fumanchu88
Member
Hi I currently dont have one but i was thinking about getting one
are they really necessary?
Is a protein skimmer really necessary?
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grumpygils
Active Member
Originally Posted by fumanchu88
Hi I currently dont have one but i was thinking about getting one
are they really necessary?
For what size tank? Reef or not? Generally a FOWLR doesn't need one. A small reef doesn't need one because water changes do the trick, but if you have a mid to large size, it is important. It will also make your water much clearer. IMO
Mcs
Hi I currently dont have one but i was thinking about getting one
For what size tank? Reef or not? Generally a FOWLR doesn't need one. A small reef doesn't need one because water changes do the trick, but if you have a mid to large size, it is important. It will also make your water much clearer. IMO
Mcs
fumanchu88
Member
i have a 125 gallon fish and live rock tank with live sand
jtrzerocool
Active Member
i think that as soon as you see what it pulls out of your water you will never go without one. i had a reef for about 6 months without one, i added one and i will never be without one ever again.
srfisher17
Active Member
IMO, in a FOWLR tank; the higher the bio-load, the more necessary the skimmer becomes. I think they let me keep more in the same space. I'm not 100% this is correct, but it makes me feel better. I also agree with jtzerocool; it would be hard to go without one after you empty it for the 1st time and see the gunk---but it is not something you have to rush out and buy just to get off the ground.
anonome
Active Member
I would say that if you saw the gunk it pulls out, you may be thinking differently.
I honestly think that a well maintained tank is awesome...and anything to help keep the ocean in our living room looking like it should is the protein skimmer. It is probably the most expensive piece of equipment (besides the lights) that out weighs itself in productivity. Don't go cheap, you might as well not get one, imo.
It not only filters out all the "junk in the trunk" persay, but adds oxygen and movement which is extremely important in reefs.
I honestly think that a well maintained tank is awesome...and anything to help keep the ocean in our living room looking like it should is the protein skimmer. It is probably the most expensive piece of equipment (besides the lights) that out weighs itself in productivity. Don't go cheap, you might as well not get one, imo.
It not only filters out all the "junk in the trunk" persay, but adds oxygen and movement which is extremely important in reefs.
hammerhed7
Active Member
i would by the skimmer last after you have set up the tank, and get some fish in ther, then as they grow, and the bioload increases you can invest in one. As others have said, do not skimp on the skimmer, a cheap skimmer will not produce the results you want.
darknes
Active Member
IMO, a good skimmer really is necessary for a healthy, thriving tank. There are nice looking tanks without skimmers, but the bioloads are very small and water changes are very frequent.
As others have said, once you see what they pull out of your water (even if it looks crystal clear), you will never go without one.
As others have said, once you see what they pull out of your water (even if it looks crystal clear), you will never go without one.
trigger11
Member
Well, there has to be one in every crowd I guess and in this case it happens to me. But from the experience I have had with skimmers I will never ever use another one. First, I truly believe a good portion of the so called "junk" they are pulling out is the exact food that is in the water column that filter feeding corals eat. I do not feed my corals anything extra and they seem to be doing quite well. While I do not use a protein skimmer I do have as large as a refugium as I can. I have a deep sand bed, extra live rock, and macro algae growing in there. A couple of hermits and snails for good measure. All natural ocean ingrediants.
One thing I have often contemplated but have never really found the answer to is. What in the ocean does the same a protein skimmer does? Nothing that I can think of.
So, the question was if a protein skimmer is necessary or not. I believe most aquarists would say yes. However, there would be a small minority that would say no.
One thing I have often contemplated but have never really found the answer to is. What in the ocean does the same a protein skimmer does? Nothing that I can think of.
So, the question was if a protein skimmer is necessary or not. I believe most aquarists would say yes. However, there would be a small minority that would say no.
rbaldino
Active Member
Originally Posted by trigger11
Well, there has to be one in every crowd I guess and in this case it happens to me. But from the experience I have had with skimmers I will never ever use another one. First, I truly believe a good portion of the so called "junk" they are pulling out is the exact food that is in the water column that filter feeding corals eat. I do not feed my corals anything extra and they seem to be doing quite well. While I do not use a protein skimmer I do have as large as a refugium as I can. I have a deep sand bed, extra live rock, and macro algae growing in there. A couple of hermits and snails for good measure. All natural ocean ingrediants.
One thing I have often contemplated but have never really found the answer to is. What in the ocean does the same a protein skimmer does? Nothing that I can think of.
So, the question was if a protein skimmer is necessary or not. I believe most aquarists would say yes. However, there would be a small minority that would say no.
Actually, there is a developing school of thought that agrees with you, and many people are concerned about over skimming. Also, one member of the board, Reefkprz, I think, was going to experiment with running a skimmer for one week, then off for a week, etc, but I don't know what came of that.
Well, there has to be one in every crowd I guess and in this case it happens to me. But from the experience I have had with skimmers I will never ever use another one. First, I truly believe a good portion of the so called "junk" they are pulling out is the exact food that is in the water column that filter feeding corals eat. I do not feed my corals anything extra and they seem to be doing quite well. While I do not use a protein skimmer I do have as large as a refugium as I can. I have a deep sand bed, extra live rock, and macro algae growing in there. A couple of hermits and snails for good measure. All natural ocean ingrediants.
One thing I have often contemplated but have never really found the answer to is. What in the ocean does the same a protein skimmer does? Nothing that I can think of.
So, the question was if a protein skimmer is necessary or not. I believe most aquarists would say yes. However, there would be a small minority that would say no.
Actually, there is a developing school of thought that agrees with you, and many people are concerned about over skimming. Also, one member of the board, Reefkprz, I think, was going to experiment with running a skimmer for one week, then off for a week, etc, but I don't know what came of that.
fumanchu88
Member
Could Anyone Recommend A Good Inexpensive Protein Skimmer?
fumanchu88
Member
Are Jebo's Anygood?
deltablack22
Active Member
Originally Posted by trigger11
One thing I have often contemplated but have never really found the answer to is. What in the ocean does the same a protein skimmer does? Nothing that I can think of.
So, the question was if a protein skimmer is necessary or not. I believe most aquarists would say yes. However, there would be a small minority that would say no.
I'll tell you exactly what the oceans protein skimmer is - WAVES.
I was down on topsail island this weekend with my family. I was hanging out at the beach with my younger brother and we decided to start digging a hole in the sand. Long story short we ended up digging about five or six feet deep - and then we hit the water line. We turned this thing into a jacuzzi of sorts since the water in the hole was heated by the sun. Well once the waves started coming in it finally filled up all the way and the surface of the water started getting this really thick, yellow froth on it. Looked just like the crap that bubbles out of the skimmer. Waves crash onto the beach causing this foam to form and the action of the waves pushes this stuff up onto the beach, out of the water and it dries up in the sun and is thus removed from the water.
I'm sure there are more scientific terms other than froth, foam and crap but this is the oceans way of skimming. I hope someone who has taken a Marine Bio class recently can chime in on this topic in a little more detail.
One thing I have often contemplated but have never really found the answer to is. What in the ocean does the same a protein skimmer does? Nothing that I can think of.
So, the question was if a protein skimmer is necessary or not. I believe most aquarists would say yes. However, there would be a small minority that would say no.
I'll tell you exactly what the oceans protein skimmer is - WAVES.
I was down on topsail island this weekend with my family. I was hanging out at the beach with my younger brother and we decided to start digging a hole in the sand. Long story short we ended up digging about five or six feet deep - and then we hit the water line. We turned this thing into a jacuzzi of sorts since the water in the hole was heated by the sun. Well once the waves started coming in it finally filled up all the way and the surface of the water started getting this really thick, yellow froth on it. Looked just like the crap that bubbles out of the skimmer. Waves crash onto the beach causing this foam to form and the action of the waves pushes this stuff up onto the beach, out of the water and it dries up in the sun and is thus removed from the water.
I'm sure there are more scientific terms other than froth, foam and crap but this is the oceans way of skimming. I hope someone who has taken a Marine Bio class recently can chime in on this topic in a little more detail.
rbaldino
Active Member
Originally Posted by DeltaBlack22
I'll tell you exactly what the oceans protein skimmer is - WAVES.
I was down on topsail island this weekend with my family. I was hanging out at the beach with my younger brother and we decided to start digging a hole in the sand. Long story short we ended up digging about five or six feet deep - and then we hit the water line. We turned this thing into a jacuzzi of sorts since the water in the hole was heated by the sun. Well once the waves started coming in it finally filled up all the way and the surface of the water started getting this really thick, yellow froth on it. Looked just like the crap that bubbles out of the skimmer. Waves crash onto the beach causing this foam to form and the action of the waves pushes this stuff up onto the beach, out of the water and it dries up in the sun and is thus removed from the water.
I'm sure there are more scientific terms other than froth, foam and crap but this is the oceans way of skimming. I hope someone who has taken a Marine Bio class recently can chime in on this topic in a little more detail.
Your theory is kind of thin. You assume the stuff evaporates and goes away. It could just as easily find its way back into the water. Plus, if it does evaporate, it would eventually makes its way back in the form of rain.
I'll tell you exactly what the oceans protein skimmer is - WAVES.
I was down on topsail island this weekend with my family. I was hanging out at the beach with my younger brother and we decided to start digging a hole in the sand. Long story short we ended up digging about five or six feet deep - and then we hit the water line. We turned this thing into a jacuzzi of sorts since the water in the hole was heated by the sun. Well once the waves started coming in it finally filled up all the way and the surface of the water started getting this really thick, yellow froth on it. Looked just like the crap that bubbles out of the skimmer. Waves crash onto the beach causing this foam to form and the action of the waves pushes this stuff up onto the beach, out of the water and it dries up in the sun and is thus removed from the water.
I'm sure there are more scientific terms other than froth, foam and crap but this is the oceans way of skimming. I hope someone who has taken a Marine Bio class recently can chime in on this topic in a little more detail.
Your theory is kind of thin. You assume the stuff evaporates and goes away. It could just as easily find its way back into the water. Plus, if it does evaporate, it would eventually makes its way back in the form of rain.
deltablack22
Active Member
Originally Posted by rbaldino
Your theory is kind of thin. You assume the stuff evaporates and goes away. It could just as easily find its way back into the water. Plus, if it does evaporate, it would eventually makes its way back in the form of rain.
I agree that it could find its way back to the water and wasnt assuming that it just vanished into thin air, never to be seen again. You do have constant wave action onto beaches though, constantly pushing this stuff up onto the beach and out of the water....
I guess you are assuming that nothing on the beaches or in the environment or even in the evaporation process could use and or break down this material either. That also seems kind of thin...
Your theory is kind of thin. You assume the stuff evaporates and goes away. It could just as easily find its way back into the water. Plus, if it does evaporate, it would eventually makes its way back in the form of rain.
I agree that it could find its way back to the water and wasnt assuming that it just vanished into thin air, never to be seen again. You do have constant wave action onto beaches though, constantly pushing this stuff up onto the beach and out of the water....
I guess you are assuming that nothing on the beaches or in the environment or even in the evaporation process could use and or break down this material either. That also seems kind of thin...
fumanchu88
Member
Are Jebo Skimmers "cheap" http://cgi.----.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=010
rbaldino
Active Member
Originally Posted by DeltaBlack22
I agree that it could find its way back to the water and wasnt assuming that it just vanished into thin air, never to be seen again. You do have constant wave action onto beaches though, constantly pushing this stuff up onto the beach and out of the water....
Is there enough of this wave action to "skim" the massive volume of the world's oceans? For your theory to be more sound, you'd have to explain where the foam comes from, since the ocean doesn't have airstones or reaction chambers.
Originally Posted by DeltaBlack22
I guess you are assuming that nothing on the beaches or in the environment or even in the evaporation process could use and or break down this material either. That also seems kind of thin...
Anything thrat breaks down, though, would find it's way back into the system, either by leaching into the ground and back into the water table, or by evaporating and later becoming rain, or countless other processes. Basically, there's no way for these materials to be removed forever.
I agree that it could find its way back to the water and wasnt assuming that it just vanished into thin air, never to be seen again. You do have constant wave action onto beaches though, constantly pushing this stuff up onto the beach and out of the water....
Is there enough of this wave action to "skim" the massive volume of the world's oceans? For your theory to be more sound, you'd have to explain where the foam comes from, since the ocean doesn't have airstones or reaction chambers.
Originally Posted by DeltaBlack22
I guess you are assuming that nothing on the beaches or in the environment or even in the evaporation process could use and or break down this material either. That also seems kind of thin...
Anything thrat breaks down, though, would find it's way back into the system, either by leaching into the ground and back into the water table, or by evaporating and later becoming rain, or countless other processes. Basically, there's no way for these materials to be removed forever.
rbaldino
Active Member
Originally Posted by fumanchu88
Are Jebo Skimmers "cheap" http://cgi.----.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=010
Link's not working. I've never heard much about Jebo skimmers, and there's probably a reason for that.
Are Jebo Skimmers "cheap" http://cgi.----.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=010
Link's not working. I've never heard much about Jebo skimmers, and there's probably a reason for that.