Part time skimming?

[digital-audiophile]

Howdy,

For those whom use skimmers do you run them 24/7 or just on a part time schedule?

I have hooked up a coralife super skimmer on my cube, and although it is finicky and a pain in the ass as it is breaking in, it is allready starting to pull some nasty gunk out of the tank (just cycling with some semi-cured LR right now)

What I am trying to determine is if it will be effective if I only run it for a couple hours in the evenings.

- the new tank is in our bedroom (It's really time to get out of condo life and buy a house with more space) and #1 it is loud as heck, #2 I'm just worried out leaking/overflowing and wouldrather run it in the evenings when I am here to "watch" it.


Thanks in advance for any comments, suggestions, prior experiences, etc.

:)

Greg

[Chin_Lee]

mine is a beckett that runs 24/7. it skims at about 1600 gph through an iwaki70. Looking at the stuff being pulled out on a daily basis self-justifies my decision for skimming 24/7.
My theory is waste is being generated 24/7 so why should skimming be part-time?
i also feel that it helps to saturate my oxygen levels in my tanks day and night.
On the other hand, my hydro bill is killing me...... although now i'm looking to set up another 120g tank in line with my current existing..... isn't there a tread somewhere about some people shooting themselves in the foot........ (is there an smilies icon where the smilies shoots himself in the head??)

[Chin_Lee]

Howdy,

For those whom use skimmers do you run them 24/7 or just on a part time schedule?

I have hooked up a coralife super skimmer on my cube, and although it is finicky and a pain in the ass as it is breaking in, it is allready starting to pull some nasty gunk out of the tank (just cycling with some semi-cured LR right now)

What I am trying to determine is if it will be effective if I only run it for a couple hours in the evenings.

- the new tank is in our bedroom (It's really time to get out of condo life and buy a house with more space) and #1 it is loud as heck, #2 I'm just worried out leaking/overflowing and wouldrather run it in the evenings when I am here to "watch" it.


Thanks in advance for any comments, suggestions, prior experiences, etc.

:)

Greg
sorry greg, actually read your post this time and if its too loud, save up for one of the quieter skimmers. but a couple of hours a night is still better than nothing. otherwise, you'll just get used to the noise LOL

[digital-audiophile]

I guess the pump itself is not too loud, its more the gurgling/bubling water going back into the tank. The bubble diffuser is overflowing right now and pumping alot of the water over the sides of the box into the tank. Perhaps this will go down when the skimmer breaks in a little more. I was getting lots of sucking noise from the air intake but I read on Reef central to add more airline to the intake and when I did that it almost cut out the sucking almost all together. The problem I had then was when I turned off the skimmer to empty the cup this moring water starting draining out of that airline.. I have now since routher that tubing so it hangs back over the tank so it can just drain back in if needed. I think I need to run a little airline from the output backflow port towards the tank as well as that overflowed a little bit yesterday. I like to try keep my water in my tank rather than all over the floor :)

Greg