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Part-time Skimming! I'm switching over!

Enderturtle

Enderturtle

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Ever since hearing Scott Fellman talk about how the Unique Corals facilities turn off their skimmers at night for better growth/color, I've decided to try it out.

Here's a little blurb from Scott,

As you know, I've written repeatedly about how we don't skim 24/7/365 at UC anymore, and how our corals reflected this in better color and more consistent growth. So, since we know that skimming isn't quite as efficient at removing DOC as we used to assume, perhaps it's the removal of some of the inorganic stuff (CaCO3, MgCO3, and SiO2 ) that negatively affects the growth of our corals when we skim aggressively and continuously. Regardless, skimming super aggressively (as I used to do during the 1990's) has, in my experience, historically resulted in less colorful, less rapidly-growing corals. Our experience at Unique Corals with backing off of the protein skimming has been completely positive.

I'm not telling reefers to turn their protein skimmers into vases. What I am suggesting is that we employ multiple methods of nutrient control and export so that we don't rely excessively on any one practice, methodology, or piece of hardware. If I had to choose just one method, I'd employ regular water exchanges, as they offer the dual benefit of removing dissolved organic compounds from the system, while helping replenish inorganic compounds and materials removed by skimming and animal metabolism.
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So I've programmed my apex to turn off my skimmer from 10PM to 2AM. A period of 4 hours. I will see how my tank responds and if I like it, I might extend the skimmerless period.
 
I'm excited for this. I'd love to hear how it turns out.

It's my hypothesis that we went a bit overboard with the nutrient export on our 90gal tank and the corals would have been happier with slightly higher nutrient loads. Nitrate/phosphate were always too close to 0 or ULNS levels.
 
This is why I do not mind that I think my skimmer is not very efficient. I have no idea how semi-skimming all the time compares to super skimming in combination with periods of no skimming. Enderturtle, I will be following updates on your skimmer experiment.
 
The problem is you tend to want removal swhen nutrients are at their highest so around feed time (for fish) and when the fish poop it out (who knows when).... that said people tend to have way more fish per coral volume than Unique Corals which might at most have pest eating wrasses and maybe algae eaters which by design you probably dont feed much at all so mimicing what a coral farm does may not produce similar results. That said Arnold doesnt even run a skimmer and he has a bunch of fish

That said I would feel more comfortable with a DC pump skimmer turning off and on with a daily basis as they tend to have a more gentle startup
 
Generally, commercial systems typically runs very lean so this is a common practice. However, small home based captive systems are the opposite so turning your skimmer off half the time may lead to unforseen issues with nutrient build up. Unless you have a really big oversize skimmer. So, be careful.
 
sfsuphysics said:
The problem is you tend to want removal swhen nutrients are at their highest so around feed time (for fish) and when the fish poop it out (who knows when).... that said people tend to have way more fish per coral volume than Unique Corals which might at most have pest eating wrasses and maybe algae eaters which by design you probably dont feed much at all so mimicing what a coral farm does may not produce similar results. That said Arnold doesnt even run a skimmer and he has a bunch of fish

That said I would feel more comfortable with a DC pump skimmer turning off and on with a daily basis as they tend to have a more gentle startup
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I totally agreed.

BTW...Arnold is a freak. There's a lot of things he does with his tanks that puzzles me but he's Arnold so he's allowed to get away with it...lol
 
I'd think about turning it off during a period where your lights are on so you don't make ph swing worse w no photosynthesis and lower dissolved oxygen all at the same time.
 
Could you get the same effect by lowering the air intake to decrease the "skimming rate"? I feel like regularly starting and stopping a pump is a little risky.
 
Well its a reef octopus 110NWB rated for 100 gallons (BRS says its probably only good for 75). My aquarium volume capacity is 60 gallons, with probably 45 gallons of actual water in it.

Worst thing that will happen is it dies. Im ready for a new one anyways.

One of these three things will happen
  1. I dont remove enough nitrates because my skimmer is off for 4 hours every night, potential algae outbreak.
  2. My skimmer pump breaks because its turned off and on, once a night.
  3. My coral get deeper coloration and growth rate increases :)
Will let yall know what I find out.
 
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I turn my skimmer off at night due to noise.
No noticeable difference when I started doing that. (years ago)
It is turned off well after feeding time though.
 
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