55g without a sump?

[WeeNe858]

your setting up what is pretty much referd to as a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) one thing i reccomend it adding more life rock into the tank, that will help keep your tank stable and give your fishes more hiding spots.

the only problem with running a skimmer pump like an overflow is that it will take in more air than is needed

 

[manowar669]

do you know if its venturi or air powered or something, even the smallest bit of information can help a lot. A picture or something could also help us.

I'm at work now, but I'll put up a photo when I get home. It has water input at the top (approx water level in the display tank), with the current going downward against the stream of bubbles from an airstone at the bottom. There is an internal return tube at the bottom which carries the water back up to the tank via a rigid "spillway". No venturi, the flow will be provided by the powerhead in the tank. I know it's old tech, but they worked "back in the day".

 

[musho3210]

ok i think its an air-powered counter current skimmer, yeah they work but newer models today work much better, but the bad part is there are so many bad companies that seem good.

 

[WeeNe858]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=11362&N=2004+113771


like this?

 

[manowar669]

Here it is.

I know there are newer/better things out there, but this was sorta free. Would it be adequate, or should I just scrap it?

 

[Germanman]

ah u want a powerhead on that that makes micro bubbles for ya. maxijets and viaaquas have skimmer attachments.

 

[musho3210]

scrap it, bak pak skimmers are good, berlin, aquaC, coralife is ok. If you cant afford one yet do what germanman recommends, add a powerhead to it until you have the cash

 

[manowar669]

I planned on running the powerhead and the airpump with a fine bubblestone at the bottom, but I'm going to thatfishplace (very large LFS) tonight, so maybe I'll just get something more modern, just hate to spend the $$$ if I don't have to (rather get more liverock).

 

[musho3210]

you can wait a bit until you start to get a bit larger stocked, the air-powered thing may work for an understocked FOWLR tank, maybe once you go past the understocked FOWLR tank you may have more money to spend on a skimmer.