Dumb question but had to ask!!!

[brady816]

Has anyone noticed that there skimmer works better at night when the lights are out????? I mean it collects more junk in the cup at night then in the day when the lights are on...

 

[SueT]

yes, I have noticed that, have no idea why but it sure does work better over night.

 

[spongebob lover]

i've been sleeping in the same bedroom where my fishtank is and i don't notice any difference

 

[Krish]

I've noticed the same thing and wondered if it had to do with the countless hours on end you don't check the tank during the night compared to a day at work. Also, I thought that maybe bacteria sleeps at night and so there's more waste:lol:

 

[SueT]

I can check the tank before I go to bed and there not be much in the collection cup and then like this morning the cup has over an inch of gunk. I cleaned it yesterday.

 

[brady816]

i heard the oil off of your skin will cause the skimmer not to skim for a little while. im forever in my tank lol

 

[reeftnk101]

Its because the PH changes at night.
Matt

 

[DonW]

Its because the PH changes at night.
Matt

Explain that one? How does ph effect surface tension?

Don

 

[Krish]

I was going to ask that. People run alternate photperiods on a fuge to compensate for the ph at night and the same thing occurs

 

[DonW]

I was going to ask that. People run alternate photperiods on a fuge to compensate for the ph at night and the same thing occurs

Respiration and die off changes at night due to photosysnthesis. Thus effecting co2 lowering ph. The die off causes the skimmer to skim more by increasing surface tension.

Don

 

[brady816]

hmmmmm i didnt know that thanks for the reply man

 

[burning2nd]

Ive noticed, but hard to tell

when ive noticed that any time i put a finger or a hand in the tank it will stop skiming for 5-25 min. and if i put my hole arm in about an hour, or more...

 

[aquarookie]

Oops! I turn my skimmer off at night, because it is so loud it makes it hard to sleep! :lol: