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Thread: could my skimmer be too good?

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    Master Reefer boyesreef's Avatar
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    Question could my skimmer be too good?

    as many of you know, i just purchased a small skimmer for my bio-cube. a couple weeks before i picked up some macro to go into my fuge. the macro gained about a half inch of growth within a week. i installed the skimmer witch pulls about 24 ml is skimmate per day. my issue is that my macro is loosing color and shrinking. could my skimmer be pulling too much out of the water?ive unplugged it, and im going to get a splitter so i can plug it into my MH timer so its only on a few hours a day verses 24 hour cycle. thanks all.
    we are all on the long road to our dream tanks, im going slow and enjoying the journey!

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    I suppose it's possible. Turning it off a while would tell for sure I'd think.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Master Reefer boyesreef's Avatar
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    i moved the skimmer so i can adjust the flow a little better, its set up for the driest skim possible. i will set it to come on and off with the display lights, which is opposite of the fuge lights.
    we are all on the long road to our dream tanks, im going slow and enjoying the journey!

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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    It could also be that there was a large nutrient load that the rapid growth reduced. Have you pruned the macro?
    Carmie


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    Master Reefer boyesreef's Avatar
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    i have not,but there is quite a bit of it, is it possible that its out eating its source? on an unrelated note, can my skimmer be reducing my pod count?
    we are all on the long road to our dream tanks, im going slow and enjoying the journey!

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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Yes, it is possible that it has outpaced the nutrients. You said it was shrinking and that means that it is releasing the nutrients it had sequestered back into the tank. I would prune it back.
    Carmie


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    Our Brotha Down Unda
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    Im not a fan of skimmers being turned off, its ether all or nothing for me.

    Im of the opinion it takes time for a skimmer to properly hit its efficiency factor. so working heights are effected, not to mention water sitting idle for those hours within the skimmer housing.

    However you find yourself in a pickle it seems.

    The answer lies somewhere in your initial statement, you had the skimmer running 24hr/day a few weeks before you added the macro. so by that rational, & given your shoulda/coulda/woulda aquarium log, you would be able to track your expected nutrient inputs, vs your testable outputs.

    This would give you some indication if your system is healthy & your skimmer is assisting.

    On the flip side, adding macro plant material (once initial shock is over) will readily absorb the elements needed for growth, so it may very well fall into that "over extension basket" although id be looking at possible variables first before jumping on that band wagon. Possible swings in temp or parameters, lighting, consistent feeding routine & hence load for conversion into usable forms the plant can uptake, flow...& the list goes on. Ether way, if your plant is seeing die back, if you cant trim it back to bare undies in time, your going to need your skimmer on..lol



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    Master Reefer boyesreef's Avatar
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    you got that kinda backwards v, i added the macro first, than the skimmer a few weeks later. but ill trim back the macro. thanks all
    we are all on the long road to our dream tanks, im going slow and enjoying the journey!

  11. #9
    Our Brotha Down Unda
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    you say that like its a new thing. lol. im a glorified gold fish keeper, so essentially i wouldn't know my @ss from my elbow



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