Phyto-Feast and skimmer

[Elim]

I just bought a bottle of phytofeast and the instructions say to turn off your skimmer during feeding. Does everyone that uses this product actually turn it off and if so how long? I'm not sure if you leave it off for an extended period of time or just for a the few seconds/minutes you're putting drops into the tanks.

Thanks,

Jason

[Marc Daniels]

Jason-

Most people turn them off for 30-60 minutes.

Marc

[teachermark]

That's what I do, about an hour.

Mark

[Elim]

Marc/Mark, thanks for the tip. I only left it off about 15-20 minutes this morning after feeding and the first time I used it only about 5 if that much :)

Jason

[Reefugee]

Jason,

Does your skimmer go crazy after you use phytofeast? Just curious. I have a crappy skimmer, so it doesn't really skim at all - unless something MAJOR happened. Gonna order an ASM or Euro Reef soon.

Minh

[Elim]

Not really. I know sometimes my bakpak does with certain things. I tried soaking uhm brine in some stuff I bought awhile back (its pink & looks like pepto bismol :) and I also tried putting some in my tank directly and that made my skimmer go berserk. Other times it'll bubble up also when things change with the water.

I'm mostly concerned I just don't skimmate out the phytofeast and waste any of the good stuff i'm putting in is all.

Jason

[sagitariuscbc]

jason,
i would suggest you use a vacation timer on your skimmer to avoid forgeting to turn it back on.
shawn!~)

[Elim]

I'll think about that as I dont' feed them at the same time everyday. I'm still trying to get the right amount of drops in the tank. That bottle it comes in doesn't have the most friendly nozzle :)

Jason

[sagitariuscbc]

i pick up the little 1 once plastic containers at taps with droppers. they go for 15 cents for the container and 10 cents for the dropper. you may have something around the house you could use instead. food coloring bottle etc...
you don't have to feed at the same time every day just spin the vacation timer to the off potsition when your ready to feed;)
!~)

[Elim]

Cool thanks for the tip.

[GreshamH]

Hmm that method seems to get around Shawn :D FWIW, I use both smaller sizes that Tap has ;) It's easier to tell the phyto-feast from the omega boost for me when they are in differing sizes :D I also print out labels with directions on my laser printer for them. If a friend needs to feed, it's all right there.

[Elim]

Guess I need to find a tap plastics now. Haven't seen one of those in ages and I dont think there's any out here in natomas.

[Reefugee]

There are two TAP plastic in Sacremento:

4538 Auburn Blvd.
Sacramento CA 95841
Open: Mon-Fri 8 to 6, Sat 9 to 5.
Phone: 916.481.7584
Fax: 916.481.3036

4506 Florin Road
Sacramento CA 95823
Open: Mon-Fri 9 to 6, Sat 9 to 5.
Phone: 916.429.9551
Fax: 916.429.9579


http://www.tapplastics.com/

Another good way of doing it is buying the disposable pipette that you would use in a chemistry lab. Works great! Which reminds me - I need to buy some. :P

Minh

[GreshamH]

Yah, but then you have to either deal with getting the piette outa the bottle or storing it (I used that method for years). The tap bottle has a dropper you can put into it for like 10 cents that works great.

[sagitariuscbc]

another thing about using the tap containers is you reduce the amount of times you take out all of your supply of phtyo-feast extending the shelf life.
!~)

[Reefugee]

Gresham and Shawn,

very good point. Maybe I need to go pick up one of these things. :D

Minh