So another week into the protein skimmer and I feel it's definitely bedding in more now .. the things I'd say I've learnt about using it on a freshwater set up ...
1) keep your salt levels up ... i use api fresh water salt
2) use a protein skimmer with a strong oxygen pump ..(it's a pity more don't use finer air injection to make the bubbles more of a mist - not as necessary in marine I guess)
3) don't expect huge volumes of output if you're organics are low
4) bedding in and tuning takes patience .. possibly even more than in marine .. get it close to bubbles just touching near top and make small adjustments and leave for a day to see the outcome until it's right
5) putting your hands in the tank etc will cause the skimmate to collapse for a bit so just leave it.. don't be tempted to adjust it if your skimmate is reduced after you've been doing maintenance
6)if you're using a biopellets nitrate filter .. put in the same compartment in sump so it can hopefully remove as much of the denitrifying bacteria cast off as possible
7) personally I wouldn't run a nitrate filter or a protein skimmer until you're tank is fully cycled .. clearing out ammonia and nitrites is the first priority
8) protein skimmers are great for oxygenation so I have mine before the main bio chamber of nitrifying bacteria
9) turn off if you're putting in a treatment
My tap nitrates are 20ppm after a full cycle and 1x30% water change a week my numbers are currently
0.00 ammonium
0.00 nitrite
0.12 nitrate
Fish tank size is 400l plus 80l sump with about 36" of fish in it at the moment (17 fish)
1) keep your salt levels up ... i use api fresh water salt
2) use a protein skimmer with a strong oxygen pump ..(it's a pity more don't use finer air injection to make the bubbles more of a mist - not as necessary in marine I guess)
3) don't expect huge volumes of output if you're organics are low
4) bedding in and tuning takes patience .. possibly even more than in marine .. get it close to bubbles just touching near top and make small adjustments and leave for a day to see the outcome until it's right
5) putting your hands in the tank etc will cause the skimmate to collapse for a bit so just leave it.. don't be tempted to adjust it if your skimmate is reduced after you've been doing maintenance
6)if you're using a biopellets nitrate filter .. put in the same compartment in sump so it can hopefully remove as much of the denitrifying bacteria cast off as possible
7) personally I wouldn't run a nitrate filter or a protein skimmer until you're tank is fully cycled .. clearing out ammonia and nitrites is the first priority
8) protein skimmers are great for oxygenation so I have mine before the main bio chamber of nitrifying bacteria
9) turn off if you're putting in a treatment
My tap nitrates are 20ppm after a full cycle and 1x30% water change a week my numbers are currently
0.00 ammonium
0.00 nitrite
0.12 nitrate
Fish tank size is 400l plus 80l sump with about 36" of fish in it at the moment (17 fish)
