To skim or not to skim

[iloveflameangel]

I was wondering what everyone thought about skimmers for reef tanks. I have read numerous places that you're wasting money if you skim and add supplements, but I'm just sick of my water looking like I have stuff just floating around. I liked it much better when I was running my skimmer. Any thoughts?

 

[dseiler]

Originally posted by ILoveFlameAngel
I have read numerous places that you're wasting money if you skim and add supplements
Some would argue that the whole hobby is a waste of money. Good thing we don't listen to them too!
I would always skim and add. You may lose some of the "good" things but you pull out a lot of crap too. Hook your skimmer back up and enjoy!

 

[iloveflameangel]

Thanks for the advice. It's been running only a few hours, and I've already noticed a difference.

 

[jonthefb]

man see, im kinda on the middle of the fence on this one. i have both set ups up and running, and they are both doing wonderful. On my 135 i have a refugium only, and on my 20 i have a skimmer only. I'd say either or or both, your not gonna go worng with either of them.!
good luck
jon

 

[nm reef]

I am partial to both....at first I ran a Cpr BacPac 2r...it woked well but I developed a refugium system and removed the skimmer(as a learning experience more than anything else)...I've been skimmerless now for close to a year with no problems other than a constant battle with valonia....due to plans to replace my 55 with a 150 I've decided to develope a sump with a large skimmer......so I can honestly say either has positives...but at this point I plan to skim....and skim heavy.
What it all comes down to is personal preference and how a particular system functions...either method can work and both have benefits....as a wise man once said...
"your tank....your choice"

 

[josh]

Yes skim and skim a lot!
The more you skim the heavier you can feed. The more you feed your corals the bigger they get!

 

[ironreef]

i agree with heavy skimming. If you feed good foods everyday your fish,critters and corals will be happy. Skimming only removes trace elements. Which good foods have 100-10,000x as much as NSW. Skimming doesn't pull out calcium. it only pulls out fatty cells. Which for the most part you add everyday= organics. In waste and foods. If you have an alga tank you may not need good skimming but I would still prefer a little skimming. I have an alga tank and good skimmer. But if I ever moved I would use a large alga tank= 120g for a much larger tank but I would still prefer modist skimming at the least. I mainly like alga tanks for food source= caulerpa for fish ,pods and all the critters= breeding snails ect....JMO

 

[alf3482]

I also Ride The Fence on this one. I have Run two skimmerless tanks and 3 skimmed tanks. My oldest tank is 2.5 years old and has been skimmerless from day one. I see no real diffrence in these tanks. one is healthy as the other. HTH

 

[waterboy_007]

i'd skim a lot too. skimming takes out all the really tiny bad things that your other filters (i don't know what equipment your running) can't. this means that your biological bacteria have less things to break down, which in turn means a lot less nitrates in the end. thats why your supposed to skim. and since you need as close to 0 nitrates as possible with your reef, skimming very important. as for suppliments, yes you need to put suppliments in the water to keep your corals nice and healthy. so keep skimming and enjoy your tank.

 

[iloveflameangel]

Wow, great info everyone. Thank you all. I think I'm gonna keep skimming because I've been battling high nitrates for a while, and of course the LFS can't tell me where it might be coming from, but boy do they have the right product for me! lol

 

[ironreef]

Depending on how old your tank is your bio filter may not be very mature or you maynot have enough surface area= LR or LS for your load. I've had skimmerless tanks but prefer skimming cuz I like to feed heavy. i've even shut down my skimmer but in my tank with my heavy feedings I get hair alga. I turn the skimmer back on and the hair dies. Maybe with a bigger refugium that may not happen but in my tank I prefer skimming. I like to feed heavy cuz i get all the sponge growth and worms ..and all the cool critters. Also fat fish and corals. I probally feed5-6 cubes 1/2sq a day(6days) of my homeade food. For 2 medium fish 5 small , corals and various inverts JME