New to saltwater aquariums.......

[pennyboy]

Hi guys!

I'm a long time lurker here on the forums, and was wondering if I could get some info on skimmers.
I'm in the process of starting a 55 gal. saltwater tank and was wondering about skimmers. I have a duel filter on the outside of the tank and can't decide what to do about getting a skimmer. My local shop told me I could use 2 undergravel filters in the tank (instead of a skimmer). Would this work? The shop owner is asking $300 for the skimmer he has in stock, which sounds a bit high to me.
My next question is: How many different kinds of skimmers are there? and what is the difference between a protein skimmer and a biological skimmer? Which one would I need the most? Sorry for so many questions, I'm just trying to get a grasp on what I'm going to need.

Thanks!

[Marvin]

First of all Welcome,

I know from experience that everyone here is friendly, informitive, and ready to help.

I can't answer all your questions but as far as the underground filter, not too many people here use it. It also depends on what you plan to do with the tank. Most people try to go with a deep sand bed (DSB), live rocks (LR), and a good cleaner crew (snails, hermit crabs and such). With this type of setup, underground filters are not used.

my 2 cents

:)

Again, Welcome

[vegasadam]

Hi and welcome, I have had a saltwater tank for a whole 3 months now. Mine is also a 55 gallon tank with an emperor 400 and a skilter 250. The skilter is a skimmer and filter all in one. I was told that if you dont have a large fish load that this type of setup will work. Ask here on the boards these people do have so much information. With that being said I am upgrading to a 142 gallon tank in two weeks and I am getting a skimmer as well. Anyway I thought that it might be worth asking about.
Adam

[canuck5302]

i have an established 55 gallon tank that i use the red sea's prizm skimmer which is a hang on the tank but if you have a big enough sump you could use it there also, it works really well and it is at a very loew price i bought mine for 80 dollars form thatfishplace i highly reccomend it over a skilter or an undergravel, i work in an LFS and we would not reccomend the skilter on a 55

[mogurnda]

I am extremely dubious about the level of knowledge and understanding at your LFS.

The undergravel filter was a mainstay of saltwater tanks for decades, but is considered a generally bad idea at this point. Debris builds up in the gravel and under the plates, leading to increased nitrate levels and generally bad water quality over time. It was great for biological filtration up to the 1980s, but has been supplanted by live rock and/or trickle filters since then.

Furthermore, the UG filter and skimmer do totally different jobs. The skimmer is designed to remove organic material from the tank before it can break down, greatly enhancing water quality. Unlike the UG, it is not a biological filter.

Protein skimming, or foam fractionation, is simple in principle. Teeny bubbles rise in a column of water, and organic molecules, such as sugars, fats and proteins, stick to them. When the bubbles reach the top of the column, they pop, and release the pollutants into a colector of some sort. There are many ways of doing this, using airstones, venturis (probably the most common and simplest), needle wheels, etc... There are also several designs, like in-sump or those that hang on the back of the tank.

Unless you have a sump, an HOB model will probably do the trick. The AquaC Remora Pro (http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PA&Product_Code=AQUAC-REMORAP&Category_Code=AquaC) comes highly recommended for a tank of your size. About $200 online.

Then you have to think about biological filtration. I'd push for some good-quality live rock, but you can also use a trickle filter if you are just keeping fish. But that's another thread.

Since you have been lurking here, I suppose you have already heard myself or others recommending a few books. The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Bob Fenner and Natural Reef Aquariums are two of my favorites for understanding how marine aquaria work and how you might want to set yours up. Everybody seems very happy when they get them.

[pennyboy]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm hoping to start getting things set up this weekend. I'll keep posting and let you know how it's going.

[johnnyxxl]

I have been thinking of getting a sw tank, as my sig suggests wondering where to start I have nothing to start with and plan on keeping my fw tank am wanting to add a tank wondering what size is good to start with I have been reading on the thread for hours in the sw forums and see that its not suggested to go with smaller tank sizes was thinking of maybe going with a 55 or maybe a sixyish gallon range. What features should I look for as in should I go with one that has holes drilled in it or use hang on back accessories. What about heating the tanks how is that done as I have not seen heaters in salt tanks etc.