Do I need a skimmer?

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shifty99

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Messages
19
My new 100g. FO tank is almost cycled! I bought the tank from my LFS and it has a filtration system with bio-balls and 3 filter media trays(currently running 2 foam and 1 carbon)built in the back of the tank. My LFS told me that since it is not a reef tank, a protein skimmer is not needed, but a UV sterilizer is a must. It seems as I read through the majority of the posts here that most people seem to suggest the opposite, meaning a skimmer is a must and UV is optional at best. Is my LFS right because of the fact that it is a FO tank or should I be looking for a skimmer now as well?
 
Neither is a must. If I had to chose, I would go for the skimmer before the UV. I don't have skimmer in my 55 but I am planning on one for my 125. Folks that have them love them, just make sure you get a quality skimmer, as the cheaper ones don't seem to work as well.
In your filter, I would replace the bioballs with LR rubble and you may want to keep an eye on your nitrAtes, those sponges and bioballs tend to become nitrAte factories.
 
The purpose of Skimmers is to remove DOC`s that end up causing high nitrates. Fish are not as suseptable to them as much as inverts but I believe that long term exposure to your fish will cause stress and disease. In saying that I believe IMO that skimmers are a very good addition to any tank. It is as Scott said though and not a must have.
I speak for the minority when I speak about UV lights. I think they are good additions also because they kill parasites and algea spores that travel through the lighted chamber. They are also credited with bad things as killing pods and other beneficial critters that travel thru the chamber but I think the benefits way outweigh the bad. DUCK I have to watch out for those tomatos

:splat:
 
Thanx for the advice, sounds like I am o.k. for now and could possibly get the skimmer and uv later down the road. Didn't know about the bioballs being a problem, I will look into the LR.
 
I am a firm believer in the protein skimmer, but I should add a quality protein skimmer. And I must agree with Roka that the more LR you do have in the tank the better, if you replace the bioballs with some LR rubble, it would do a better job and doesn't require to be changed every 6months.
 
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