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uh60chief View Drop Down
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Joined: October 14 2004
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    Posted: July 31 2005 at 10:08am

Do you skim 24/7 or on a set schedule like only when the lights are off? 

What type of chemicals do you add back to the tank if you are skimming?

Any other little tricks of skimming that I may not know?

I reacently added a skimmer to my tank after not having one for a little over a year.  My tank seemed to run fine without it, but my impending trip to the sand box made me think that it might be easier for my wife to keep the tank looking good with a skimmer helping her.  So I am just trying to get some opinions on the best technics for running a skimmer.

 
Jason&Andrea Townsend
Bluffdale Utah
Tired of looking at my empty 125 :(
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Suzy View Drop Down
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Points: 7377 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 31 2005 at 11:00am

Sandbox! Not again! You just got back!

 I think a skimmer removes dissolved organic chemicals (DOC), that will turn into nitrate, phosphates and silicates which will feed nuisance algaes if not exported some other way. Most people run them 24/7, and only add fish food as replacement "chemicals".

 I don't think it removes electrolytes, but those are removed by your corals. You might want to teach your tank sitter how to test for the important ones, like calcium and alkalinity before you fly away. Do you add them now? 

 Another bonus of a skimmer is the added O2.
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uh60chief View Drop Down
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Points: 351 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uh60chief Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 31 2005 at 11:15am

Yeah the official rumor mill is churning(my CO was told via teleconferance with Guard Bureau that the orders are otw).  We just finished 4 months in Nicaragua, and now it looks like we are headed to Iraq next year sometime.  But we don't have orders yet so it's all rumor until we have those.  But I'm not taking any chances.

Right now I add Bionic to my tank and InlandSeas BioTrace.  I am going to switch to salifert Trace Soft when my BioTrace runs out, since I only have softies for now. 

 

BTW Andrea says hello



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Jason&Andrea Townsend
Bluffdale Utah
Tired of looking at my empty 125 :(
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peiji View Drop Down
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Points: 2142 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote peiji Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 31 2005 at 12:00pm
I'm also wondering about the same questions but I'd like to add another.
Should I have my skimmer in the refugium or sump area? Does it hurt to run
it only at nights?
Jared Page
Highland, UT
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