Filter vs Skimmer

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mhart032

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
98
Location
Austin TX
I have been getting alot of different advice on this. i have a Red sea prism pro deluxe protein skimmer and a Emperor 400 bio wheel filter. i have a 40g tank reef setup no sump/fuge at the moment.. i have been told that i want to run the filter not the skimmer, and i have been told that i want the skimmer not the filters. i dont have room for both.. or id use them.. i am running the filters right now and my tank looks good its super clear. when i was running the skimmer my tank wasnt as clean as the skimmer dosent filter out the big particals.. what are your thoughts on this?
Matt
 
They each have a different function. A filter will...well, filter that water. It will remove suspended particles mechanically and also filter the water biologically with the bacteria growing on/in it.
A skimmer removes dissolved organic compounds from the water. The organics stick to the bubbles inside the skimmer and are floated up and out into the cup for disposal.
If you have lots of live rock in your tank, I would dump the filter and use the skimmer, even tho that skimmer isn't all that good.
 
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