	I have my system on an apex, and have the skimmer delay as well set at 10 minutes. I'm changing my feed "A" to longer than 5 minutes soon - not long enough lol. That way, the skimmer comes on when the sump level is near its operating level. Food in the drains just rots in the sump or in the socks. An yes - you are over thinking it lol __________________ It takes a very rich man to buy cheap things Current Tank Info: frag tank. Lame

05/15/2016, 07:06 AM	#10
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	My pumps and skimmer are on one strip, Lights and dosers on another. I just turn off the pumps. Of course, you have to remember to turn them back on !!!! __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

05/13/2016, 11:36 PM	#4
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	In my case any built up foam usually remains intact in the skimmer body for a good while. It's been my assumption that little if any dirty water escapes. And if some does I figure it will be pulled through the skimmer again soon enough. Since it's important to keep the food in the tank itself so the fish can get it, I think the skimmer & return should be turned off. I feed foods that are neutrally buoyant too with a turkey basted, shooting it deep into the tank, so it doesn't float to the top. It swirls around mid tank with my Vortech pumps on feed mode so the fish have plenty of time to get it. But when I used freeze dried cyclops for example, I could not saturate it properly and it floated to the top and was wasted as it quickly took a ride down the overflow if my return pump was not turned off.

05/14/2016, 06:15 AM	#5
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	Well, coming from somebody that likes to pour his skimmer juice in his tank every once in awhile.... I think you'll be okay

05/14/2016, 10:36 AM	#6
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	I don't have a apex so I find the American dj power strips come in very handy. It's a box with 8 plug ins that all have a separate switch. I plug in my return, powerhead, heater & skimmer into that & mount it somewhere easy to get to. It sure beats having to unplug stuff from the outlets to turn them off & on. I just flip off all the switches & feed then flip them back on when I'm done

05/15/2016, 07:43 AM	#12
Sonyardo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: OC California Posts: 522	I turn off the return pump and skimmer. When I'm ready, I turn the return pump on and let the water level stabalize and then turn the power back on to the skimmer.

05/15/2016, 04:58 PM	#13
Ucantwin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: some where Posts: 559	I just put the return pump in feed mode and remove the collection cup from the skimmer and keep I running so it just overflows back into the sump. My powerstrips are far back in the cabinet and would be hard for to reach to turn them off.