I have quite a few marine tanks and I use protein skimmers. But my friend has many more tanks than I do and she has never used a skimmer. She just uses 1 or 2 powerfilters and LR. She has never had problems and her water perameters are great. Plus I've traded and bought some of her livestock and its better than the fish I buy in stores? Is there any reason for this? I dont want to keep wasting good money on something I dont need. So basically are skimmers really a nessessity?
Is a skimmer really necessary?
- Thread starter fishman89
- Start date
Skimmers are not needed, however they are REALLY useful in terms of keeping the water stable. I would say run without a skimmer only if you know how to maintain water quality and bioload.
I wouldn't think a skimmer is necessary as long as you are willing to do frequent, consistent water changes. I would also think it would depend on the size of the tank. The smaller the tank, the less need for a skimmer.
Saying that, I wouldn't run a tank without a skimmer.
Saying that, I wouldn't run a tank without a skimmer.
well my friend runs tons of tanks without skimmers, 75g,20g,90g,30g and much more. No refugiums no sumps or anything. Jus some emporer powerfilters and some tetra whisper powerfilters with em. I personally run skimmers but am thinking not running them and adding and extra powerfilter and powerhead is all I need. Plus these are MUCH easier and Cheaper!
well all im gonna say about it is that i used to just run power filters and live rock in my 135. but i was fighting a loosing battle with my nitrates. even cleaning the filters every week and putting new ones in every month, i still couldnt get away from them. i had a friend give me a skimmer that he paid 200 bucks for. now im kinda winning the war. but i think im going to get rid of my 2 powerfilters and replace them with an aquafuge and some algae for it.
i cant gurantee it but i think this might be a better way to go. still get some surface agitation from the fuge and something that helps reduce nitrates instead of trapping and compounding them. just MO though.
i cant gurantee it but i think this might be a better way to go. still get some surface agitation from the fuge and something that helps reduce nitrates instead of trapping and compounding them. just MO though.
well her nitrates are almost undetectable. You cant even really tell the test water changes. Everything is perfect,water params are wonderful. She replaces filter pads once a month and does 2 water changes a month for each tank about 90%. All the fish are happy and healthy. I've never seen cleaner clearer tanks. I am using skimmers and I still have nitrites nitrates etc,but not a lot. She has Penguin and tetra powerfilters on each tank along with 2 powerheads. Its awesome. I want my tank to be like hers and she just recommends that I drop the skimmers and add more LR.
'She replaces filter pads once a month and does 2 water changes a month for each tank about 90%'
If I was doing 90 water changes regularly I wouldn't use a skimmer either. But I don't so I find a skimmer a **** good way of filtering.
What does she do to run tons of tanks and still find time to do 90% water changes?
Have you ever seen how much rubbish a really good skimmer can pull out of even a really 'clean' system?
If I was doing 90 water changes regularly I wouldn't use a skimmer either. But I don't so I find a skimmer a **** good way of filtering.
What does she do to run tons of tanks and still find time to do 90% water changes?
Have you ever seen how much rubbish a really good skimmer can pull out of even a really 'clean' system?
Many people go skimmerless, some just use powerheads and live rock. There is a lot of debate, and not much data, about whether skimmers pull too much good stuff out of the water. As far as I can tell, it is not a problem unless you are using an oversized, high-powered skimmer.
On the other hand, as Wayne said, I wouldn't use a skimmer if I were doing 90% water changes either.
There are other variables as well. Like how heavily the tank is stocked and how picky the livestock is. On the 10 with a mantis and indestructible corals, I just use an aquaclear and powerhead. Even then, the NO3 is barely detectable. On the 90 that has stony corals, I like the security of a top-end skimmer.
Looking at the stinky sludge that collects in the cup, and knowing that it is providing intense aeration, the skimmer is worth it to me.
On the other hand, as Wayne said, I wouldn't use a skimmer if I were doing 90% water changes either.
There are other variables as well. Like how heavily the tank is stocked and how picky the livestock is. On the 10 with a mantis and indestructible corals, I just use an aquaclear and powerhead. Even then, the NO3 is barely detectable. On the 90 that has stony corals, I like the security of a top-end skimmer.
Looking at the stinky sludge that collects in the cup, and knowing that it is providing intense aeration, the skimmer is worth it to me.
She stays at home and makes a little extra cash selling and trading fish and supplies with friends. Her dad owns a couple resaurants and some apartment complexes so she doesn't really have to do much. Well I watch her do some water changes and clean the substrate and not much "gunk" comes out. I think the tanks are wonderful. For each tank she has an amazing cleanup crew(this might have to do with the substrate and glass being so clean.)
I know in my skimmers i see the sludge and know that its working. But I was thinking of beefing up my cleanercrews and going skimmerless. I tend to go a little LIGHT on cleaner crews.lol light is an understatement.
Her tanks arent crowded and she has some actually pretty picky fish like mandarins,butterflies,scooterblennies(cheap but very hard to keep like tha mandarin), and the like. She has been in the hobby for about 5 years so she's pretty darn good at it.so I am taking a chance with one of my FOWLR tanks and pulling off the skimmer and buying a beefed up cleanercrew.
I know in my skimmers i see the sludge and know that its working. But I was thinking of beefing up my cleanercrews and going skimmerless. I tend to go a little LIGHT on cleaner crews.lol light is an understatement.
Her tanks arent crowded and she has some actually pretty picky fish like mandarins,butterflies,scooterblennies(cheap but very hard to keep like tha mandarin), and the like. She has been in the hobby for about 5 years so she's pretty darn good at it.so I am taking a chance with one of my FOWLR tanks and pulling off the skimmer and buying a beefed up cleanercrew.
Are you going to start doing similar sized water changes with the same frequency? If not--be prepared for problems. Large water changes done frequently removes most of the organics that would otherwise cause problems. Basically--if you're not having problems now, why change anything? If you are having problems, change may be needed, but trying to emulate half of someone else's successful setup seldom works.