When to go skimmerless?

[Byron]

Hi Guys,
Having good results with scrubber, unfortunately unable to attach photo's (not sure why). Anyway N & P are reading 0. Should I cut down the use of skimmer, say on a hr on/off timer or just go for it?

[SantaMonica]

If your scrubber is built right, it will be full of algae in a week. So I'd cut the skimmer now.

But of course I can't tell if your scrubber is built right.

[Byron]

Thanks SM,
Still can"t attach images, but I can tell you I've got-
Great flow
A rough screen
Lights could be better, but i am getting growth of green & brown algae and everything in between!
New LED's ordered & should arrive soon, so lights will be a whole lot better. I'm hoping on getting better screen growth when I shut the skimmer down.

[sklywag]

I recently set up another tank. Bought used from someone who used a skimmer. Went straight to ATS when I got it home. Going on week two and it seems cycle of algae growth in tank is subsiding already (which I wasn't expecting so soon)as the ATS gets stronger.

[Byron]

Thanks Sklywag, I think I will wait until I have the LED's hooked up. The screen is still only two weeks old (double sided) so that will give it a little more time to mature. I'm just being impatient! You no what they say "only bad things happen fast in a reef tank"
Cheers Ben

[kotlec]

Byron,
For curiosity , what makes you want to get rid of skimmer as you already have it ?

[Byron]

Hi Kotlec,
Because skimmers remove organic N & P (food) and the scrubber will remove inorganic N & P. So basically, I'm skimming out food that I would love my fish and corals to consume. When this food turns into true waste (inorganic N & P) the scrubber will (hopefully) remove it. I would also like to cut down on my power and the basic principles of the scrubber just makes so much sense to me.
Cheers Ben

[kotlec]

Thanks Ben for answering.
I just was hoping to hear something what I dont know . I'm skimmerles from day one myself.

[jwoyshnar]

I hope to be skimmerless by summer.

[Byron]

Hi Guys,
I was planning on leaving excess algae in the DT for the scrubber to get rid of. Would it be of any benefit to clean it so the scrubber is not competing with DT algae?