Protein skimmer media

[TerraAimee]

Hi again everyone! As of now, the new 72g tank is sealed properly, the tank stand is reinforced and I'm collecting the rest of my tank needs! So excited!!
So my question today is, i have a fairly old protein skimmer im using until i go buy a new one. The current one is a venturi style with the large refugium attatched. Im not sure what i should put in there. It used to hold some white intestine looking stuff (sorry not sure what it was called) but i threw it out because it was ancient. lol What should i put in that side of the skimmer now that i took that crap out? I thought maybe i should do rubble rock or cheato or both? Or would i do better to go buy some more of the stringy white plastic crap? Keeping in mind that im going to replace this soon but it will be here long enough for my cycling process.

 

[mr_X]

You don't want to run a skimmer during a cycle, so don't worry about it.

 

[TerraAimee]

Yeah i suppose it needs something to skim before it really needs to be on. lol

New question surrounding the skimmer. I got my sand in there today and its cloudy. Very very very cloudy. Ive read about this sand and i believe its pretty normal to be cloudy for up to a week. People are saying you should run the skimmer and powerheads during this cloudy period of the fine particles of sand settling. Any thoughts? The sand is CaribSea Ocean Direct Live Sand. Marine Substrates: CaribSea Ocean Direct Caribbean Live Sand at Foster & Smith Aquatics

 

[mr_X]

No...you need to create a bacteria colony during the cycle. Removing it's food is counter productive.
I would not run a skimmer to clear water of sand particles. I would run a HOB filter or canister. A skimmer is not going to do it. It's for removing dissolved organics, not tiny pieces of sand.

 

[TerraAimee]

I'm starting to see the tank clearing slightly. Pretty cloudy still. Ill try turning the skimmer off. Thanks for the advice!