finished stocking rock*pic, advice on a nano protein skimmer

[napydred]

so i bought my last batch of rock today, giving me a total of around 15-20 lbs. I was thinking of getting rid of the hob filter and replacing it with a protein skimmer and another small power head, totaling two power heads and the skimmer, anyone got advice for a good nano skimmer?

 

[Jarred Darque]

I dont have any advice on the skimmer, but on getting rid of the filter, whileit is not needed for flow, or biological filtration, tehy do help for removing particulate matter out of the water.

 

[napydred]

I dont have any advice on the skimmer, but on getting rid of the filter, whileit is not needed for flow, or biological filtration, tehy do help for removing particulate matter out of the water.

I thought the protein skimmer got rid of debris and organic matter? I am a little confused on exactly what a protein skimmer is. could someone plz enlighten me

 

[Jarred Darque]

Basically, with teh build up of proteins and nitrates and more, a film forms on top of the water in your tank. This film prohibits effective oxygen exchange and suffocates your tank. What a protein skimmer does is remove this film so that your tank can breathe, and looks better

 

[napydred]

thanks, that makes sense

 

[Jarred Darque]

it may havea few more things that it does/helps with, will need a true salty to explain it to ya though. :/ I am basically going off of what I have read.

 

[roka64]

If you have 1.5-2LBs of LR per gallon, you could get rid of the filter. I keep mine running for extra water movement and to run carbon, if needed. What size tank is that? A skimmer is not really needed if you have good filtration, if you are going reef, you may want the skimmer.

 

[napydred]

it is a ten gallon tank. I was thinking of getting some corals, which is what I am assuming means it will be a "reef" tank, correct me if this is wrong. so if I am getting corals, then get a protein skimmer? I would like to keep the tank in the best possible shape regardless, so if a skimmer will help, then I will probably get one, the beauty of these nano set ups, is you can get all your equipment for much cheaper than if it was all for a larger tank, I have already spent 100 bucks on LR, which would have been much more with a larger tank. anyway, looks like my cycle is finally getting where I want it, I have only been checking for nitrite, i guess now it is time to get a nitrate test kit. I am curious how much of a bioload the blue leg crabs are on the tank, I have four in the tank now and since the addition of the rock they have all but disappeared, I was thinking of getting about 5-6 more, you think ten blue legs would be too much? ok enuff for now, peace

 

[roka64]

Yep, if you add corlas, you have a reef tank.
Inverts don't add to your bioload. I like snails more than hermits. I have 3-4 small hermits in my 55G and more snails.
I would wait for the cycle to complete, inverts are not very tolerant of poor water quality. You are just throwing away your money, if the cycle is not complete, IMHO.