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Protein Skimmers Chris w/cox 05-20-2009
Posted by Chris w/cox on May 20, 2009, 12:09 pm
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It is probably posted somewhere, But I can't find it.
I have a 30 gal reef, My protein skimmer will sit doing nothing and all of a
sudden it will fill the cup and run in the floor. It was doing my set as low
as I could set it this am.
I fed the three fish I have with flake food and it took off, fill the cup
and was ready to run in the floor, Is my tank full of desolved proteim<sp>?
Do I need to do several water changes. I do them every two weeks. I have
added a little LR lately. I guess the tank need several water changes.
Please you opnion is welcome, but smartass, I have a place for you also.

Sincerely
Chris



Posted by olddog on May 20, 2009, 3:19 pm
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> It is probably posted somewhere, But I can't find it.
> I have a 30 gal reef, My protein skimmer will sit doing nothing and all of
> a sudden it will fill the cup and run in the floor. It was doing my set as
> low as I could set it this am.
> I fed the three fish I have with flake food and it took off, fill the cup
> and was ready to run in the floor, Is my tank full of desolved
> proteim<sp>? Do I need to do several water changes. I do them every two
> weeks. I have added a little LR lately. I guess the tank need several
> water changes.
> Please you opnion is welcome, but smartass, I have a place for you also.
>
> Sincerely
> Chris
>

Tell us a little more about your setup. Where are you getting your water?

What type of skimmer and is it a hang-on, in a false-back, or in a refugium?

Speaking from a hang-on or false-back perspective: You have to keep the
cup's collector (bottom where bubbles form) right at the level the bubbles
are forming. I watch mine carefully. When you replenish H2o it has to be
raised then lowered as the water level decreases. You can just let it set at
the high level but make sure your aqua is at a high level too.

How many fish do you have and size? Who told you to use flake food and why?

I use baby-sinkers, wait until the fish are hungry, find a good feeding
spot, and only give them what they can eat before it hits the bottom twice a
day. Kill all power-heads during feeding. I know products say feed for 3
minutes but that is pure bs. If your nitrate is out-of-control IMHO you
should consider a 1 X day feeding until you get it under control. Better to
have hungry fish than dead fish.

You may need to do daily water changes, Depends on your nitrate/phosphate
levels. After you get your nitrates settled check your phosphate daily until
it's settled. After both of those are settled then you go to 25% changes
every 2 weeks because the trace elements have to be replenished. Be sure you
use quality salt like Tropic Marin or Red Sea. I like Rea Sea because it's
cheaper and my phosphates check out okay. Tropic Marin is the best but it's
also pricey.

I doubt your skimmer is collecting too much waste as opposed to the cup is
set too low but I only have experience with hang-ons with sumps and a
bio-cube false-back. The Bio Cube was the easiest to maintain but too small.

As far as smartasses. This group has one of the most idiotic fools I've ever
seen. Fortunately, I was able to block him easily.

od





Posted by Pszemol on May 26, 2009, 10:57 am
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> It is probably posted somewhere, But I can't find it.
> I have a 30 gal reef, My protein skimmer will sit doing nothing and all of
> a sudden it will fill the cup and run in the floor. It was doing my set as
> low as I could set it this am.
> I fed the three fish I have with flake food and it took off, fill the cup
> and was ready to run in the floor, Is my tank full of desolved
> proteim<sp>? Do I need to do several water changes. I do them every two
> weeks. I have added a little LR lately. I guess the tank need several
> water changes.
> Please you opnion is welcome, but smartass, I have a place for you also.

Chris, if this is the skimmer reaction right after feeding, I would look
closely on the type of food you are giving your fish and check if this
happens on with different food. Try feeding frozen krill, which was
thawed and rinsed before feeding and see what will skimmer do.

Some food types just give more into the water for skimmer to foam.

If for the most of the time skimmer does not produce foam than the
water in your tank is relatively clean.


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