Need Help with Protein Skimmer

[alexspks2u]

Hi all
I'm new to this hobby, its something that I been interested for a while, so after trying to learn as much as I can before actually getting my tank, I have finally decided to go for it.
As of now I need help regarding my protein skimmer as I'm not sure if its not working properly or its still breaking in, I set up my tank about 10 days ago and its just going through the cycling process, as I started the tank I added the skimmer at the same time, I've heard that the skimmer need some time to break in, but mine has been overflowing since I installed it, just lots of bubbles going out, it says on the instructions to keep with at about 8 to 10 inch submerged and as I have it right now its sitting on about 8inch may be a little less but its really not too much, I don't know if its because I don't have any fish or inverts yet and that's why the skimmer is taking longer on getting a slime coat or if there is something wrong with my skimmer.
Some info about my skimmer its a ESHOPPS S-120 snow cone skimmer, submersible, its sitting on my 35 gallon sump, I have a 75 gallon tank running with live sand and life rock.
With that said another quick question that has been bugging me, just out of curiosity my lfs guy helped me installed the tank and I got caribsea life rock from him (not live) he assured me it would work exactly as if using cure live rock, does anybody know if doing a cycle with just life rock and live sand works?.
Tanks again for anyone that would like to provide me some suggestions and have a great day.

 

[Tony Jacot]

This is what your shooting for with your skimate.. But if your cycling your tank then you wont have much to skim out yet. you want the bubble to just barely fall over...anything other than that would be considered a wet skimate. Yes with live rock and live sand it will help cycle the tank but not as fast as it would be if you introduced a few damsels.

 

[deejeff0442]

Absolutely no need for a skimmer on a new uncycled tank.do not add damsels to cycle.get some raw seafood and add a small piece to the tank.let it float around 3 or 4 days.take it out and start water testing after a few days.if you bought dry rock it will never groe anything on it unless you add a few pieces of rock with life on it.

 

[deejeff0442]

Just looked at the pics.seems the depth of the skimmer is ok.but you need to choke off the air some to the pump.the bubbles should have color not white.but you have nothing to skim so just shut it down and wait untill its cycled and has some bioload.meaning fish

 

[alexspks2u]

OK I see, well I guess that makes sense I shouldn't have the skimmer if I have nothing to skim, thanks for the advice I will shut it off until the tank cycle is complete and I start adding invertebrates and fish.
thanks for the help.

 

[pegasus]

Even though there's nothing to skim, the skimmer shouldn't be filling the cup up. If you want to run the skimmer to break the pump in while the tank is cycling, it's okay to do so. Make sure the wedge pipe is in the wide open position so all the water can flow out of the outlet pipe. This should keep the water level inside the skimmer low and prevent filling the cup.

I find it's better to "ghost feed" the tank daily, as if you are feeding an invisible fish, and this will help cycle the tank better than putting a piece of shrimp in for a day or two and then removing it. While the shrimp will kick start the cycle, once you remove it, you remove the food that feeds the cycle. As the shrimp starts to decay, the bacteria that consumes this waste begin to reproduce. Nitrosomonas bacteria consumes ammonia, and it's waste product is nitrite. Nitrobacter bacteria consumes nitrite, and it's waste product is nitrate. If you break the first part of the cycle by starving the nitrosomonas bacteria, all the other bacteria will starve, also. You don't want this to happen, and that's why I recommend ghost feeding. A small pinch of flake food daily is all that's needed to establish a healthy population of beneficial bacteria. Without the proper population, even a single fish can overload the system and cause another cycle to occur. That's why you always need to properly cycle the tank, and always need to add livestock gradually.

 

[alexspks2u]

I set the skimmer a bit higher and that seems to do the trick is working fine now. thanks for the help