Question on how long without a skimmer

[containerman1]

I was wondering how long can I go without a skimmer running on my 75 gallon Reef.
It just has fish and softies and its been going for a couple years. I noticed my skimmer ( bubble magus 220 making a noise and opened it up and the impellar has cracked. I ordered another impeller and it should be in within a week and I was wondering if I could just wait. I am running Gfo and Carbon BRS ROX in reactors also I do have a Reef Octopus 150 as a back up but I didn't want to put it in if I didn't need to?

 

[marquiseo]

containerman1;979481 wrote: I was wondering how long can I go without a skimmer running on my 75 gallon Reef.
It just has fish and softies and its been going for a couple years. I noticed my skimmer ( bubble magus 220 making a noise and opened it up and the impellar has cracked. I ordered another impeller and it should be in within a week and I was wondering if I could just wait. I am running Gfo and Carbon BRS ROX in reactors also I do have a Reef Octopus 150 as a back up but I didn't want to put it in if I didn't need to?

As long as you want. Just do regular water changes to export nutrients. If you can't do that, then you will need to get the skimmer back on line.

 

[tonymission]

Depends on how many water changes you're performing, bio load, filtration and that kind of thing.
I can tell you I had a problem upgrading to a skimmer, sold my old one and then couldn't get a pump in from RO so the skimmer was offline for about a month. Big time algae blooms that have taken me months to beat back. Finally have it under control.

 

[containerman1]

tonymission;979484 wrote: Depends on how many water changes you're performing, bio load, filtration and that kind of thing.
I can tell you I had a problem upgrading to a skimmer, sold my old one and then couldn't get a pump in from RO so the skimmer was offline for about a month. Big time algae blooms that have taken me months to beat back. Finally have it under control.

Thank you I did not think about that and I have been on a good long run with this tank I better pull the back up out. Because I do not want to battle any Cyno, Hair Algae, Dino , etc for sure
Thanks to all for info

 

[mcphock]

ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE WARNING (as all these observations are):

I ran my 120 without a skimmer (and no carbon or GFO, which I never utilize) for two months because I was lazy about getting the pump fixed. I do a once weekly 20G water change and it took 6 weeks to see visible algae growth.

You'll be plenty fine for a week.

 

[tonymission]

Yes definitely anecdotal across the board. I wouldn't worry if it's only a week. And McP, I wasn't as good with my water changes as you... That's definitely the key for any extended period of time.

 

[jbadd99]

I haven't had a skimmer running for months now....

 

[dawgface]

o2 levels should be a concern if you have a heavily stocked tank.

 

[containerman1]

Thanks to all for the input . I decided just to add my back up skimmer in and run it for a week or 2 and break my other skimmer down and clean and repair.
I am just doing a little wet skimming now until it breaks back in