Running a Skimmer only at night?

[mrg02d]

Hello all,
I got myself an Aqutic Life 115 nano skimmer since I won it on ebay for $31 shipped, NIB.

The problem is, is that it wont fit conveiniently in my 20g tank due to crappy eurobracing. I had to dremel the bracing to get the dang thing to fit in the back, but the cup is in the way of my t5 light.

In order to keep it in permanently in its spot, id need to do more modifying of the light and tank which I am not willing to do. What I can do is take off the light at night and put in the skimmer to do its thing. Is that good enough, or is that going to be a waste of time?

Also, this thing FILLS the tank with microbubbles. I read these things need time to break in and stop this bubble making. Will the bubbles hurt anything?

Tips? Help? Should I just sell it and buy some salt instead? Haha!

Matt

 

[melosu58]

If it was me I would get a new one but if you just wanted to run it at nite there is no reason you cant.

 

[mrg02d]

Yea, I only got this because it was cheap and unused. Half the price of the going rate on all the vendor sites...

So would it be worth the trouble to let it run at night only? Should it still benefit the tank like that?

Also, any danger in the FLOOD of microbubbles?

Matt

 

[melosu58]

It still should do it`s job but it will be alot of extra work.

 

[Jimbo7]

Microbubbles can stick to certain coral and "burn" them with oxygen. Just keep an eye out.

 

[cabezon]

micro bubbles will cause the light fixture to get wet and covered in salt in no time.

I only run my skimmer at night.

edit: uh,or the top of the tank.

 

[dannyb]

If your going to run a skimmer, The best time to run it would be when the lights are on. So your not sucking up all the little critters corals and what not eat when the lights go out.

I know a guy that had a 5x3x2 tank and grew SPS for a LFS, He swore on never having a skimmer. He thinks, Regular water changes and a big deep sand bed will be just as good if not better then having a skimmer. As a skimmer skims good things also, eg, calcium.

 

[cmor1701d]

A dsb will hep with nitrate reduction as will a pwc. A pwc will also replace all trace elements. A skimmer is not a necessity, but I still run mine 24/7.

 

[Zer0]

To me, it just sounds like a lot of extra work. Extra work that seems all too futile in the end goal. A 20 gallon tank does NOT need a skimmer to have pristine water quality. PWC's and keeping up with your regular tank maintenance will be all you need. If anything, adding on something like a HOB fuge would benefit you in ways you couldn't imagine. I have a 10G fuge(yes, very small), that's filled with tons of chaeto and caulerpa, and has a 2" deep sandbed all around. After the first week my tank was done cycling and after my initial 50-60% water change, i have not seen ANY nitrates OR phosphates. At all. This fuge could very well be the best investment of my entire tank. Could not do without it. I also have very little algae growing in my DT. Just small amounts that are quickly devoured by my extremely small CUC.. which happens to be 2 hermits and 2 snails.. lol... in a 25G tank!

 

[mrg02d]

Hmmm....So the skimmer (at best) still wont be worthwhile then? I could always sell it I guess. I got it new for $31.00 on ebay. Its now going for nearly $60.00 plus shipping. Sheesh!

I have a mini fuge in the tank that basically is an acrylic basket holding a large mass of chaeto. My phosphates and nitrates test at zero, but I still have that annoying brown film stuff that grows on the sides of the tank. Looks like the tank is rusty! Haha! It only grows on surfaces with fast moving water. (Powerheads, tank sides, ect.) Doesnt grow on the rocks or sand at all. If left for a week, this stuff gets hard and turns greenish. It smells AWFUL!

My LFS said that it means I have a nutrient problem, as they do not have that stuff in their tanks. They heavily skim and have massive sumps and whatnot though. They said that if done right, I shouldnt have any of this crap at all. They arent sure what it is, but know it needs nitrates and phosphates to live. They feel that whatever is feeding this stuff needs to be eliminated since I have acroporas. (Any nutrients means bad coloring for my acros)

I guess I will pull the skimmer. Sell it or trade or something.

Everyone, LFS included, seems to suggest sumps filled with macro to combat the crap but the problem is potential flooding and space. I live in a small apartment and had a tank spill already that resulted in a landlord being called while I was asleep! (5 gallons came out from a faulty AquaClear HOB spilling). Water went down to the lower apartment and dripped down their walls. :censor:

The power goes out often here for some reason. A sump just seems quite dangerous to me in my situation. Plus, I couldnt fit more than a 5g tank below the 20g.

What should I do? The LFS said I could try running large amounts of chemicals to abosrb phosphates and nitrates as an alternative. They are stumped as well seeing as I feed so little.

Im at my wits end! Haha! Only chaeto and this film grows in this tank. Besides that junk, its pristine!

Matt