protein skimmer question

[sansouci01]

I'm starting my first salt tank this weekend. Should I wait until my tank is cycled and fish have been added before starting my protein skimmer or should I start it as soon as my live rock and live sand are in ?

 

[mr_X]

I wouldn't run it while it's cycling. After your water change at the end I would fire it up.

 

[ivan_dalmatia]

Mr. X is right, your gonna have to add dead stuff to it really, not take it out with no one living there yet. There will be no food for your bacteria to eat

 

[sansouci01]

thanks for the info...

 

[Phranque]

If it's a brand new skimmer, remember there is going to be a break-in period where it's not going to work correctly (at full potential) for a while.... Usually 2-4 weeks for most skimmers. While your tank is cycling, you can set the skimmer in a separate container of salt water & have it running to get this process moving along. It doesn't need to be heated water, but it does need to be saltwater..... the different specific gravity does make a difference in bubble size/structure.

 

[sansouci01]

can I just put it in my tank and get it going while the tank is cycling ? I don't intend to have fish in it for a while. Maybe a month or two.

 

[Phranque]

Not recommended....... The skimmer will pull stuff out of the water column that you want to stay there for the nitrification process to occur. The purpose of the skimmer is to pull out micro bits of matter before it decays and nitrifies, and right now you want that gunk to stay in the tank.

 

[sansouci01]

got it.
so wait until the tank is cycled before starting the skimmer