Is it possible to over Skim ?

Midknightjoker · #1 06/04/2006, 12:14 AM

Hello,
my xenia aren't looking so good these days, and I was wondering if it is possible to over skim your water taking things out that should be in there.... for example I added iodine to the new r/o water from a 20% water change I did, and was wondering if the 2 skimmers I have going will take it and the liquid calcuim out that i added also..... the skimmers I have are a Turboflotor Multi 1000 , and a prism pro deluxe.... I just recently turned the prism pro deluxe on again b/c of the surface skimmer... I do not have an overflow box and the tank is not drilled so it was the best idea i could use for getting the surface skimmed, but then again is 2 skimmers running hurting the tank? Please give ideas, thanks

Nathan4Wvu · #2 06/04/2006, 12:42 AM

From what i have learned xeina likes as much waste in the water as they can get. This tank below never in three years every had a skimmer!!!! I was producing about 1 frag a week lol

FEEDERFISH · #3 06/04/2006, 12:54 PM

When i was on vacation for a week I had my skimmer off, and i also noticed my xenia had grown alot compaired to when my skimmer is on 24/7

Midknightjoker · #4 06/04/2006, 06:01 PM

thanks i will turn them off a couple of days and see what happens, I'll let you know

reefinmike · #5 06/04/2006, 10:38 PM

some corals found in lagoon areas(mainly lps like euphyllia, gonipora, etc) like higher nutrients. some softies grow a little better with some nitrate

55semireef · #6 06/06/2006, 03:21 PM

Why do they like that waste in the tank though?

reefnewbie54321 · #7 06/06/2006, 07:13 PM

Well its been proven that Xenia is just about as good as removing "waste" as caulerpa .... so would you skim a caulerpa grow out tank? I think not and the same goes for xenia. It will definitly grow fasetr if you dont skim. Same goes for gonipora and leathers.

Check out Dr. Shimeks article titled: Down the Drain in reefkeeping magazine to check my facts.

55semireef · #8 06/06/2006, 09:48 PM

So I am assuming that keeping Xenia and anemones is basically impossible. Anemones love clean water and Xenia likes water with some dirt and some nitrates. lol

FEEDERFISH · #9 06/06/2006, 10:44 PM

I keep an anenome, Xenia, Caulerpa, and leathers, you dont have to run the skimmer 24/7, i still do... the only thing i have noticed is the pom pom xenia and caulerpa seem to hibernate from growth, i have another type of xenia (silver maybe) that grows no matter what, yet pom pom does grow a minimal amout while skimming, the leathers have great looking polyp extension, dont notice any slow growth and anenome i always feed krill never noticed a decrease in size but i cant relate that to skimming since i feed

reefnewbie54321 · #10 06/06/2006, 11:12 PM

Xenia is grown in tanks skimmed 24/7 no problem its just a fact that it will grow better in water that is not so heavily skimmed. Same thing with anemones ... for optimal growth you would have perfect water paramenters but even if your water parameners arent pristine its still possible although it is possible for your parameters to be pristine even if you dont skim.

When you dont skim a tank instead of pulling particles out before they break down you let your waste break down into nitrate and phos . Your xenia will absorb some of this brocken down "waste" and the rest will be absorbed by an algae filter (which you should be running if you dont skim) ... as long as theres enough "stuff" to absorb the broken down nutrients whether it be xenia, turf algae, chaeto, or a DSB your water parameters are going to be just as good as any skimmed tank.

Your just giving your xenia and other nutrient loving things a chance at the nutrients first and then letting the stuff it doesnt use get sucked up by your algae versus sucking everything out of the tank via protien skimmer and not giving anything a chance to use the nutrients.

What I'm trying to say is skimmerless tanks dont mean bad water parameters as long as you have enough algae export to make up for the lost protien skimmer. Algae export gives xenia a chance to use the nutrients while skimmers do not and that is why a skimmerless tank w. alot of algae filtartion is better then a skimmed tank w/ small refugium. A tank that has high nitrates and phos is not a good tank for anything including xenia.

55semireef · #11 06/07/2006, 08:21 PM

Would if you have an alright skimmer with Xenia? Like the skimmer is not very consistent.

I have a Condy Anemone so I want to keep my water really good but I still want Xenia.

Midknightjoker · #12 06/09/2006, 09:53 PM

What about adding phos-aorb to my filter? seems like ever since then they have been getting smaller?

Midknightjoker · #13 06/09/2006, 09:54 PM

sorry phos-zorb

reefnewbie54321 · #14 06/09/2006, 10:14 PM

I dont like using phos reactors becuase they seem to have negative effects of the corals at first. If you are not running it now then in the first week you run your phos reactor it shocks your corals and starves the zoo algae inside them and you can loose alot of your corals this way.

If I were you I would use one small skimmer and if surface scum becomes a problem add a skilter filter with carbon in it for surface movement. If you are not using a refugium you should look into one if phos is such a problem that you plan on adding a reactor.

And last ... xenia might not be doing bad becuase of your skimmer, many people have a really hard time keeping xenia while others can keep it liek nothing although many people belive skimmers to be directly related to xenia melting. If you really want to solve your problem take a look at these threads they may help,

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...ighlight=xenia

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...ighlight=xenia

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...ighlight=xenia

Laakmann · #15 06/10/2006, 12:11 AM

Just a question that sorta belongs here,

I was planning on making a refugium for my new tank with caulerpa to remove nitrates, could I just use xenia in my main tank instead, its going to be a softy and lpr tank and for me to put a refugium in was going to be a little work so this would be much easier.

Thanks,

Eric

reefnewbie54321 · #16 06/10/2006, 01:14 AM

Read this article before you decide to use which one your going to use. It has a table that shows exactly what percent of "stuff" xenia and caulerpa pulls out and is great for comparisons. Also talks about how much xenia or caulerpa needs to be produced each week to compare to skimate.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-1...ture/index.php

Each has there own advantage but personaly I would go woth both just for that reason. With both you get the best of both worlds. Also ... the initial set up of a refugium might be a pain but its going to be a LOT less work to prune caulerpa then it is to frag stalk after stalk of xenia. Make sure you get some good nose plugs becuase it REAKS.