hiddenicon
Member
how important are they? and i was looking at one at my pet store that said it was a small one but would that be ok for my 55 gal. tank?
How important is the protein skimmer
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daniel411
Guest
Its probally "one of" the most pivitol pieces of equipment for a successful marine aquarium. Although you can do well without one.
Which model are you considering? Not all work equally well, in fact... some just plain don't work much at all.
Which model are you considering? Not all work equally well, in fact... some just plain don't work much at all.
hiddenicon
Member
i don't know the model but i think it's made by a company called Lee's
lionfish28
Member
DO NOT GET LEES!!!!!!!!!!I sent my lees protein skimmer back!!
It did not even work!Well actually i was scared to try it.(it only cost me $20)
It did not even work!Well actually i was scared to try it.(it only cost me $20)
ladyhart77
New Member
I have had a new Prizm for about a month now and it is working great... but it was about 70 bucks.
whiner2
Member
I have a Berlin Airlift made by Red Sea. It works pretty well...cleaning out crap that you cant even see in your tank. The unit itself is about $40-$50 bucks and the pump was about $20. Try to get a pump with an adjustable flow rate. They are more expensive, but they allow you to tweak and fine tune your skimmer to where it just the best job of cleaning.
sly
Active Member
A skimmer is probably one of the most important peices of filtration you can have. They work by filling the water with millions of air bubbles. These air bubbles then rise to the top of the skimmer and form a foam that contains polution from your tank. This foam dries out and begins to concentrate into a dark slimey scum which spills over the top of the skimmer and into a colection cup. Then you empty the cup out when it gets full.
A skimmer is one of the few filters that actually REMOVE polution from your tank. Most everything else converts polutants from a toxic form to a less toxic form (Amonnia-> Nitrite-> Nitrate in the bio filter system). Skimmers also fill the water with oxygen as an added benefit.
The skimmer you need really depends on how you set up your tank. If you don't use a sump filteration system, then you will need a HOT (Hang on Tank) skimmer. There are two types of sump style skimmers; in sump and out of sump. These skimmers are usually larger than HOT and work for larger tanks.
If you want maximum cleaning then you might want venturi or a down draft style skimmer. Berlin skimmers are gentler on the water and are more "plankton friendly" but they clean well too. Berlin skimmers use an air pump while the other types use water pumps.
You can feed ozone into a skimmer to make it work more efficient. Ozone breaks apart more polutants than just air alone and when it does, it releases more oxygen in the water than just air alone.
A skimmer is one of the few filters that actually REMOVE polution from your tank. Most everything else converts polutants from a toxic form to a less toxic form (Amonnia-> Nitrite-> Nitrate in the bio filter system). Skimmers also fill the water with oxygen as an added benefit.
The skimmer you need really depends on how you set up your tank. If you don't use a sump filteration system, then you will need a HOT (Hang on Tank) skimmer. There are two types of sump style skimmers; in sump and out of sump. These skimmers are usually larger than HOT and work for larger tanks.
If you want maximum cleaning then you might want venturi or a down draft style skimmer. Berlin skimmers are gentler on the water and are more "plankton friendly" but they clean well too. Berlin skimmers use an air pump while the other types use water pumps.
You can feed ozone into a skimmer to make it work more efficient. Ozone breaks apart more polutants than just air alone and when it does, it releases more oxygen in the water than just air alone.
fshhub
Active Member
having a skimmer is like
having guests over for dinner and not having silverware. sure it will work but things will be much better and easier with it. and never, PLeASE never buy a cheap skimmer, a cheap skimmer is like a cheap(too small) air conditioner. you are better off without one because all it is going to do is user power and cause you more work than not having one.
having guests over for dinner and not having silverware. sure it will work but things will be much better and easier with it. and never, PLeASE never buy a cheap skimmer, a cheap skimmer is like a cheap(too small) air conditioner. you are better off without one because all it is going to do is user power and cause you more work than not having one.
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daniel411
Guest
Originally posted by fshhub
a cheap skimmer is like a cheap(too small) air conditioner. you are better off without one because all it is going to do is user power and cause you more work than not having one.
Thats a really good analogy!
So now the question is, do you have a sump or do you need a skimmer to hang on the back of your tank?
silentshaw
Member
i went with the cpr bak pak 2r and it is working great on my 45gal, the water i thought was pretty clean and clear before the skimmer is crystal clear now, and it pulls out all kinds of filth from the tank.
theplowking
Member
I feel it's very important. I have an in sump Excalibur for my 55 reef. I amazed each week when I clean it how much crud is
removed.
removed.
C
cowpoke
Guest
Does any one run the Remora HOB on their tank?
if so how do you like it and is it loud?
Thanks
if so how do you like it and is it loud?
Thanks
fshhub
Active Member
Originally posted by Daniel411
Thats a really good analogy!
So now the question is, do you have a sump or do you need a skimmer to hang on the back of your tank?
if the question is should I/ you(or anyone) have one. the answer is yes
now, if the question is do I
then i have to say yes on some of the tnaks i take care of. and no to others
as for the remora HOB. they are a great skimmer and i would reccomend one to nearly anyone who has a tank within their capacity. however, i would and do reccomend upgrading the pump from the rio to the mag.
HTH
C
cowpoke
Guest
Thank you fshhub
That is what I was looking for, first hand info, one question?
Are they very noisey? the tank is right outside the bedroom.
Thanks again
Cowpoke
That is what I was looking for, first hand info, one question?
Are they very noisey? the tank is right outside the bedroom.
Thanks again
Cowpoke
zephyrlily
Member
Originally posted by wayway
Ok, I'm reading about these skimmers and Now i want one. About how much would it cost for a good one that will hang on the back of a 20gl tank.?
I'm curious too, I have a 20gh. I was looking at the bak pak, what others are out there for these smaller tanks?
belothsurf
Member
I have a remora pro with the mag 5 pump. I don't think it is noisy. I don't hear it at all. Also I have used the optional overflow box since I got it, and it doesn't put any bubbles back into the tank, which I understand some other types can.
