To Skim or Not to Skim?

Ok, I my tank has been cycling for a couple days. My lfs, told me during the cycling that I shouldn't turn on my skimmer. None of the books I've referenced have ever mentioned anything about not running the skimmer during the cycling process. Is this advice correct or should I run my skimmer while cycling?

GaMmA

 

IMO I would skim. What skimmer do you have?

 

Ive heard turning the skimmer off after it cycles, never during. Some people alternate one day on one day off.

 

I have an ASM G2 skimmer.

Hmmm...one person says to skim during cycling, one says one day on, one day off.

Any other opinions out there???

 

That is what makes it such a fun but challenging hobby. YOu can ask 50 people what they do and you will get 50 different answers.

 

I AGREE W/ MALACHI. GET USED TO IT GAMMA I GOING TO HAPPEN VERY OFTEN

 

What i do is to try and find someone that has a system that is close to mine and i follow that, I found one identical to my on Reef Keeping Online Tank of the month and i use that for a blue print. It is an expensive hobby for trial and error but sometimes that is the only way to go!

 

So basically, I've learned from this forum:

-Go SLOW!!!
-Read and gather as much info as possible
-Don't always believe your LFS
-Take advice w/ caution
-Experience comes w/time
-Get advice from your fellow reefers, but if you get differing opinions you're SCR***D ;D. Ha! Ha!
-Sometimes you're on your own

Why did I start this hobby again??? Oh yeah, because I love coral reefs and all things living in it!!!

 

I have an opinion (Like that's uncomon)

S K I M 1 0 0 %

Skimmers take out protiens and protiens are not apart of the chemical soup during a cycle. Skimmers do not remove Nitrate or Ammonia. Protiens donot degrade into Ammonia or Nitrate.
So if you where not to skim it is possible that you will have a harder time with algae blooms and with coral growth as your water would contain a lot of unwanted goop.


My vote is to Skim as soon as the water hits the glass

J

 

My two cents---Skim away, I skim all the time from day one in the cycle. I beleive the break in period on skimmers is about 10 days to two weeks so why not tinker with the skimmer when all you can do is look at an empty cycling tank? I like to have everything dialed in by the time the cycle is done so I can watch the tank and see if trouble is happening. If you are fooling with everything there are too many parameters to trouble shoot. Just K.I.S.S. everything and make life easier on yourself