Skimming while cycling

Snowgrrl83 · 12/18/2009, 11:17 AM

Hi everyone,

So I set up my 20-gallon tank last Sunday and added 7.5 lbs of live rock because I only had a few $$$ left (especially with Christmas coming, the bills aqre adding up). Then, on Weds, I decided to buy another 5.5 lbs of liverock and talked to the guy at the LFS quickly. He said that I shouldn't be running my skimmer during the cycling process...and I wasn't sure whether or not to believe him, because I haven't seen anything anywhere that says not to run the skimmer while cycling.

So whats the verdict? Do I or do I not run my Tunze skimmer right now?
BTW- I don't have any powerheads yet, need money to buy this after christmas. I only have the skimmer and a sponge Aquaclear 30 filter.

der_wille_zur_macht · 12/18/2009, 11:20 AM

I'd run it, unless you've got evidence to support a very low bioload (i.e. no results on nutrient tests.) Running it will help preserve beneficial life on the rock, and prevent nutrient problems down the road.

All you need the cycle to do is get your tank stable with enough bacterial population to handle your INITIAL bioload - if you're stocking slowly, that's not a very big load at all, and there's probably already enough bacteria on that rock to sustain that load, so really you just need things to stabilize.

graveyardworm · 12/18/2009, 11:20 AM

I would run it to remove organics, possibly keep the spikes during cycling a bit lower, keep O2 levels up, and preserve more of the life on the LR. It'll likely take a week or so before the skimmer really gets going anyway.

Snowgrrl83 · 12/18/2009, 11:21 AM

Thanks der wille zue macht - you've saved me, yet again!

tangstank · 12/18/2009, 11:24 AM

IMO Skimmer is used to skim all the dead stuff from the tank during cycling.
Cycling is a process of growing nitryifing bacteria while skimming dead stuff. It makes sense to cycle without skimmer for a couple of days & then use the skimmer.

graveyardworm · 12/18/2009, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangstank

IMO Skimmer is used to skim all the dead stuff from the tank during cycling.

Exactly. Why would you wait?

thile123 · 12/18/2009, 12:27 PM

+1 for running skimmer during cycling to help preserve whatever still living on the LR

Ben_Im · 12/18/2009, 12:29 PM

All LFS's around here run monster sized skimmers on their live rock holding tanks

Kemah · 12/18/2009, 12:55 PM

Run the skimmer.

loosecannon · 12/18/2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowgrrl83

Hi everyone,

So I set up my 20-gallon tank last Sunday and added 7.5 lbs of live rock because I only had a few $$$ left (especially with Christmas coming, the bills aqre adding up). Then, on Weds, I decided to buy another 5.5 lbs of liverock and talked to the guy at the LFS quickly. He said that I shouldn't be running my skimmer during the cycling process...and I wasn't sure whether or not to believe him, because I haven't seen anything anywhere that says not to run the skimmer while cycling.

So whats the verdict? Do I or do I not run my Tunze skimmer right now?
BTW- I don't have any powerheads yet, need money to buy this after christmas. I only have the skimmer and a sponge Aquaclear 30 filter.

I would run skimmer. It will help the fauna and flora that are in and on your live rock.

wooden_reefer · 12/18/2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowgrrl83

Hi everyone,

So I set up my 20-gallon tank last Sunday and added 7.5 lbs of live rock because I only had a few $$$ left (especially with Christmas coming, the bills aqre adding up). Then, on Weds, I decided to buy another 5.5 lbs of liverock and talked to the guy at the LFS quickly. He said that I shouldn't be running my skimmer during the cycling process...and I wasn't sure whether or not to believe him, because I haven't seen anything anywhere that says not to run the skimmer while cycling.

So whats the verdict? Do I or do I not run my Tunze skimmer right now?
BTW- I don't have any powerheads yet, need money to buy this after christmas. I only have the skimmer and a sponge Aquaclear 30 filter.

There is no mystery in the subject. All facts are rather simple. It is a matter of judgement.

Pro using a skimmer during cycling are breaking in the unit and preventing excessive ammonia from dieoff. The thought is that excess ammonia will kill some desirable lives on the rock.

Cons are not allowing enough ammonia/other wastes during cycling for a robust cycle with dense nitrification bacteria population..

So it depends on whether ammonia will be excessive without skimming during cycling and the need to break in the unit.

Also. you can always put the skimmate back into the water if you want to break in the unit and make sure that there is enough ammonia for the cycle.

I never use my skimmer during cycling. I am never concerned about excessive ammonia or breaking in. I never cycle with recently collect LR and I almost always cycle a transcient medium for DT (or medium for QT) in a separate container and then transfer the cycled medium before getting collected LR for DT.

graveyardworm · 12/18/2009, 06:58 PM

Quote:

I never use my skimmer during cycling. I am never concerned about excessive ammonia or breaking in. I never cycle with recently collect LR and I almost always cycle a transcient medium for DT (or medium for QT) in a separate container and then transfer the cycled medium before getting collected LR for DT.

Can you please expand on what you've written here. I'm not quite following what you're trying to say.

wooden_reefer · 12/18/2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graveyardworm

Can you please expand on what you've written here. I'm not quite following what you're trying to say.

I can always use a cheap temperory medium to cycle so as to create enough nitrification bacteria on it. I then transfer the cycled medium to my sump. I never use recently collected LR to cycle, although I use the LR eventually and gradually as the medium of filtration in DT.

About 25-35 pounds of crushed oyster shell can be cycled for bioload eventually for a 125-230 gal DT, in general. The 25 pounds of crushed oyster shell is cycled in a separate container. Afterward, it is transferred to the sump of the DT, with return water over it as directly as possible. I then gradually withdraw the medium and allow the LR to take over in a few months, half a year.

I wrap the crushed oyster shell in nylon panty hose to form tight-stretched balls the size of large orange balls, then I cycle such balls. Other details are possible, certainly, but this is what I do in detail.

The cycled medium can handle a lot of ammonia, really a lot, even due to some die-off (which is to be prevented) from the LR. There will be no re-cycling.

Big Country_IL · 12/18/2009, 10:03 PM

I run mine during cycling - seems to be the time that the most junk is kicked out...seems I read many recommendations to skim during the cycle when my tanks were new.

spleify · 12/18/2009, 11:09 PM

I am also an advocate of skimming during cycling

12/18/2009, 11:17 AM	#1
Snowgrrl83 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ottawa Posts: 109	Skimming while cycling Hi everyone, So I set up my 20-gallon tank last Sunday and added 7.5 lbs of live rock because I only had a few $$$ left (especially with Christmas coming, the bills aqre adding up). Then, on Weds, I decided to buy another 5.5 lbs of liverock and talked to the guy at the LFS quickly. He said that I shouldn't be running my skimmer during the cycling process...and I wasn't sure whether or not to believe him, because I haven't seen anything anywhere that says not to run the skimmer while cycling. So whats the verdict? Do I or do I not run my Tunze skimmer right now? BTW- I don't have any powerheads yet, need money to buy this after christmas. I only have the skimmer and a sponge Aquaclear 30 filter.

12/18/2009, 11:20 AM	#2
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	I'd run it, unless you've got evidence to support a very low bioload (i.e. no results on nutrient tests.) Running it will help preserve beneficial life on the rock, and prevent nutrient problems down the road. All you need the cycle to do is get your tank stable with enough bacterial population to handle your INITIAL bioload - if you're stocking slowly, that's not a very big load at all, and there's probably already enough bacteria on that rock to sustain that load, so really you just need things to stabilize. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

12/18/2009, 11:20 AM	#3
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	I would run it to remove organics, possibly keep the spikes during cycling a bit lower, keep O2 levels up, and preserve more of the life on the LR. It'll likely take a week or so before the skimmer really gets going anyway. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

12/18/2009, 11:24 AM	#5
tangstank Obsessed Reefer Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Northbrook IL Posts: 1,229	IMO Skimmer is used to skim all the dead stuff from the tank during cycling. Cycling is a process of growing nitryifing bacteria while skimming dead stuff. It makes sense to cycle without skimmer for a couple of days & then use the skimmer. __________________ No I am not addicted! But I just can't stop my obsession. Current Tank Info: 110 Gallon Corner Reef + 300G in wall..........++++

12/18/2009, 11:09 PM	#15
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	I am also an advocate of skimming during cycling __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

12/18/2009, 11:21 AM	#4
Snowgrrl83 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ottawa Posts: 109	Thanks der wille zue macht - you've saved me, yet again!

12/18/2009, 12:27 PM	#7
thile123 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: texas Posts: 65	+1 for running skimmer during cycling to help preserve whatever still living on the LR

12/18/2009, 12:29 PM	#8
Ben_Im Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Orinda, CA Posts: 734	All LFS's around here run monster sized skimmers on their live rock holding tanks

12/18/2009, 12:55 PM	#9
Kemah Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kemah (Houston), TX Posts: 70	Run the skimmer.

12/18/2009, 10:03 PM	#14
Big Country_IL Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Rock Island County, Illinois Posts: 54	I run mine during cycling - seems to be the time that the most junk is kicked out...seems I read many recommendations to skim during the cycle when my tanks were new.