Is a skimmer necessary?

[myrtle beach]

I have been told by a closer friend that my tank 55g FOWLR doesn't require a skimmer, atleast not right away. Can I get by without one? I don't have corals and it will be friendly only with some shrimp.
I see white film on surface and wonder if there is a manual method for skimming. I have a fine mesh net that may work, but want to avoid getting a skimmer for two reasons: money and I don't want things to look cluttered. I can view my tank from all angles and I have it set up perfectly so you don't see wires and stuff.
Is there a manual method to skimming? Will not having a skimmer hurt fish?
:notsure:

 

[reefkprz]

with enough LR and livesand and another form of mechanical filtration you can go with out a skimmer. personally I reccomend having one. BUt many people have succesful tanks without them. you just have to be more careful about overfeeding and more stringent on your water quality (read as do more waterchanges). in answer to your question, no you dont absolutly have to have one.

 

[myrtle beach]

Thanks, can one skim the surface manually? my tank looks clean and I was told not to do water changes unless necessary or every few months. I don't want to botch it up when things seem perfect.

 

[jdog5578]

you should definately do water changes more than every 3 months...

 

[ice4ice]

A skimmer is a must-have.

 

[reefkprz]

you can surface skim manually, take a cup and hold it upright push it down into the water so it displaces water instead of filling then tip one edge so it lets in a trickle of water, surface tension of the water will ensure most of the water you get through this method will be off the top.
I agree with doing far more water changes, than every three months, once a month is minimum in my book (ericks unwritten book of common marine aquaria maintinence practices) especially if your going to go skimmerless.
surface skimming your tank is not going to have the same effect a protien skimmer would, but you can remove the film on the top of your tank that way. once you surface skim I reccomend pointing a powerhead towards the surface to break up the surface tension, and promote oxygen exchange.

 

[who dey]

Originally Posted by Ice4Ice
A skimmer is a must-have.
agreed. A few hundred spent on a skimmer can save you a few thousand in heartache down the road!! just my $.02

 

[watson3]

Originally Posted by Ice4Ice
A skimmer is a must-have.
I disagree if you are going to have FOWLR...With the proper water movement, you will never have that residue on the top of the water

 

[geridoc]

We are confusing two issues here. Skimming has nothing to do with removing the "skim" on the surface of the water. Skimmers primarily remove dissolved protein from the water, improving water quality. The skim you see on the surface is mostly fats that float, and do not dissolve. Some will be removed by a skimmer, but good water movement, true surface skimming as described above, and water changes are the best way to control for these.

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by GeriDoc
We are confusing two issues here. Skimming has nothing to do with removing the "skim" on the surface of the water.
I agree, I thought I stated that in my post above, not nearly as eloquently as you though.

 

[myrtle beach]

I have a good filter, two powerheads, one pointing at the surface and one rotating to prevent low-flow areas. why are water changes so important if things are perfect? I read somewhere that unless needed because of improper levels, water changes aren't required. I have yet to do one, and I don't want to botch things up, my pH, salinity, etc.
I will try the surface skim method, and will hope that my sand and LR will take care of the rest. Thank you for the advice all!

 

[watson3]

Originally Posted by Myrtle Beach
I read somewhere that unless needed because of improper levels, water changes aren't required.
You want to be scrambling around when they go bad, or do you want to just avoid it by keeping the water optimum

 

[jdog5578]

I cant believe that if you never do a water change your trates would be ideal? You definately wanna do at least a monthly water change.