View Full Version : Thanks Tankbuster! New Skimmer.
Rob was kind enough to send this pristine model to me for free. It's a Coralife Super Skimmer, and it's in perfect working order. Christmas came a little early for me. I have a skilter 400 on it. Should I take it off and just go with an AC70? I am not even using it anymore, except for the filtration.
A question: The skimmer is producing plenty of bubbles, and filtering out some stuff, but the production is mostly white. Is my water that clean, or do I need to adjust something?
If the tank is new then you won't get much, if any, dark foam out of a skimmer. Also, it doesn't look like you have much in your tank. If you are getting nice "dry" foam then it doesn't need adjusting, I think your water is just that clean!
Right now I have a cleaner wrasse and a coral beauty. Before today I had the wrasse and 4 damsels. Also my nitrates are at 20ppm, is that OK?
sprayin70
01-01-2007, 2:04 AM
A skimmer needs time to break in. A few weeks should do it. Then you will need to adjust it to skim like you want ie wet or dry. Also with the filter You could turn it into a HOB fuge or put carbon it it.
Good luck
TankBuster
01-01-2007, 2:15 AM
Glad to help out. 20 ppm is a little high for saltwater ish. half of that may be acceptable. You want a dry foam coming out, and you will get that when it breaks in and make sure it is turned down a little on the pump. Dry skim is noticable from the larger bubbles produced and the slow overflow of the bubbles into the collection cup. The cleaner wrasse will live only abou a month at best because they feed on the parasites of other fish and is a specialty feeder. After it has cleaned all it can, it will slowly starve unfortunately. The nitrates may be high because of overfeeding also. That few amount of fish shouldnt bring nitrates that high. The skimmer will also help that in the near future. I see the formula one food, also feed them some brine shrimp also. The coral beauty should eat romain lettuce also. Very healthy for them.
TankBuster
01-01-2007, 2:16 AM
Oh and the bubbles in the tank will dissapate after the skimmer settles down in a couple of days.
ewurm
01-01-2007, 12:49 PM
The wrasse has been eating brine shrimp, glassworms, and mysis, so hopefully he'll be ok, although I have several times been told what you said.
This was my research, check it out:
http://www.netpets.org/fish/reference/saltref/wrasse.html
Is that article a bunch of crap? Also, I got some seaweed for Angel.
Also. should I get two Percula Clowns, or just one?
RadleyMiller
01-01-2007, 1:20 PM
I wouldn't get any more fish until you get the nitrate problem fixed. Purigen anyone? :naughty:
The skimmer needs time to get settled in, also what is the lighting on that? Since it is an Xhigh you may need to get a lot better lighting. Good luck with everything dude. Whats in the tank under the 20?
The tank under the 20 is my Monster loach snack tank, it has a breeding colony of about 50 Ramshorns.
Thanks for the advice. I already have purigen, we'll see what happens. I might try a more accurate test, I'm using test strips and guessing. Could be anywhere from ten to twenty.
andywg
01-01-2007, 4:09 PM
The wrasse has been eating brine shrimp, glassworms, and mysis, so hopefully he'll be ok, although I have several times been told what you said.
This was my research, check it out:
http://www.netpets.org/fish/reference/saltref/wrasse.html
Is that article a bunch of crap?
I can't accurately say it is a bunch of crap, but I would prefer to follow the guidance and advice from Bob Fenner's excellent WetWebMedia (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/labroide.htm) site, notably: "Labroides dimidiatus (Valenciennes 1839), the common or Blue Cleaner Wrasse (3). Thousands will be collected today and thousands will die. One out of thousands lives for a year in captivity."
RadleyMiller
01-01-2007, 7:29 PM
The tank under the 20 is my Monster loach snack tank, it has a breeding colony of about 50 Ramshorns.
Thanks for the advice. I already have purigen, we'll see what happens. I might try a more accurate test, I'm using test strips and guessing. Could be anywhere from ten to twenty.
Well I figured you had some purigen around there somewhere, and even if you didn't you wouldn't be angry if I suggested going and buying some. Mine is still working fine and has lasted longer than what SeaChem said. If you want good tests, get the Instant Ocean test kits.
I have one, and I tested today, it is around twenty. I want to get it to ten or less, we'll see how the skimmer/purigen combo do over the next couple weeks. I added another 100ml today for a total of 200.