My SWC 160 Protein Skimmer IS NOT WORKING
- Thread starter al&burke
- Start date
al&burke
Active Member
Well it does look greener when the light is on.
I do have a slight problem in my DT - on both sides of my set up I have large window and doors with large windows. This is on the south side of the house. On the weekends when I am home I can see ambient light coming into the tanks, so much that the leather toadstool opens up when the sun is out and the DT lights are off. In these areas I have persistant algae, does not look like hair algae but short and really thick stuff. I was hoping over time with the AS and PS this would go away, but it hasn't. I am beginning to think that I should put some blinds on the window and doors. Although my Phos are low I think something is feeding this algae. I was thing thking of painting the sides of the tanks but I like to see through the ends.
I do have a slight problem in my DT - on both sides of my set up I have large window and doors with large windows. This is on the south side of the house. On the weekends when I am home I can see ambient light coming into the tanks, so much that the leather toadstool opens up when the sun is out and the DT lights are off. In these areas I have persistant algae, does not look like hair algae but short and really thick stuff. I was hoping over time with the AS and PS this would go away, but it hasn't. I am beginning to think that I should put some blinds on the window and doors. Although my Phos are low I think something is feeding this algae. I was thing thking of painting the sides of the tanks but I like to see through the ends.
al&burke
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3419812
How is the skimmer skimming as well?
I have skimming dry and not getting the thick stuff i used to get.
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3419812
How is the skimmer skimming as well?
I have skimming dry and not getting the thick stuff i used to get.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I'm curious to know as well !
al&burke
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421531
I'm curious to know as well !
Hey I thought you were taking a break from all electronics!!!! LOL
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421531
I'm curious to know as well !
Hey I thought you were taking a break from all electronics!!!! LOL
tur4k
Member
This is a little OT, but this thread seems to have turned into another scrubber/skimmer thread. I'm curious as to why a scrubber is better than macro's. This has probably been covered extensively, but I haven't really done much research on scrubbers. Why would a scrubber be more effective than my ball-o-chaeto? I seem to get pretty good results from my skimmer+chaeto+GFO reactor setup.
al&burke
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421542
How does the tank look?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tur4k http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421598
This is a little OT, but this thread seems to have turned into another scrubber/skimmer thread. I'm curious as to why a scrubber is better than macro's. This has probably been covered extensively, but I haven't really done much research on scrubbers. Why would a scrubber be more effective than my ball-o-chaeto? I seem to get pretty good results from my skimmer+chaeto+GFO reactor setup.
This one was around before the other one. If that system works for you then run with it.
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421542
Quote:
Originally Posted by tur4k http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421598
This is a little OT, but this thread seems to have turned into another scrubber/skimmer thread. I'm curious as to why a scrubber is better than macro's. This has probably been covered extensively, but I haven't really done much research on scrubbers. Why would a scrubber be more effective than my ball-o-chaeto? I seem to get pretty good results from my skimmer+chaeto+GFO reactor setup.
This one was around before the other one. If that system works for you then run with it.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421537
Hey I thought you were taking a break from all electronics!!!! LOL
Yup, and I did, and I got done what I needed to do. It didn't take me as long as I thought it would have. I'm glad to be back!
Quote:
Originally Posted by tur4k http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421598
This is a little OT, but this thread seems to have turned into another scrubber/skimmer thread. I'm curious as to why a scrubber is better than macro's. This has probably been covered extensively, but I haven't really done much research on scrubbers. Why would a scrubber be more effective than my ball-o-chaeto? I seem to get pretty good results from my skimmer+chaeto+GFO reactor setup.
hair algae out competes macroalgaes for nutrients.
The thing though is, if what you have is working for you, keep it. If you are satisfied with what you got, keep it. If you feel like experimenting, then experiment!
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421537
Hey I thought you were taking a break from all electronics!!!! LOL
Yup, and I did, and I got done what I needed to do. It didn't take me as long as I thought it would have. I'm glad to be back!
Quote:
Originally Posted by tur4k http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/100#post_3421598
This is a little OT, but this thread seems to have turned into another scrubber/skimmer thread. I'm curious as to why a scrubber is better than macro's. This has probably been covered extensively, but I haven't really done much research on scrubbers. Why would a scrubber be more effective than my ball-o-chaeto? I seem to get pretty good results from my skimmer+chaeto+GFO reactor setup.
hair algae out competes macroalgaes for nutrients.
The thing though is, if what you have is working for you, keep it. If you are satisfied with what you got, keep it. If you feel like experimenting, then experiment!
reefraff
Active Member
Reefing is a fine example of the saying "there's more than one way to skin a cat"....There's more than one way to skim a tank I KILL ME!!!
I've seriously thought about a scrubber but right now I am having such good luck with what I am doing I'm not changing a thing... But gathering ideas for the future.
I've seriously thought about a scrubber but right now I am having such good luck with what I am doing I'm not changing a thing... But gathering ideas for the future.
tur4k
Member
I'm not planning on changing anything and I know that there's almost always more than one was to skin a cat when it comes to reefing. I'm just curious as to what the advantages of a scrubber are over traditional macro's.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
hair algae out competes macroalgaes for nutrients.
If this is true, then why do I not have a tank full of hair algae and a shrinking ball of chaetomorpha. I'm not saying you are wrong. I'm just curious. I suppose the fact that I have two 19W 5100K CFL flood lights four inches from my chaeto ball could be a reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
hair algae out competes macroalgaes for nutrients.
If this is true, then why do I not have a tank full of hair algae and a shrinking ball of chaetomorpha. I'm not saying you are wrong. I'm just curious. I suppose the fact that I have two 19W 5100K CFL flood lights four inches from my chaeto ball could be a reason.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
tur4k,
You haven't provided a growth medium for the hair algae to proliferate. A roughed up plastic canvas screen with a waterfall of water coming down it and some very close 2700k bulbs will grow hair algae, even in the tank that you have, and eventually it would out compete your chaeto. You just don't have the right set up to do it. Hair algae culturing requires different conditions than macro in order to proliferate.
There's no one right way to skim a tank - if you got something that is working for you then keep at it. I choose to use an algae scrubber - you choose to grow macro algae - neither of us are right or wrong - they both remove nutrients from the tank. lol
You haven't provided a growth medium for the hair algae to proliferate. A roughed up plastic canvas screen with a waterfall of water coming down it and some very close 2700k bulbs will grow hair algae, even in the tank that you have, and eventually it would out compete your chaeto. You just don't have the right set up to do it. Hair algae culturing requires different conditions than macro in order to proliferate.
There's no one right way to skim a tank - if you got something that is working for you then keep at it. I choose to use an algae scrubber - you choose to grow macro algae - neither of us are right or wrong - they both remove nutrients from the tank. lol