SKIMMER

[pluff]

:eek2: Hope everyone had a great christmas...My question is,...Is it ok to turn my skimmer off?sometimes when i'm not home it overflows out of the cup,and all over my carpet.I don't have any fish in the tank at all yet,just live rock.Its all cycled now and i was gonna go get a pair of clowns tonight.This is starting to P- - - me off,if you know what i mean:) tHanks any input would be appricated:cheers:

[afss]

Congrats on getting the fish

I think you may need to adjust the skimmer. It shouldn't be pulling out that much if you have nothing in your tank to be producing waste.

You may also want to think about making an overflow for the collection cup that goes to a larger container such as a pop bottle.
Scott

[canadawest]

How wet is your skimmer waste pluff? Like Scott mentioned, perhaps you just need to adjust your skimmer to make dryer waste?

Try adjusting the flow through it to produce dryer bubbles. This will actually take more waste out of the water, and extend the amount of time it takes to fill up the collection cup, therefore saving you headaches.

It's also ok to put the skimmer on a timer if you need to, to help avoid messes. Perhaps 12-20 hours a day, setup for whenver you'll be home to empty it.

I would suspect that your rock is still curing, or your skimmer isn't adjusted properly yet, otherwise you shouldn't be getting lots of waste.

[pluff]

How do i adjust the flow?Its a Excalibur skimmer with a RIO 800 pump.i hooked the air tube up but the know to adjust the air flow dosn't adjust?:strange: :confused:

[pluff]

:dance: Forget it i figured it out :) i guess the return tube adjust up and down:):cool:

[pluff]

I have no idea about the tank,he hasn't gotten back to me:cheers: i will keep u posted,when he gets back to me:cheers:

[afss]

One thing to consider with putting a skimmer on a timer.
I had a 29 gallon as a starter tank. I didn't have a skimmer, but I did have an air store in the back corner. One day during routine maintainance I took the air stone out. I went out for supper and forgot to put it back in. The air stone was out for approx 5-6 hours and when i returned home i had 3 dead fish, some struggeling crabs, and 2 struggeling fish. I had only 5 fish in this tank, all small 1-1.5 inches. I figure that the tanks inhabitants became used to having the extra oxygenation and without it became streesed which help speed up the depletion.. vicious cycle.... Any way it may be ok to put the skimmer on a timmer, but i would be nervous of it, probably for no reason, but still nervous.

Scott