Should I also shut down my skimmer when feeding?

marino420td · 11/05/2006, 10:12 PM

I currently shut off my return pump and closed loop pumps when feeding. I have an H&S external skimmer that is directly fed from my overflow. Should I also shut off the skimmer pump when feeding? Why or why not?

I had a recent overflow of my skimmer cup and I'm trying to figure out if this was the reason.

PatMayo · 11/05/2006, 11:55 PM

It probably was especially if you used frozen food. I leave mine on unless I am feeding phyto or some other plankton type food. The skimmer will take out the good stuff. I rinse the food in RO/DI water before feeding the tank. It keeps the skimmer overflows to a minimum.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Pat

mg426 · 11/06/2006, 02:02 AM

It could have had an effect on your skimmer. It dont take much to Freak out a skimmer. On my system Mysis shrimp shuts my skimmer down for about an Hour. Cyclopleez makes it got totaly nuts, Hard to figure sometimes.

MJAnderson · 11/06/2006, 07:34 AM

Ive always turned off my skimmer but not my pumps. It seems to keep the food in the water longer so that my fish and not my snails get it. Plus its helpful to watch how it all flows/settles in my tank to see if I need to adjust my powerheads. But I also feed phyto with every meal.

HDAlien · 11/06/2006, 03:20 PM

I feed over about 30 minutes time so very little if any food gets down to my sump, I've not had my skimmer go crazy except for food with gel coating.

HDAlien

Fiziksgeek · 11/06/2006, 04:49 PM

I turn off my skimmer and my return pump, but I do leave the CL going.

11/05/2006, 10:12 PM	#1
marino420td Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Cape Girardeau, MO Posts: 2,529	Should I also shut down my skimmer when feeding? I currently shut off my return pump and closed loop pumps when feeding. I have an H&S external skimmer that is directly fed from my overflow. Should I also shut off the skimmer pump when feeding? Why or why not? I had a recent overflow of my skimmer cup and I'm trying to figure out if this was the reason.

11/05/2006, 11:55 PM	#2
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	It probably was especially if you used frozen food. I leave mine on unless I am feeding phyto or some other plankton type food. The skimmer will take out the good stuff. I rinse the food in RO/DI water before feeding the tank. It keeps the skimmer overflows to a minimum. I hope this helps. Regards, Pat __________________ 90 AGA Megaflow (Setup 1-24-06) 120 Lbs. Liverock EuroReef RS 100 Skimmer 2 X 150 MH 2 X 96 watt PC Actinic 2 Clarki Clowns (31 months old) 1 Niger Trigger (Owned 6 months) 2 Tunze 6055 PH Current Tank Info: 90 AGA Megaflow To Be Mixed Reef

11/06/2006, 02:02 AM	#3
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	It could have had an effect on your skimmer. It dont take much to Freak out a skimmer. On my system Mysis shrimp shuts my skimmer down for about an Hour. Cyclopleez makes it got totaly nuts, Hard to figure sometimes. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

11/06/2006, 03:20 PM	#5
HDAlien Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 476	I feed over about 30 minutes time so very little if any food gets down to my sump, I've not had my skimmer go crazy except for food with gel coating. HDAlien __________________ ¡ʞuɐʇ ʎɯ ǝʌo1 ı Current Tank Info: 220 gal. reef

11/06/2006, 07:34 AM	#4
MJAnderson Premium Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: East Bay, CA Posts: 2,633	Ive always turned off my skimmer but not my pumps. It seems to keep the food in the water longer so that my fish and not my snails get it. Plus its helpful to watch how it all flows/settles in my tank to see if I need to adjust my powerheads. But I also feed phyto with every meal.

11/06/2006, 04:49 PM	#6
Fiziksgeek Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oxford, CT Posts: 1,565	I turn off my skimmer and my return pump, but I do leave the CL going.