Tracy G April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 So first day on vacation and out till Thursday and wouldn't you know it skimmer went nuts for some reason and wamo! Locker is full. Had to shut down the skimmer but everything else is good. I did extra water changes over the last few days about 17 gallons per day for 4 days so water quality is great. Should I be concerned and try to get someone to empty the locker or should it be ok with 5 days no skimmer? I currently use the AFS feeder by Neptune should I lower to 1 feeding vs. 2 feedings to lower the bio load? Any help would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Personally i wouldn't worry about it...just do a big water change as soon as you go home Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy G April 14, 2014 Author Share April 14, 2014 Personally i wouldn't worry about it...just do a big water change as soon as you go home Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Makes Sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Think about it this way....people have lost power that long and not lost anything in the tank So what's a little extra fish poop lol Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy G April 14, 2014 Author Share April 14, 2014 (edited) Think about it this way....people have lost power that long and not lost anything in the tank So what's a little extra fish poop lol Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Yeah I still have , Biopellets, GFO, and a good clean up crew so with that and almost 50% water changes this month should hold up. Edited April 14, 2014 by Tracy G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 If you are,running bio pellets you should be running the skimmer or you could get a bacteria bloom. No expert but i would get someone to get the skimmer running again. Maybe dial it back and run dry skim for the next week just incase it wants to happen again. Bad things happen while people are on vacation so if you can get someone over there, thats one less thing to worry about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Most people I know that lost power for 5 days dont have good experiences either. In fact most had their tanks crash... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Personally i wouldn't worry about it...just do a big water change as soon as you go home I agree with her, you will be fine and a nice water change when you get back will set things straight. Tanks can run fine without skimmers. Most people I know that lost power for 5 days dont have good experiences either. In fact most had their tanks crash... Normally the crash is caused by temp swings and lack of water movement. Juat having the skimmer off should be an issue for a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Most people I know that lost power for 5 days dont have good experiences either. In fact most had their tanks crash... Well I am one of them...I lived in florida during the worst hurricane season ever in history.....so now you know someone that didn't lose anything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I usually turn my skimmer off, and take off filter socks if we are going on vacation. Never been a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I ran skimmer less for a week when I changed skimmers and didn't account for a break in period. You will be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 (edited) Funny same thing happened to me. Soon as we got to the hotel I get the locker full email. What is it about vacations. Edited April 14, 2014 by AlanM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Yea the skimmer being off for a few days should be fine, never said it wouldnt. Just saying you could get a nasty bacteria bloom, i wouldnt want that to happen while i was on vacation. They are nasty enough when your home... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I currently use the AFS feeder by Neptune should I lower to 1 feeding vs. 2 feedings to lower the bio load? Any help would be great. I normally don't feed when I leave town...but I feed a bit extra for about a week before I leave. I would cut your feedings in half just to be safe given the skimmer is off...unless you have high metabolism fish with small guts...e.g. anthias. We haven't discussed your bioload and bio-pellet/tank volume etc...so you should take everyone's advice with a grain of salt. However, you left your tank with great water quality and I wouldn't let yourself worry too much while on vacation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Well I am one of them...I lived in florida during the worst hurricane season ever in history.....so now you know someone that didn't lose anything Awesome. Point is if there is a chance of something bad happening, ex. Bacteria bloom, or whatever, and you can have someone stop by and turn the skimmer on and empty the cup, why risk it???? I am sure you have a lot of money tied up in your tank. Not worth a bacteria bloom killing corals (which it could) imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I've left my tank alone when I'm away many times. Its a good idea to leave it alone while you are still home without touching it and see how it does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy G April 15, 2014 Author Share April 15, 2014 Great advice everyone. I have a few web cams that can see the tank and I have an apex as well so far so good. Nothing is showing signs of issues yet so hopefully it stays that way. I can turn off my reactor's if I needed but that could be even worse I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami April 15, 2014 Share April 15, 2014 Did I miss something? What color is the skimmate? I've had situations where, after even a 10% water change, my skimmer went nuts and started overflowing with near-clear skimmate. In those cases, I just pulled the cup and let the tank settle for a couple of days before putting the skimmer cup back on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella April 15, 2014 Share April 15, 2014 Should've hired robs aquarium service. I'd highly recommend his service if he has availability in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM April 15, 2014 Share April 15, 2014 I agree with trockafella, and am getting in Rob's day job's system for vacations in the future. No hope for the cat sitter to learn to empty the skimmate locker. We came home today and it might be my imaginiation, but it looks like the few days without skimming caused my Xenia and aiptasia to double in size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy G April 16, 2014 Author Share April 16, 2014 Did I miss something? What color is the skimmate? I've had situations where, after even a 10% water change, my skimmer went nuts and started overflowing with near-clear skimmate. In those cases, I just pulled the cup and let the tank settle for a couple of days before putting the skimmer cup back on. I had been doing more frequent to get ready but normally I turn off skimmer for 10-15 mins after and works out fine. Was not pulling much of anything when I left so not sure what color it is. Unfortunately I can't see the skim mate locker on the webcam but that will be fixed when I get home for next time. Still in the Bahama's but will be back tomorrow afternoon to fix it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 17, 2014 Share April 17, 2014 make sure you update us when you get home today!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy G April 18, 2014 Author Share April 18, 2014 make sure you update us when you get home today!!! Ok. So so far everything looks good. Had a little increase in Phosphate but Nitrate still was very low. Did notice a little bit of algae on the glass (normally almost nothing) so got the skimmer running again and did a 20 gallon water change. So far so good and I am making 20 gallons more of salt water tonight and will change that out in the morning just to be sure. Changed filter socks and thinned out Chaeto. Will put feedings back to normal starting tomorrow so I can watch levels. Thank you for all the advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 18, 2014 Share April 18, 2014 welcome home and thats great news....pretty much what was to be expected...just a big wc/cleaning day but no drama.....thats what I usually come home to after the pet sitter over feeds the "starving" fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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