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Should I be running my skimmer on a new cycling tank?

S

sbelyo

I have a 20L thats about 5 days into it's cycle. Total water volume is about 25 Gallons with the sump. There's about 25 lbs. of LR and 20 lbs of LS.

I checked the levels and while I don't remember the numbers. There was Amonia, Nitrates, and Nitrites present. The PH was a little above 8.4 I'm guessing the cycle is doing its thing. I will check the levels and post the numbers tonight.

My question is, should I be running my skimmer? Currently it's still in the box. It's a nano reef systems NRS 2.5 made for a 29G cube but it will fit perfect into the first chamber of my sump.
 
L

ldb

You can if you would like, it's just the rock in there now? The skimmer will have a break in period if it is new. It would be good to get this out of the way before you start adding livestock. Honestly, this early I don't think it really matters much unless you have livestock in the tank. Basically do what you feel like doing lol.
 
NikkiT

NikkiT

Are you planning on adding bacteria before adding livestock? If you are not, I would allow the tank to run without the skimmer for a while so that the bacteria that came in on your live rock has a food source and can multiply. I would also add something to kick start the cycle, like a piece of dead shrimp or ammonia, unless you are going to add bacteria prior to introducing livestock.
 
S

sbelyo

I did use arag-alive sand from carib sea and it came with an extra packet of live bacteria or something. Plus I go some really live rock from member malulu. There were a couple of sponges on the rocks so I'm sure thise are dying because of the cycle and lack of food. That should give the bacteria something to feast on. I haven't check water parameters in a few days but when I did check them amonia, nitrate and nitrite were all present.

I believe that I'm very early on in the cycle. It's only been 6 days. I haven't yet setup the skimmer
 
howze01

howze01

NJRC Member
When I recently set up my new tank I left the skimmer off for the first 4 weeks or so. Figured a bit of extra goo in the tank would help it cycle faster.
 
S

sbelyo

That's what I thought as well... I may set it up just to get it running and then shut it off until the cycle is finished and the CUC goes in
 
jgraz

jgraz

I actually ran mine during the cycle. but I pulled the drain plug and let the water go back into the system instead of removing it. I figured it would get the skimmer through a break-in period while I was waiting for the cycly to complete.
 
howze01

howze01

NJRC Member
jgraz said:
I actually ran mine during the cycle. but I pulled the drain plug and let the water go back into the system instead of removing it. I figured it would get the skimmer through a break-in period while I was waiting for the cycly to complete.
Click to expand...

Genius!!!!
 
S

sbelyo

I Installed it last night but the pump for it was way to strong. It's a Nano reef systems nrs 2.5-8

I adjusted the water column as low as I could get it with the skimmer still stable and the collection cup filled up with water in like 15 minutes.

For now I slid the skimmer lower into the sump and took the collection cup off. I figure that I will let it break in for a few days and then see where we are at. If that doesn't work I'll attach some tubing to the output of the pump and then to the bottom of the skimmer. That way the pump will be lower in the sump but the column will be higher thus decreasing the flow from the pump.
 
MadReefer

MadReefer

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
I was told to not run the skimmer while the tank is cycling. Should be okay to run once its cycled and have a few inhabitants in the tank.
But let others jump in here with their opinions.
 
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