| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
ninja_brandon 
Guest
Joined: January 29 2009
Location: Salt Lake City
Status: Offline
Points: 260
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: How important is a skimmer?
Posted: February 09 2011 at 1:08am |
|
I have been in the hobby for 2 years now and upgraded from a 55gal to a 120gal. I recently moved the tank and broke the skimmer in the process. I was using a cheap odysee skimmer from aquatraders.com rated for 60 gallons on my 120 for over a year with no issues. My tank was healthy and happy aside from some small issues I had with fish caused by low ALK.
I have plans to get a skimmer from a friend however I'm not certain how long it will be. How important is skimming and should I consider ordering another skimmer or waiting?
|
 |
SGH360
Guest
Joined: April 04 2010
Location: Centerville, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 1786
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 1:16am |
|
as long as you can keep your parameters in check. Odyssea skimmer is doing its job, i would not worry getting another skimmer, get your friend otherwise it will be wasting money
|
|
CapnMorgan
Guest
The Capn'
Joined: August 19 2009
Location: Tooele
Status: Offline
Points: 3537
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 1:58am |
|
I somewhat disagree. Yes you can have a healthy tank without a skimmer, but would I recommend it? No. A skimmer removes dissolved nutrients, and also oxygenates the water, helping to keep the pH up, and giving your fish more to breathe. It also acts as an insurance policy. If for some reason you ever have a large die off event a good skimmer can quickly remove large amounts of pollution before even more harm is done. If anything you should oversize your skimmer. I personally use skimmers rated for 2x my total water volume (display tank+sump). It's been proven many times skimmers are beneficial to a tank, and they can save you if something ever happens. IMO there are a few things you shouldn't skimp on in reefing and one of them is a good quality skimmer.
|
Steve My Old 180G Mixed ReefCurrently: 120G Wavefront Mixed 29G Seahorse & Softies Running ReefAngel Plus x2 435-8
|
|
MadReefer
Guest
Joined: December 13 2007
Location: Kearns
Status: Offline
Points: 1965
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 10:38am |
I've always used a weak skimmer and I finally gave it up all together. Still I think my tank has too little nutrients and I think I need to order more phyto paste just to make sure it has more. Presently I add multiple cubes of food a week and flakes/pellets at least once a day. This is more than the fish eat because the coral want some too.
Do you think I should do an experiment where I add skimmate to my tank, opposite of popular belief? No, that's just the mad scientist in me, and he's crazy. lol
|
|
Adam Blundell
Presidency
Joined: June 24 2002
Location: Davis County
Status: Offline
Points: 18526
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 10:48am |
I think I'm with Capn Morgan on this.
For small tanks I don't see as much of a use in skimmers. Say you have a 14 gal biocube. It's pretty easy to do a 50% water change. Now trying to do a 50% water change on a 300 gal tank. It's a lot of work. So on large tanks I'd highly recommend them.
I think skimmers are fabulous in every way. I'd say run the biggest skimmer you can and keep it going. Great insurance policy. The only downside.... they are expensive for some unknown reason.
Adam
|
|
Come to a meeting, they’re fun!
|
|
MadReefer
Guest
Joined: December 13 2007
Location: Kearns
Status: Offline
Points: 1965
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 11:09am |
The downside of cost is one reason I don't bother. Also, they can be noisy. If I had more money to spend on the hobby and a fish room, I probably would have added one. I still stand by what I said, but it is true that there are few downsides.
There are methods of making skimmers for ponds that I think I might try over the summer on my pond. Although, ponders call skimmers by a different name. Foam fractionators I think. A skimmer on a pond is just the overflow that surface skims the water.
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21437
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 11:24am |
|
The tank will be just fine until the friends skimmer arrives. Skimmers are an option not a necessity.
The biofiltration capacity of a reef tank is contained in the LS, LR, LW and algae. Where a skimmer is used, the stuff it removes is then not available to be eaten by the biofitration. The biofiltration will always balance it's growth to eat the available waste. When a skimmer is removed from a system, the biofiltration grows to eat up the all the available nutrients/waste.
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
|
Davidwillis
Guest
Joined: July 30 2005
Location: Weston Id
Status: Offline
Points: 605
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 12:35pm |
Currently I am changing my view on skimming. I used to believe it was the best thing ever invented for this hobby. Just last week I turned off my skimmer, and have not noticed any difference at all.
But I am sure it does depend on what type of system you are running. From what I understand you have to have a skimmer for the carbon dosing system.
Edit: Who knows what I will change next if I keep listening to Mark... 
Edited by Davidwillis - February 09 2011 at 12:36pm
|
|
Jeffs_little_ocean
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 1:41pm |
Being tankless, I probably shoulnt even be able to comment, but when i had a tank I always had a skimmer, and every time I emptied the cup full of that foul gross black smelly goo I always felt like getting that out of the tank water was a good thing.
|
|
Life is good....right?
|
|
boysty
Guest
Joined: June 14 2007
Location: SLC
Status: Offline
Points: 1480
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 3:48pm |
|
I have a G1 that i just have on one of my tanks for a week or two and then swap it to my other tank for a week or two. both tanks have been very happy and seems to be working of rme so far. I do plan on getting another skimmer in the near future to save the hassle
|
|
Luckedout
Guest
Joined: October 11 2009
Location: Layton
Status: Offline
Points: 1495
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 5:44pm |
|
For me a skimmer is something that widens the margin of user error so that you are less likely to screw up your tank. The bigger the skimmer, the bigger the margin.
I imagine you will be just fine with an undersized skimmer for a couple of weeks, but be careful.
|
|
-Ben
90g Mixed reef
www.body-balancechiropractic.com
|
|
tcfab
Guest
Joined: October 18 2008
Location: North Ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1480
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 6:54pm |
 Adam Blundell wrote:
I think skimmers are fabulous in every way. I'd say run the biggest skimmer you can and keep it going. Great insurance policy. The only downside.... they are expensive for some unknown reason.
Adam |
Its usually the pump that makes them expensive, a good pump cost more $$$ and thats the heart to the skimmer. Plus there a pain to make 
|
|
Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386
|
|
mrfishydude
Guest
Joined: November 19 2008
Location: South Jordan El
Status: Offline
Points: 278
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 8:00pm |
I've never built one, but they look too simple to cost so much. I think it would be cool if someone that knew what they were doing got the materials and we all paid our portion, and got together and had a skimmer build party  just sayin'
|
|
David Cutler
|
|
tcfab
Guest
Joined: October 18 2008
Location: North Ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1480
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 8:56pm |
They look simple, but they are actually quite difficult to machine all the parts and make everything fit perfect. Its mostly the neck connection that is the most difficult.  By the time you get done building one you will say to yourself "thats why they cost so much"
|
|
Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386
|
|
jaschall
Guest
Joined: March 13 2009
Location: Clearfield
Status: Offline
Points: 690
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 9:37pm |
I have read this post and many others like it. My question is to anyone the skims at a recommended rate or over skims. Just wondering if you dose and how often? From what Ive read that skimming does remove lots of crap but also remove many many good things.
|
|
MadReefer
Guest
Joined: December 13 2007
Location: Kearns
Status: Offline
Points: 1965
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 10:32pm |
jaschall wrote:
I have read this post and many others like it. My question is to anyone the skims at a recommended rate or over skims. Just wondering if you dose and how often? From what Ive read that skimming does remove lots of crap but also remove many many good things.
|
Good point. It must remove some good with the bad. I've never had a nice skimmer so I can't answer that.
|
|
Davidwillis
Guest
Joined: July 30 2005
Location: Weston Id
Status: Offline
Points: 605
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 09 2011 at 11:21pm |
Here is one reason why I like the idea of relying more on macro algae than I do a skimmer. This is a quote from someone else on a different board talking about algae scrubbers.
What Scrubbers Consume: Algae scrubbers consume INORGANIC nitrate and phosphate. These things are what your test kits read, and what the nuisance algae on your rocks and glass require to live. What scrubbers don't consume is ORGANIC nitrate and phosphate. Organic nitrate and phosphate have another name: Food. Any and every piece of food you put into your tank has nitrate and phosphate in them, but they are organic. Scrubbers leave them in the water for the corals to eat. Skimmers do the opposite: Skimmers remove the organic nitrate and phosphate (food), and leave in the inorganic nitrate and phosphate; these inorganics are then used by the nuisance algae on your rocks and glass to grow.
Edited by Davidwillis - February 09 2011 at 11:21pm
|
|
PDoug
Guest
Joined: March 20 2007
Location: Evanston Wy
Status: Offline
Points: 914
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 10 2011 at 1:38am |
|
Okay so IMO I would wager a great deal that you will be fine without the skimmer til you can get a new one I am not a chemist. However you recently upgraded right ? That means you have more space and are not overcrowding your tank ? So in the event this is the case you will probably be good to hold Off and get the one you want. (I am actually thinking of stopping the use of mine after I get a new test kit and experimenting. I am one of those people so dumb they have to know what/how the tool they are using works affects things before they feel ccomfortable using it
|
|
(307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank
|
|
PDoug
Guest
Joined: March 20 2007
Location: Evanston Wy
Status: Offline
Points: 914
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 10 2011 at 1:43am |
|
I hate my phone I need to buy a router sorry about the double post
Edited by PDoug - February 10 2011 at 1:44am
|
|
(307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21437
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: February 10 2011 at 1:45am |
I often try to help people understand that the reason I have not bothered with a skimmer on the dozens of my own tanks since 1997 is because I definitely notice some stuff growing in my tanks that does not grow in tanks with good Skimmers. This is not bad, just different. One organisms waste is another organisms food. Jeff said removing, "that foul gross black smelly goo...out of the tank water was a good thing." It's also true that somethings dinner is being skimmed out of the tank. That is an interesting statement David. Not sure I've ever read it described quite like that. Julian Sprung in The Reef Aquarium - Science, Art and Technology Volume Three (Corey, I still have your book  ) provides a long list of substances, both organic and inorganic that a skimmer removes, yet he agrees that much of this would be food for filter feeding organisms if it were to be left in the aquarium. It has also been found that several useful elements that we typically supplement; Ca Mg, I, and Fe are also removed in the skimate. Still, Julian seems to prefer skimming. he also points out the benefits of Refugiums and Algae Turf Scrubbers. One thing that still seems to be very useful in reef aquariums whether skimmed or not is AC(Activated Carbon). It removes chemical compounds that cannot be removed by Algae or Skimming. As we often say, there are many ways to keep a successful reef aquarium, according to individual preferences and the needs of the particular system.
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
