I just purchased a skimmer and...

[Nanogasm]

Hi all,

I just purchased a hang-on skimmer for my 25g. I have heard that I should remove my bioballs, but I can't seem to find info on whether I should remove the ceramic rings, sponge pad and/or my active carbon.

Would it be a wise move to do so and let the skimmer handle the full load?

Also, right now my skimmer is doing squat. It has only been up for 24 hours but the condensation in my cup is clear. My bio-load atm is 30 lbs of live rock, 5 snails, 5 hermits of the blue and red legged variety, a cleaner shrimp, a brittle star and a percula clown. The tank is one month in the running. I'm a little surprised to see nothing dark or gooey in the skimmer cup.

Is this a normal sign given the circumstances?

 

[Anonymous]

In 24 hours it may not have broken in yet. Give it some more time. What type of skimmer is it?

 

[Anonymous]

I like your nick, btw!

 

[Nanogasm]

Hehe, thanks ChrisPrusha. And thanks Wazzel for calming my paranoia. My skimmer is a Saline Solutions 40, hang-on counter-current that uses an airstone. I've talked to a few people who have used it and they've all had great things to say about its functionality with small tanks like mine.

I just came back from a fish store romp, and got some info. My tubing running from the powerhead was a little too crimped (ie.. was bending quite a bit on its way to the skimmer and reducing waterflow) so I purchased a couple of small elbow adaptors to give it full flow the whole way. Hopefully it will help. He also mentioned like you said Wazzel, give it a couple of days or so to kick in.

Also, one of the LFS guys told be to remove the bio-balls, ceramic rings and sponge pad. However he said leave in the active carbon. The back part of my tank is an enclosed filter set-up (nanocube dx tank) and he recommended I load it up with live rock and have the skimmer empty into it. I'm going to go ahead with the advice. It leans towards the majority of what I'm reading on the web, but there is just so much contradiction of views out there. I'd love to hear some replies if anyone sees a better, different way I should be handling this.

 

[Anonymous]

Also, one of the LFS guys told be to remove the bio-balls, ceramic rings and sponge pad. However he said leave in the active carbon.

That's what I would most likely do in that situation.

 

[Tackett]

+2

 

[Anonymous]

Uh huh, uh huh.

Make it a three banger.

 

[KLGreene]

Hi all,

I just purchased a hang-on skimmer for my 25g. I have heard that I should remove my bioballs, but I can't seem to find info on whether I should remove the ceramic rings, sponge pad and/or my active carbon.

Would it be a wise move to do so and let the skimmer handle the full load?

Also, right now my skimmer is doing squat. It has only been up for 24 hours but the condensation in my cup is clear. My bio-load atm is 30 lbs of live rock, 5 snails, 5 hermits of the blue and red legged variety, a cleaner shrimp, a brittle star and a percula clown. The tank is one month in the running. I'm a little surprised to see nothing dark or gooey in the skimmer cup.

Is this a normal sign given the circumstances?

You shouldn't be surprised at that. It may take up to three weeks maybe more to start seeing skimate in your cup. However, you really don't have that much of a bio load aside from the clown and the LR. Your inverts won't pose much of a load (if any) on your system. Soooo, if you're not seeing skimate, that may not be a bad thing, you may just not have alot of DOC in your system.

I still have the bio-balls in my system, but I also have macro algae that the water passes through after the bio-balls to help remove any nitrates that the bio- balls have been known to produce after time. I think it's all in what your system dictates. I'm begining to find out that my system will let me know what it needs or doesn't need just by looking at the critters.

Good luck,

 

[Nanogasm]

Thanks all for the replies. I must say, this is the most informative and helping marine site I've seen. One stop shop!

Cheers