Too much skimming?

[lightcs4]

I started having some issues after adding a skimmer to my 46 gal tank. I lost all SPS and some LPS, but my Duncans are doing fine. I also have some palys that are doing well and some zoanthids that are just doing "OK". I was wondering if my test kit wasn't registering a problem, so I took a sample to the LFS and was told everything was good. I had no ammonia or nitrites, less than .05 on nitrates, a PH of 8.2, Dkh at 9, and calc at 405. However, the candy canes seem a bit restrained and the zoanthids are not as open as the were before the skimmer. I use only RO/DI water, waiting 15 minutes before filling the buckets, and only feed every other day. The skimmer is rated for a 65 gal tank. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[Wes888]

You have any fish in there? I've read some where that Coral require amino acid that come from fish waste.

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

Are your temps the same? maybe the skimmer pump is creating heat raising your temps.

 

[yote]

This is just a shot in the dark.But check your tank for stray voltage.
The addition of the skimmer should have helped the corals do better.

 

[lightcs4]

Temps do swing a couple of degrees. I keep it at 80 during the evening so it doesn't swing so much more than two degrees with the lights.

I have a grounding rod due to an incident of stray voltage, but haven't found any since replacing a pump. It is also on a GFI outlet, although it is my understanding it may allow a small amount of stray voltage.

I only have two fish in the tank, a gold headed sleeper goby and a royal gamma. I was concerned with the sleeper kicking up sand but it doesn't seem to do much with the sand. It eats well when I feed the tank and is getting good and fat. I do plan on adding a couple more fish, peaceful ones only. I had a couple clowns but they killed everything I added to the tank, even a six line wrasse :grumble:.

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[dcantucson]

Just a general question? Is it possible to over skim a tank. I didn't think it would skim if there wasn't anything to skim. Is that right?

 

[ccCapt]

Is it possible to over skim a tank.

Not really. Skimmers aren't as efficient as the manufacturers want us to believe.
This article, by my friend Ken Feldman, gets quite technical, but it's worth reading.
The Development of a Method for the Quantitative Evaluation of Protein Skimmer Performance

 

[sen5241b]

Many LPS corals will slowly die at temperatures above 78F like plate corals and brain corals.

 

[daugherty]

Many LPS corals will slowly die at temperatures above 78F like plate corals and brain corals.

that is not true.

 

[dcantucson]

:question: Sen are you sure that is true? Do you have any quotes/articles to substantiate that statment? Just curious because most of us keep our tanks at a higher temperature than 78*

 

[Wes888]

Yea, during summer time, keep it at 80F is much more feasible than at 78F. I believe lot of mods here with big tanks also keep theirs at 80+.

 

[daugherty]

my old 50 gal ran at 84 and i never had any problem eith any corals that i had in it

 

[Melosu58]

The key to temps is stability. 82 or 83 will be much better staying the same thing than having your water temps bounce all around. I know alot of folks that keep theirs around 82 or 83. Like I said stability is the key when it comes to temps.

 

[Bifferwine]

My tank has always been between 82 and 84, at the very highest. Usually it stays around 82.

 

[mm2meyer]

YEah you can overskim. I set mine so the foam and bubbles were about halfway up the reaction chamber section of the collection cup. I watched it for 20 minutes without anything dumping into the cup. I left came home about 4 hours later to hear my return pump running almost dry. it foamed up and kept on foaming until the the 5 gal collection just was full then proceeded to pour another 5 or so gallons of water out into the bottom of the stand. That was a headache!

 

[Bifferwine]

That's not overskimming. That's a skimmer malfunction. They are different.

 

[sen5241b]

According to these links the long and short tentacled plate corals need lower temps.

Long Tentacled Plate Coral: Looks like an Anemone - Associated Content

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+321+483&pcatid=483

But I've seen conflicting info on the temps for plate corals.

 

[Rcpilot]

My 30g tank runs 81-82 all the time. The lights heat it up to 82 during the day, so I set my heater to keep it at 81 at night. Stability is better than "textbook" parameters.

I've got 9 different LPS corals in my tank and none of them have over shown signs of temperature related stress.

 

[daugherty]

According to these links the long and short tentacled plate corals need lower temps.


http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+321+483&pcatid=483

But I've seen conflicting info on the temps for plate corals.

go look at more of the corals they all say 72-78. it is just a general tropic temp. that does not mean that they slowly die in higher temps.

 

[Wes888]

Yea, they all say 72-78°. I've never seen anything other than that range. I think it's just a general suggestion.