I'm the person who posted the thread on liverock as filter, I want to know if you can run a reef without a protein skimmer,if so,what do you have to do to make it happen?Like more water changes or what?
Is it possible to get by without a protein skimmer? Please help, need answers
- Thread starter yellow tang
- Start date
Protein skimmers take out the organic waste that pollutes the reef aquariums. Since corals are so sensitive to waste a protein skimmer is a good thing to have. Not necessary really, but I wouldn't have a reef tank without one.
It can be done, but I find that the water quality has always been better when I have skimmed. Water changes will only take a certain percentage of the dissolved organics out at a time, while the skimmer extracts them very efficiently. Plus a skimmer performs intense aeration of the water.
If you are trying to save money, I think it's false economy to not spend $100 on a skimmer when you will be spending a lot more than that on corals. If you want to try something more "natural," or are trying to raise corals that are more dependent on dissolved organics, then by all means give it a go.
If you are trying to save money, I think it's false economy to not spend $100 on a skimmer when you will be spending a lot more than that on corals. If you want to try something more "natural," or are trying to raise corals that are more dependent on dissolved organics, then by all means give it a go.
It also depends on the size of the tank a small nano of say 10g wouldn't benefit that much from a skimmer and regular water changes would be the road to go......I have a skimmer on my 20 and on my 75.....wouldn't be without them on those two......and Dave is right.....you will spend much more than that on corals, aren't they worth it?
I have one on my 10 gallon reef, it is a h.o.b. style. Every few days I pull the trap out and dump a little bit of green foul smelling crap out. I try not to think about a tank without a skimmer.
Skimmer
I have never used one on my 50 gallon tank. I couldn't imagine is looking any better. However everyones tank is unique and generaly a protien skimmer
is going to benifit you. I don't use a skimmer but in its place I have a 15 gallon refugium stock full of macro that acts sorta like a skimmer.
If you don't plan to have a reef and wish to do a fish only tank with live rock then I don't see the need for a skimmer at all. If you go reef like my tank you will probly need one of the two or both for the best resuslts.
I have never used one on my 50 gallon tank. I couldn't imagine is looking any better. However everyones tank is unique and generaly a protien skimmer
is going to benifit you. I don't use a skimmer but in its place I have a 15 gallon refugium stock full of macro that acts sorta like a skimmer.
If you don't plan to have a reef and wish to do a fish only tank with live rock then I don't see the need for a skimmer at all. If you go reef like my tank you will probly need one of the two or both for the best resuslts.
No skimmer on my 37 and my water is incredibly clear (I am very picky). It's only a FOWLR tank, however, and I just have one ocellaris and a sally lightfoot so far, so that may have something to do with it too. 
something from fosters and smith, this article gives you both sides
www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1789&articleid=2825
www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1789&articleid=2825