New to skimmers could use some help.

[cdemoss01]

Cup is full.
Green means it's pulling algae out of the water, which you have a lot of.
Pull the cup off and dump it out.
See the rubber gasket there?
That keeps the cup where you put it so when you move it set the band there.
Start with the cup as high as you can but not so high that water runs out the bottom.
If you need to turn it off, do it.

Got it. I caught it overflowing with bubbles and reduced it I'm gonna already have to empty it?!! What does this mean!?

 

[00W]

Got it. I caught it overflowing with bubbles and reduced it I'm gonna already have to empty it?!! What does this mean!?

No stress it's all good.
Start with the cup high, don't push it down.
If the water level is super high in your tank that will make a difference too.
You don't have a sump so water level won't be constant.
Keep it right at the bottom of your top black rim, give or take doesn't have to be perfect just close.

 

[cdemoss01]

No stress it's all good.
Start with the cup high, don't push it down.
If the water level is super high in your tank that will make a difference too.
You don't have a sump so water level won't be constant.
Keep it right at the bottom of your top black rim, give or take doesn't have to be perfect just close.

Can I pull the cup out without having to turn it off?

 

[00W]

Can I pull the cup out without having to turn it off?

You should be able to.
I had the same type skimmer 100 years ago and I can't honestly remember.
I'm pretty sure I just hit the switch on the power strip and turned it off.

 

[cdemoss01]

You should be able to.
I had the same type skimmer 100 years ago and I can't honestly remember.
I'm pretty sure I just hit the switch on the power strip and turned it off.

Got it. Should I empty it now??

 

[00W]

Got it. Should I empty it now??

Yes.

 

[cdemoss01]

and if you need a HOB Skimmer, LMK...I have several laying around...older, yes....kickass, yes.

The remora you are talking about is very sellable. Its about 200$ retail, I would hate to take easy money.

 

[FUNGI]

The remora you are talking about is very sellable. Its about 200$ retail, I would hate to take easy money.

So......you dont want it?

 

[cdemoss01]

So......you dont want it?

Of course I want it LOL! But I have the one already installed. I might need it in the future when I get up to 6 fish but I'm not sure.

 

[FUNGI]

alright.....just rach out when you want it. Also, Petco does the free water tests....get that done, might not be 100% accurate, but you will at least have a baseline

 

[ClownSchool]

This may not be the answer you want, but it’s the right solution to your problem.
The algae is there for a reason. Your phosphates and nitrates are too high.
Removing all the algae without fixing those levels can make it worse because removing all that GHA will make those levels climb faster.
You want STABLE parameters and getting there works best with small, steady changes toward an acceptable range.
I’d scrub the rocks down with a toothbrush, cut back on feedings, add the skimmer (skimmer only export nitrates; not phosphates), and add something like a couple urchins to your CUC…then wait.
I left my tank for a month without filter socks while on vacation and my tank-sitter over-fed…a lot…the entire month.
I came home to a massive GHA outbreak in mid-February. I only scraped what I could reach without removing anything, added three smallish urchins, reduced feeding to every other day for about two weeks, and it was under control within about 6-7 weeks. I still have two small tufts, but everything else has stayed GHA free.

 

[cdemoss01]

This may not be the answer you want, but it’s the right solution to your problem.
The algae is there for a reason. Your phosphates and nitrates are too high.
Removing all the algae without fixing those levels can make it worse because removing all that GHA will make those levels climb faster.
You want STABLE parameters and getting there works best with small, steady changes toward an acceptable range.
I’d scrub the rocks down with a toothbrush, cut back on feedings, add the skimmer (skimmer only export nitrates; not phosphates), and add something like a couple urchins to your CUC…then wait.
I left my tank for a month without filter socks while on vacation and my tank-sitter over-fed…a lot…the entire month.
I came home to a massive GHA outbreak in mid-February. I only scraped what I could reach without removing anything, added three smallish urchins, reduced feeding to every other day for about two weeks, and it was under control within about 6-7 weeks. I still have two small tufts, but everything else has stayed GHA free.

I mean that's my plan to scrub the rocks in a separate container with the brush posted above. I have 0 idea how to get stable perameters.

 

[ClownSchool]

I mean that's my plan to scrub the rocks in a separate container with the brush posted above. I have 0 idea how to get stable perameters.

I use a trident and - though expensive - it was a game-changer.
I use a refugium and a skimmer. I’ve stopped measuring phosphates and nitrates, do water changes, and treat with ChemiClean a few times a year.
I cut back on feeding for about a week when I remove cheato from the refugium.
I stopped chasing numbers and let the tank tell me what it needs.
Everyone has their own process and no two tanks are the same.
You’ll get there.

 

[cdemoss01]

I use a trident and - though expensive - it was a game-changer.
I use a refugium and a skimmer. I’ve stopped measuring phosphates and nitrates, do water changes, and treat with ChemiClean a few times a year.
I cut back on feeding for about a week when I remove cheato from the refugium.
I stopped chasing numbers and let the tank tell me what it needs.
Everyone has their own process and no two tanks are the same.
You’ll get there.

They sure are expensive. I tried to buy one used but even that would'vve drained all my money. Im tempted to get a job just to afford that.

 

[ClownSchool]

They sure are expensive. I tried to buy one used but even that would'vve drained all my money. Im tempted to get a job just to afford that.

You can get a four element dosing pump for $140 and just do manual tests for a week or two until you dial it in. Then, just test weekly from there.
It’s still expensive, but you could minimize the cost by using All-for-Reef and Kalkwasser.
Then, you could use the other two pumps for scheduled water changes to keep your parameters tight.
With a small system, you could forget about dosing at all and just do small, daily, water changes - like 2% daily - that would keep everything pristine.

 

[FUNGI]

"{With a small system, you could forget about dosing at all and just do small, daily, water changes - like 2% daily - that would keep everything pristine.

Best advise here.....

 

[cdemoss01]

You can get a four element dosing pump for $140 and just do manual tests for a week or two until you dial it in. Then, just test weekly from there.
It’s still expensive, but you could minimize the cost by using All-for-Reef and Kalkwasser.
Then, you could use the other two pumps for scheduled water changes to keep your parameters tight.
With a small system, you could forget about dosing at all and just do small, daily, water changes - like 2% daily - that would keep everything pristine.

Where can I buy these? And what pumps for scheduled water changes? How do those pumps work?

 

[cdemoss01]

"{With a small system, you could forget about dosing at all and just do small, daily, water changes - like 2% daily - that would keep everything pristine.

Best advise here.....

Seriously only 2%? And what would happen if I attached two skimmers specifically if I got the remora from you?

 

[cdemoss01]

You can get a four element dosing pump for $140 and just do manual tests for a week or two until you dial it in. Then, just test weekly from there.
It’s still expensive, but you could minimize the cost by using All-for-Reef and Kalkwasser.
Then, you could use the other two pumps for scheduled water changes to keep your parameters tight.
With a small system, you could forget about dosing at all and just do small, daily, water changes - like 2% daily - that would keep everything pristine.

Tried looking for both, are they chemicals or pumps? (Kalkwassee and all for reef) If chemicals what four element dosing pump for 140 would I get?

 

[FUNGI]

Seriously only 2%? And what would happen if I attached two skimmers specifically if I got the remora from you?

I dont think your issue is lack of skimmers.....IMO, I think you need to figure out your nitrate and phosphates first....
skimmers are not the end all for fixing nitrate issues......get your water tested first...
I dont mind sending you the remora, but just dont think it will fix your current issue