Do I REALLY need a skimmer??

[fishkiller]

I have a 29 setup with a 2x65w JBJ and a 20w NO actinic. I have about 18 lbs LR and a few shrooms and plyps, and no fish ich.
I have a small crappy filter on it, I'm not sure was size it is, but it is kinda small. Should I buy one of those filters with the skimmer up top? Do even need to get a bigger filter if I have no fish? How about if I want to put in 1 or 2 itty bitty little fish? I'm replacing my crushed coral with arogonite soon. ANY advice would be appreciated..

 

[mlm]

I would always have a skimmer on any SW tank. Its like insurance. You could get a seaclone-100 for around 70 bucks if you look hard. It would work great on your tank.

 

[ivanfj]

Seaclone 100 for $70 is a good deal but I once heard people from this board saying that their seaclone starts to leak after a year or so. Not telling you to not get a seaclone but you just have to be prepared to have some problems like this. I personally have the Prizm but I found it very noisy sometime but there's always people says it is quite for them.
HTH

 

[mlm]

I had both seaclone and prizm at different time and I liked the seaclone a whole lot better. Never had a problem with any leaking and I have never heard of such a problem. Maybe its just an isolated event.

 

[ivanfj]

I've never felt like using the Prizm I currently have since it makes such annoying sound, call that noise~~ The only reason I bought it is that it saves a lot of room since it's only 6cm thick.

 

[aileena]

I would definetly use a skimmer...its a must in my opinion...I have a CPR backbak and its pretty good ... but I am saving my $$ for the remora or the remora pro...I want to be able to use the skimmer on my 75g too....from what I've read the remora is the best hang-on...with the exception of the Berlin skimmer which I think is also a hang on??? Either of these three would do great the seaclone is another alternative...either way I think the Berlin would be overkill on the 29g...
you'll be soooooo suprised to see what that skimmer will pull out of the tank in a few days...its nasty....not to mention that wet/dry filters kinda perpetuate nitrates in your system....
If you spend a lot of money on anything in this hobby it should be on a good skimmer... with lighting as a second...

 

[josh]

IMO yes you do, I too have a 29 gallon tank. I sold my bakpak b/c I didn't think it was doing jack for skimming. Well about a week after I had , and still do have, a nice algae bloom going on.
I just ordered my new remora this afternoon. That to me really proves that even weaker skimmers do have an impact on a tank.
If I were you, just save some money and get a remora with the maxi jet upgrade which isn't all that much more than the bakpak. That will skim the heck out of your tank.

 

[imo]

Skimmers are great but you need to remember that you can over skim the tank. Skimmers remove any "dissolved organic materials" from your water which is good but can also remove many valuable trace elements that will need to be added via some sort of supplement. (Kent) Just be careful not to over skim, it can be as bad for your tank as good. IMO
Kirk

 

[josh]

IMO you can never over skim a tank, never even heard of that. Not to flame you or anything, but that just sounds like some LFS advice.

 

[brianp]

I have to side with Josh. You cannot over skim your tank. I have a skimmer that has a 200 gallon copacity. I love it when ever there is and increase in algae and i clean my tank in less than a couple of hours the cup is full of free floating algae. I have been adding nutrients and supplements with that same concept and It made the algae bloom expenitially worse than before. In matter of fact I am still trying to get a handle on the problem and it has been about 2 months since I stop dosing completely.

 

[newbe reefer]

I was just reading on the Garf.org site about over skimming. They say YES you can over skim and take out the good and the bad in your tank. I don't skim.

 

[josh]

What good would you be taking out, trace elements is what was mentioned. Even if you do skim the heck out of a tank and manage to pull some trace elements out, you should have no problems replacing them with regular water changes.
Skimming just gives you A LOT more leway with your tank, it has too many benefits not to do it IMO.

 

[fshhub]

I am resonably sure that skimming does not remove trace elements, only disolved organics.
over skimming? the only way i can figure that one, is to remove more than 100% of the garbage in the water, can't be done, But I do like having some traces of nitrate(nutrients) it feeds alot of things in my tank, but you can feed them with supplimental products, like coral food if need be.

 

[cmack]

Skimmer played a major part in getting rid of Hair algae and red and Green Slime...

 

[dburr]

While everyone else is telling you which and how much to skimm , I will tell you about my skimmerless tank .
I have a 100 gal and never skimmed this tank. I have SPS, LPS, softies and a clam. I lost 1 corel to RTN and feel this has nothing to do with not skimming.
My filter is LR, LS and macro in the refugium.
I have 4" sand bed and prolly 150 LBS of rock. I do 10% water change monthly. Every so often I run carbon.
BTW, having a skimmer or not it is recommended to do water changes. Also, I did read an article that skimming does remove some elements. (I wish I could remember which ones). It does not remove much just the same.
I do have some pics at
dburr1.tripod.com .
Not many, but you can get the idea.
I'm not telling you to get one or not. Just leading you to make your own decision on the options.
HTH

 

[leigh]

i was worried i wasted my money on a skimmer...
until the first time i saw/smelt what was in the cup.
-leigh, proud skimmerer

 

[dinhouse]

Okay I know I am gonna catch some flak on this one but Oh well! I think Skimmers are overatted. I ran my tank for over year without one and I had absolutly no problems. I have since added one becasue it was given to me. It is a cpr bakpak. It doesn't pull hardly anything out i bet I empty that cup once a month and the stuff it pulls out isn't even very dark or dirty. If you balance your bioload and feed enough but not to much I don't th9ink you actually need a skimmer. SOrry guys just my 0.02

 

[fshhub]

skimmers are great tools, esp for beginning systems or hobbyists.
but as mentioned are not an absolute must have, but if this is a first tank or young one, tehy are definitely one of the better investments you can make.