You Nano Skimmer Experience

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Convict2161 said:
Everyone made good points. And they also have there own reasons for having one.

Like you said. If you can do your weekly water changes its not needed. If you can't perform your weekly changes then a skimmer will help.
Click to expand...

Did you try skipping weekly water changes when you were running your skimmers? If so what was the result? I wonder if having a skimmer can enable one to do water changes biweekly instead of every week and keep parameters on the same levels if not lower. Thanks.
 
MarinaClown said:
Did you try skipping weekly water changes when you were running your skimmers? If so what was the result? I wonder if having a skimmer can enable one to do water changes biweekly instead of every week and keep parameters on the same levels if not lower. Thanks.
Click to expand...

My skimmer NEVER skimmed anything but clear saltwater! Tossed it. Like I said I did my own study as low budget as it was but I didn't see a difference either way...
 
I would always stick to weekly water changes especially in a reef tank where certain trace elements are fast utilized.

I would scrap a skimmer and throw in a mini refuge... Much better way to drop your nitrates and extremely good for housing SPS corals.
 
Craigj247 said:
I would always stick to weekly water changes especially in a reef tank where certain trace elements are fast utilized.

I would scrap a skimmer and throw in a mini refuge... Much better way to drop your nitrates and extremely good for housing SPS corals.
Click to expand...

Yeah I really like SPS corals. An employee at my LFS was telling me that one of his customers was having trouble growing his corals and his water params were all perfect. Allegedly once he bumped his nitrates to 5-10 ppm his SPS corals resumed growth. So I am getting conflicting info about growing SPS corals and them needing pristine water conditions. The main reason I upgraded from 10 gal to 27 gallons was for SPS corals. Gotta do more research. Thanks.
 
Well what they mean my good water conditions is... No ammonia no phosphates good levels of trace elements (calcium, iodine, magnesium and strotium) steady ph level and salinity with a static, low temperature and with good waterflow as most SPS corals like higher water flow and higher intensity lighting. It has been proven that a rate of 5ppm (maximum) nitrates in a reef tank can actually help the eco system... But any type of nitrates and phosphates couples with higher intensity lights which are required for SPS can cause algae issues so best to maintain regular maintenance and water testing.
 
Craigj247 said:
Well what they mean my good water conditions is... No ammonia no phosphates good levels of trace elements (calcium, iodine, magnesium and strotium) steady ph level and salinity with a static, low temperature and with good waterflow as most SPS corals like higher water flow and higher intensity lighting. It has been proven that a rate of 5ppm (maximum) nitrates in a reef tank can actually help the eco system... But any type of nitrates and phosphates couples with higher intensity lights which are required for SPS can cause algae issues so best to maintain regular maintenance and water testing.
Click to expand...

Cool. Thanks.
 
I had a 16 gal. it was stocked on the heavy side with fish and coral. I did weekly 4-5 gal water changes, had a softball sized chaeto, and a aqualife skimmer. I would have to say that if i didn't do weekly water changes, my chaeto grew faster. Also, if I didn't run my skimmer, my chaeto grew faster.
The aqualife that I ran worked. It had brownish green skimmate that had specs of solid waste which I had to empty every other day. The main thing I didn't like about it was that it was loud. The noise wasn't unbearable, but I could appreciate the quietness when it was off.
If you're running a tank that has minimal fish, I don't think you'll need a skimmer. However, if you're running on the heavy side, it'll help.
 
Chirp said:
I had a 16 gal. it was stocked on the heavy side with fish and coral. I did weekly 4-5 gal water changes, had a softball sized chaeto, and a aqualife skimmer. I would have to say that if i didn't do weekly water changes, my chaeto grew faster. Also, if I didn't run my skimmer, my chaeto grew faster.
The aqualife that I ran worked. It had brownish green skimmate that had specs of solid waste which I had to empty every other day. The main thing I didn't like about it was that it was loud. The noise wasn't unbearable, but I could appreciate the quietness when it was off.
If you're running a tank that has minimal fish, I don't think you'll need a skimmer. However, if you're running on the heavy side, it'll help.
Click to expand...

I am somewhat on a heavier side with 2 Picasso clowns, one neon goby and one twin spot goby. I am also getting 10 sps frags that's why I looking into to this. Otherwise I would just stick to water changes as most people here recommended.
 
I went to my LFS to get R/O water and saw a SPS dominated 28 gallon nano cube without a skimmer. An employee said its been there for a long time and water change is done once in 6 months. They only have 2 fish in it. Only other type of coral they have is Kenya tree which they told me absorbs bad nutrients. So u guess even for SPS reefs sometimes a skimmer is just useless.
 
All I can say is there is such a thing as too clean of a tank. Some corals actually need a little nitrates.

I'm almost positive this is what I read. Also that some corals will thrive better in a not so clean tank.
 
I can attest to the theory of a too clean tank... It happened when i first went sw... Stupid me changed all the media PLUS most of the seeded filter pads...we guessed i scrubbed that tank and killed all but the goby and his shrimp...talk about a big newbee OOPS!!:) had to use bio spiro to re seed the filter pads etc...wont do that again..;)
 
Convict2161 said:
All I can say is there is such a thing as too clean of a tank. Some corals actually need a little nitrates.

I'm almost positive this is what I read. Also that some corals will thrive better in a not so clean tank.
Click to expand...

some people "think" that xenia like dirty water. Also, some nonphotosynthetic coral (ie sun coral) might like dirty water, but these are the exceptions to the general rule.
 
Chirp said:
some people "think" that xenia like dirty water. Also, some nonphotosynthetic coral (ie sun coral) might like dirty water, but these are the exceptions to the general rule.
Click to expand...

I agree, I was stating what I've read. Not sure why I'm quoted but anyway. I'm fully aware of what corals require and what parameters to keep a healthy thriving tank at.

I was passing along some info I myself found interesting.

No issues here :)
 
Breakthecycle2 said:
It's just about broken in. I see some bubbles still in the tank, but it seems to be working great and is very, very quiet.
Click to expand...

Some skimmers take awhile to break in... And can take awhile to adjust and dial in. Especially nano ones. What a HUGE pain IMO for very little benefit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Fry tanks
Replies
2
Views
246
Aiken Drum
Aiken Drum
J
Need help with some cleanup
Replies
0
Views
283
james3434
J
S
Advice for Rasboras
Replies
8
Views
441
AlbanyFishGuy
A
af2018
New floating plants
Replies
6
Views
257
Andy Sager
Andy Sager
A
Sexing honey gouramis
Replies
3
Views
899
Andy Sager
Andy Sager

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom