Protein skimmer question

[wwfstyle]

Where does the protein skimmer pull the bad water from? Is it from fish waste, left over food, where ?? I'm asking this because I have 1 that was purchase from a LFS a home made skimmer for only $30. He was useing on his tanks and he was just replaceing some for his tanks so I said that I would purchase this nice looking one from him. It has been running now for a good 5 months now and it has only filled a 2 liter bottle 1/4 of the way. I do 20% water change every month and everything seems to be doing ok on my 75 gal reef. So I'm asking do you think that I should be looking for another skimmer?

 

[squidd]

YES

 

[the claw]

It's more like yes, yes and definately yes.

 

[reefnut]

IMO, a skimmer isn't a place to skimp. You can get a good unit for around $200.00 or a GREAT unit for around $450.00. I went with the good unit but it works pretty good. I don't really know how much mine produces but 1/2 a letter in 5- months don't sound like much at all.
Where are your Nitrates at.

 

[wwfstyle]

Nitrates are low as long as I keep changeing the water. If I dont then they will JUMP up and it takes a while to bring them back down.

 

[crazy8]

Reef,
What do you call a good skimmer for the $200 range?

 

[reefnut]

There are several, the Nautilus being one.

 

[crazy8]

Thanks. I don't even have one yet, but then again right now I am not exactly running a reef. Mostly fish with a few cleaners and actually only a few small fish.
I know I need to get one soon, but I was getting lights first which should arrive today.

 

[reefnut]

IMO, a skimmer is as important with a FO tank because usally a FO tank is heavier stocked than a reef. For a 55 there are good skimmers that run a little cheaper.