How long without skimmer?

[dirk_brijs]

Both my skimmer pumps are making a terrible noise the last few days.
I want to put my skimmer offline for as long as possible and give the pumps a good vinegar bath.
I clean my pumps on a 4 month base normally but with just short term vinegar baths which leaves most of the tough coraline and sponges on them most of the time.
So how long can I put my tank without a skimmer to soak them as long as possible.
I do have a sump/fuge set up with macro algae in it and about 200Lbs of life rock in there.
would it be smart to even soak the entire skimmer completely?

 

[mr. limpid]

Depends on how stocked your tank is. I would just up the amount of water changes you do during this time.

 

[beaslbob]

Depends upon how the tank is setup.
In my 55g years ago I used no skimmer and had unmeasureable nitrates and phosphates.
I also had a refugium full of macro algae.
So it depends.
my .02

 

[acrylic51]

Agree with both of the above posts.......

 

[al&burke]

I went away on a three week trip earlier last year - I shut my skimmer off - i have an algae scrubber and a fuge, so no problems when I got home.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I haven't had a skimmer in five years...
With that said, I just ordered a skimmer for the first time this week. lol

 

[mr. limpid]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/389784/how-long-without-skimmer#post_3447322
I haven't had a skimmer in five years...
With that said, I just ordered a skimmer for the first time this week. lol
You forgot to mention that you run a algea scrubber, which helps alot.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Lol. There are other methods of nutrient export like water changes. I havent been into scrubbers all five years.