Protein skimmer or refugium?

[aelene]

Can I take off my protein skimmer if I added an intank refugium? It's nothing major, but my nitrates are always at zero anyway - and that's with the skimmer getting no activity (collection) what so ever lately. If I remove the protein skimmer do you think it will have a major effect on the tank?

 

[thomas712]

Well if nothing else its adding oxygen to the water, but why not be able to have both on the tank? Not enough room?
Thomas

 

[aelene]

Yeah.... it's aethestically unpleasing lol. Just wanted to get rid of it for now if I could. Didn't seem like it was really doing anything lately??

 

[db]

What brand skimmer is it? I would be willing to bet it's the skimmer rather than a lack of organics in your water. I would personally would not run a reef tank with out a good skimmer. Refugiums are nice, but if I had to choose I would go with a good skimmer.