Is this a normal skimmer break in?

[Andrew6000]

Hello, my new skimmer doesn’t seem to make enough skimmate.

I am on day 15 of my new tank cycle using pure ammonia, 60 lbs of dry rock, and 5 lbs live rock. Also running a new biopellet reactor directed straight into the skimmer intake. (Will add another 50 lbs live rock will be added once I finish the cycle since it has coral on it).

My new skimmer, Reef Octopus Classic 200 INT, is making very little skimmate, except for one weird day when it made 2 gallons unexpectedly. I expected a break in period, but shouldn’t that be over by now? I have it dialed all the way open to produce maximum bubbles, but very little overflows into the cup – maybe 2 oz. per day.

Does that seem normal?

Parameters:
Ammonia is back to 0, except when I add a little to keep the bacteria going. Currently around 0.5
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 20 ppm
Phosphates 0 (they started to come up, then dropped to 0. I assume that was from the biopellets -awesome).

 

[Eckolancer]

Yeah can take a couple weeks to start skimming. Needs to build up slime on the impeller


Sent from pay phone in the airport.

 

[Andrew6000]

Okay, thanks a lot. Maybe Ill add some fish food to help it along.

 

[melev]

The tank is cycling - there's no bioload other than what may be coming out of the rockwork, so the skimmer won't be doing much yet.

Barometric pressure with affect the skimmer. It will be normal for days on end, the weather shifts outside and your skimmer is overflowing. Be sure to empty the cup often to avoid dumping that back into the reef.