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Thread: Skimmer functionality when running a scrubber

  1. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by SantaMonica View Post
    Organic phosphate is just food. If you want to remove food particles, just feed less and save yourself the money and the extra equipment.
    That is a vast oversimplification of a complex system.

    Quote Originally Posted by SantaMonica View Post
    Also, photosynthesis from scrubbers tend to super-saturate the water with oxygen; thus a skimmer's bubble do not add any more oxygen.
    scrubbers also can take all CO2 out and then start pulling down alk, so a skimmer can still act in a complementary role and enhance scrubber growth. Theoretically.

    Quote Originally Posted by SantaMonica View Post
    Lastly, if results are the same with scrubber-only and with scrubber+equipment1+equipment2+equipment3, why not just run with scrubber only? That lets you simplify the system down like I did on the reef pool, which has zero maintenance (not even glass cleaning), zero food purchases, zero water changes, and very low electrical use. Only top off, and dosing cal, alk, and rarely mag.
    Because the results are not necessarily the same. There are very likely to be benefits to running a skimmer that are difficult to quantify. Similarly, there are very likely benefits of running a scrubber that are difficult to quantify. We all know that you believe in the scrubber only system, and I am not saying that a scrubber only system is bad, just that it won't necessarily work for everyone. Also there is value in diversity of filtration, for many reasons, especially with larger systems.

    Your particular setup may work well for you, but that doesn't mean that everyone should do it. Also each system has its own particulars, so even close to identical duplication of a system may yield completely different results. Just ask BeanAnimal about that, he had his system running for year trucking along like clockwork and swore up and down that it was the way to go, then the tank just crashed. And he was no slouch in the reef community.

  2. #42
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    Also, a point: we all know that you are pretty much against skimmers, but not everyone is, or maybe not as much as they used to be (myself included). I started this thread to discuss how skimmers may function differently before/after or with/without a scrubber on the same system, because there are many people who use both because that is what they wish to do. I did not intend this thread to turn into yet another debate about why or why not a skimmer.

  3. #43
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    I am very big fan of scrubber , but idea of runing SPS dominated tank with ATS only is total BS in my opinion.
    Some LPS and softies can be very happy in scrubber only tank though .
    My 1 cent

  4. #44
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    Thanks for the replies - given the info in this thread on skimmer functionality -

    A question is then that if excess food is/could be eaten by sump fauna (crabs, cucs, snails, urchins etc) then would you need a skimmer?

    As far as the thread topic
    I would have the ATS placed after the skimmer as the pods that are produced get a chance to feed the DT before being skimmed. Pods boom and bust so I'm wondering if this could be the cause of a skimmer over producing Skimmate after operating normal for a period? Especially if the skimmer is situated after an ATS ?

    Cheers
    Snoops

  5. #45
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    That is one factor that I didn't think of that might affect the skimmer function - placement of the skimmer in relation to the scrubber.

    To answer the question, I would have skimmer first so that aerated water hits the scrubber and provides CO2, this theoretically should reduce a scrubber's tendency to deplete CO2 out and then uptake Alk

  6. #46

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    I asked that back in post #37

  7. #47
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    oops sorry man I missed that one...

  8. #48

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    I agree that this thread should stay as it started. A thread about what happens if or you do run both a scrubber and a skimmer. But I will add a little comment that so far my SPS look better then ever with both. The colors are even a little darker then when I ran full Zeovit. So I do not think that I have stripped the system to much for my SPS. UpdateI'm still getting very consistent skimate with my skimmer. I also have the water level up much higher in the skimmer then I could without a scrubber! I'm only changing about 10% water per month and siphon the sand when I do. As my main goal in corals is the SPS's health. So I'm stripping more out of the system then most need to.

  9. #49
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    Well I've all but finished my new 2sided led powered ATS today but back working away now for a week so the connect up will have to wait. I've gone and installed it in the 3rd sump compartment after the DSB (2nd) and skimmer (1st). I have been getting half a cup full per week with no Skimmate fluctuations for nearly 2yrs so this will be a good test to see if the skimmer is affected.

    I'll update with details over the next month or so.

    Cheers
    Snoops

  10. #50

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    A few months ago, my scrubber pump jammed without me noticing, and scrubber died.
    So my tank went from good scrubber, to no scrubber, to recovering scrubber, and eventually back to good scrubber.
    I did not notice any difference in my skimmer at all during that time.
    Although I was not actively checking of course.

    I don't really see why a scrubber would directly effect a skimmer.
    Scrubbers slurp up ammonia and nitrates, which skimmers do not touch.
    My bet is that effects are secondary, such as if you have a scrubber, you may feed more,
    which increases skimming of course.
    Although perhaps some dead bits of algae falling off the scrubber are hydrophobic?

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