Why do you have a protein skimmer?

[csouth1994]

I just got my protein skimmer for my 75 g aquarium. It was already established for about 3 months. My reasoning was to lower nitrates because they were usually running at 20-40 between water changes. And so I can get mine down to 0 and have corals. So I wonder what other reasons anyone else has purchased a protein skimmer?

 

[Sniperhank]

Skimmers don't directly lower nitrates. They remove junk, food, and poop (protein) from the water column before it goes through the nitrate cycle. It ensures you don't have nitrates before they are nitrates. This in mind, they do not replace water changes for nitrate removal.

 

[mr_X]

A protein skimmer is a filter to clean the water. While it's cleaning it, it also aerates it, which is an added bonus.

 

[csouth1994]

What is your best way to remove nitrates and keep them away other then water changes?

 

[mr_X]

Feed reasonably. Have good flow in the tank so uneaten food and fish poop are not laying on the sand bed, and lastly nutrient export. This means water changes, skimming, perhaps a refugium....

 

[csouth1994]

How do I know if I'm feeding too much? Because I worry about starving a fish because they didn't get any food while all the others ate it

 

[mr_X]

How many fish are in the tank?
What size tank is this?
What type of fish?
How much and how often are you feeding?

 

[csouth1994]

75 gallon tank
14 fish (some big and some small)
I feed them a half a square of brine shrimp with a few flakes.

 

[csouth1994]

I feed once a day.
Fish list: juvenile blue ring angle, 2 misbar clowns, 2 green chromis, 2 blue/yellow damsels, one spot foxface, 6 line wrasse, greenbird wrasse, neon dottyback
So nvm I have only 11 fish, 2 crabs and a snowflake eel

 

[mr_X]

That's not enough information. It sounds to me without knowing the fish, that you have too many fish. How often are you feeding a half square of brine and flakes?
Which fish are these? Tangs? Rabbitfish?

ahh..you posted the answer before me.

well, you are still overstocked even with 11 fish. The angel, foxface, bird wrasse, and the snowflake eel will produce a lot of nutrients.
Are you adding seaweed for them? A few of them are omnivores, and will benefit from some nori on a clip.

I would suggest removing some, or at least using an oversized skimmer and large refugium.
You aren't going to be able to skimp on water changes with this tank as is.

 

[csouth1994]

I feed once a day.
Fish list: juvenile blue ring angle, 2 misbar clowns, 2 green chromis, 2 blue/yellow damsels, one spot foxface, 6 line wrasse, greenbird wrasse, neon dottyback
So nvm I have only 11 fish, 2 crabs and a snowflake eel]

 

[mr_X]

That's not enough information. It sounds to me without knowing the fish, that you have too many fish. How often are you feeding a half square of brine and flakes?
Which fish are these? Tangs? Rabbitfish?

ahh..you posted the answer before me.

well, you are still overstocked even with 11 fish. The angel, foxface, bird wrasse, and the snowflake eel will produce a lot of nutrients.
Are you adding seaweed for them? A few of them are omnivores, and will benefit from some nori on a clip.

I would suggest removing some, or at least using an oversized skimmer and large refugium.
You aren't going to be able to skimp on water changes with this tank as is.

.............

 

[csouth1994]

What are you asking?

 

[mr_X]

Read my entire post. Your initial question was about reducing nitrates. Since you have a large bio load, you are going to either need to remove some fish, or over filter. The latter means a large skimmer, a regular water change regimen, adding a refugium, and reducing feedings. I would start feeding a variety also.

 

[csouth1994]

Well my filtration involves a skimmer and a hob filter. And weekly water changes of 8-10 gallons.

 

[csouth1994]

I just added the skimmer 2 days ago

 

[nelix10]

That's a pretty small WC!

 

[csouth1994]

How is it small? It's once a week and over 10%

 

[bribo12]

If your nitrates are 20-40 a 10-13% water change will only decrease them by 10-13%. So lets say they are 20, they then become 18. A skimmer will help but ultimately that is to many large fish in that tank to think you can bring nitrates down to 0-5. I'd be doing 30-40% with that bioload and I'd probably rehome the bird wrasse and angel if you want to do coral. Not to mention they will both outgrow the tank.

 

[nelix10]

That's all I was saying! I have a 39gal heavily stocked tank and I do a 15 gal weekly WC