h2ocreator
New Member
Ok, some say that it is good. Some say that it takes out trace elements. So should I set up a skimmer for my reef tank? And if so, how offten should you run it?:nervous:
Protein Skimmer??????
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fishman830
Active Member
i am 100% for them, my skimmer recently stopped working becasue the pump was clogged, and i got an oily slick on the surface of the water.. that kind says somthing about skimmers.. i think any skimmer is better than no skimmer, much like refugiums
007
Active Member
Originally posted by Reef_Magic
i dont use one and i think they are useless, and waaaaaay expensive.....in smaller tanks anyways. they might be of some help in 100+ gallons, but for little tanks, water changes is all i need :yes:
I (and many others) disagree with this completely . . .
In all the time I have been keeping SW I have never heard someone say that a skimmer is useless . . . thats just flat out crap. Unecessary . . . perhaps; useless . . . no way.
A skimmer serves many purposes in a SW tank and especially in a reef tank. It helps maintain the cleaner water conditions typically found on and around the natural fore-reef environments that most people try to simulate.
While some say that it removes trace elements, I do not feel that this is in any significant amount that can not be accounted for easily through regular water changes and additives.
For me, I run a skimmer 24/7 on my reef and always will.
Can you set up and maintain a great reef tank without a skimmer? Absolutely.
Are you going to cause any harm by running a skimmer? Most likely no.
beachbumtx
Member
:yes: Protien Skimmers :yes:
Got to love them. I think they are excellent for maintaining water quality. They definitely pull out some nasty stuff
Got to love them. I think they are excellent for maintaining water quality. They definitely pull out some nasty stuff
gdamador
Member
They work by causing super tiny air bubbles which catches the tiny particulates that are floating around in the water (protein from fish, waste, food, etc.) and remove it by collecting it in a contained for removal. It works much like the ocean waves that froth the water and when you look at the ocean froth it looks "dirty" thats because it has captures dirt and waste in the water and expelled it on the shore. It helps to keep the excess waste out of the water. Filtration cannot catch these tiny particles (proteins) but this can and you can surely tell when you empty out the collection cup and whoooeeee does it stink! I say better out of my water than it it!
h2ocreator
New Member
neowind
Member
I think skimmers are a good thing but I have never used one. I have never had a problem or a need for one because of regular water changes and I have never ran anything bigger than a 55g tank either. So if you can afford a skimmer I say go for it. If you can't don't sweat it to bad just make sure and do regular water changes and keep an eye on your water parameters.
