Running Skimmer During Cycle

aaron1987 · 01/20/2009, 09:25 PM

Been awhile since I've set up a new tank -- seeding it using a mix of fully cured live rock from a previous tank (no life on it I care about preserving beyond the bacteria, it came from the middle of my old rock work) and "dry" marco rocks which have an obscene amount of dead organic material trapped in them (urchins, etc in the center of large pieces of fiji) I removed as much as I could but I'm sure I was only able to do a partial job which; verified by the delightful yellow tinge of the tank water.

There's probably a 1:3 ratio of fully cured seed rock to curing rock. Would you guys run a skimmer? I don't want to artificially shorten the cycle resulting in a possible secondary cycle later, but I feel as if there's such a surplus of decaying matter in the water column the tank is bound to cycle in a stable fashion if I run my skimmer. Thoughts?

Ranchhand02 · 01/20/2009, 09:32 PM

I would run the skimmer, I do not see what it would hurt. It may also help clear up the water.

spleify · 01/20/2009, 10:04 PM

Yep, fire that baby up and let 'r run!

tims28gnano · 01/20/2009, 11:09 PM

everyone says to run the skimmer!

aaron1987 · 01/21/2009, 08:36 AM

Firing it up

Thanks!

Whys · 01/21/2009, 12:02 PM

Your skimmer probably won't take immediate effect anyway. It often takes a week or two for things to slime up before it runs as intended.

reefswinger · 01/21/2009, 12:17 PM

i was told to do the same .ive had mine running for almost 2 week and it is not doing anything yet.

Whys · 01/21/2009, 12:28 PM

Keep the airflow very low for now. Most people (myself included) think it isn't doing anything, so they turn it all the way up. Then when it finally slimes up, it fills and overflows because of too much airflow.

01/20/2009, 09:25 PM	#1
aaron1987 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ames, IA Posts: 283	Running Skimmer During Cycle Been awhile since I've set up a new tank -- seeding it using a mix of fully cured live rock from a previous tank (no life on it I care about preserving beyond the bacteria, it came from the middle of my old rock work) and "dry" marco rocks which have an obscene amount of dead organic material trapped in them (urchins, etc in the center of large pieces of fiji) I removed as much as I could but I'm sure I was only able to do a partial job which; verified by the delightful yellow tinge of the tank water. There's probably a 1:3 ratio of fully cured seed rock to curing rock. Would you guys run a skimmer? I don't want to artificially shorten the cycle resulting in a possible secondary cycle later, but I feel as if there's such a surplus of decaying matter in the water column the tank is bound to cycle in a stable fashion if I run my skimmer. Thoughts?

01/20/2009, 10:04 PM	#3
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	Yep, fire that baby up and let 'r run! __________________ 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

01/20/2009, 09:32 PM	#2
Ranchhand02 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 532	I would run the skimmer, I do not see what it would hurt. It may also help clear up the water.

01/20/2009, 11:09 PM	#4
tims28gnano Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Jones Beach Posts: 343	everyone says to run the skimmer!

01/21/2009, 08:36 AM	#5
aaron1987 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ames, IA Posts: 283	Firing it up Thanks!

01/21/2009, 12:02 PM	#6
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Your skimmer probably won't take immediate effect anyway. It often takes a week or two for things to slime up before it runs as intended.

01/21/2009, 12:17 PM	#7
reefswinger Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: ohio Posts: 44	i was told to do the same .ive had mine running for almost 2 week and it is not doing anything yet.

01/21/2009, 12:28 PM	#8
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Keep the airflow very low for now. Most people (myself included) think it isn't doing anything, so they turn it all the way up. Then when it finally slimes up, it fills and overflows because of too much airflow.