Are Protein Skimmers required?

gregbva

gregbva

Member
I have a 29 Gallon Tank with 55 gallons of Live Rock and Live Sand. I have 13 Hermit Crabs and 5 Snails. I also have a True Prucula Clown 1 1/2 inches and a Clarkii Clown 2 inches. The water main water test are perfect, PH 8.2, Amonnia 0, Nitrite 0. I use a Whisper dual cartridge filter and One Penguin Power head for water circulation. Is there anything more I should add or do to make this a better tank?
Thanks,
Greg
burke@pop.net
 
texasreefrat

texasreefrat

Member
Skimmers remove detrius, help in better water quality, and can even cut down on pesky water changes. Even if you get a cheap one it will help somewhat.
 
dburr

dburr

Active Member
Hmmmm...
signatures don't work on this page????
Well, my 100 gal tank has been set up 100% skimmerless since day 1. My refugium has no macros in it yet, so I do have a little hair algea. (1 rock- small patches).
250 lbs LS, 125 lbs LR in the main tank.
No, you don't have to have a skimmer if you don't want one.
The secret is to go slow and keep your fish stocking levels on the low side. (big secret)
Don't forget the skimmer takes out waste and food corels need. Macro algea takes out waste also, and phosphate and other stuff that a skimmer would, but I think it leaves the stuff like pytoplankton, ect...
If you only have fish, LR, LS, use the skimmer, it may help. But if you a more natural reef you don't need it, my .02!!!
good luck
 
jakob4001

jakob4001

Member
agrees w/ dburr for the most part; IF you follow ALL those guidelines & have the refugium and that much LS/LR proportionate to the tank size; but could it really hurt not having the skimmer, in an IDEAL tank that is self sustaining, probably not, but for most of us, probably best to have it; personly we use seaclone, was best for the $$$ & our needs :p
 
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