Rmckoy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2013
- Messages
- 919
I was asked by my younger brother if he were to set up a 20 gal salt water does he need a skimmer if he is only stocking with a few fish and live rock?
A skimmers purpose is to remove protein based organics from the water column before it enters the nitrogen cycle. The nitrogen cycle is what feeds algae growth. It is also what can kill your coral/fishes.
With a 20 gallon, I would strongly recommend it, since its a small tank it's more likely that your parameters could fluctuate pretty quickly.
I've heard of people running nanos with no skimmer. I have a 150 so I'm not very familiar with smaller tanks.
Over filtration is much much better than under filtration. I understand that a skimmer is expensive, But so is constantly replacing dying critters.
I was asked by my younger brother if he were to set up a 20 gal salt water does he need a skimmer if he is only stocking with a few fish and live rock?
It's generally not needed to run a skimmer on a nano tank. Personally, I have an overstocked 20g reef with a 10g refugium growing grape caulerpa and haven't had a positive nitrate reading in about 3 months. Once you move to larger tanks a skimmer gets to be more of a priority.
It's not needed. I have a 20 with no skimmer, but do have a HOB filter w/ two floss pads and Purigen. I also only feed every other day.
It's generally not needed to run a skimmer on a nano tank. Personally, I have an overstocked 20g reef with a 10g refugium growing grape caulerpa and haven't had a positive nitrate reading in about 3 months. Once you move to larger tanks a skimmer gets to be more of a priority.
What are you using for filtration?
What are you using for filtration?
Powerheads, live rock, and grape caulerpa
Ok, I've heard both. People using filters, and people just using live rock and a refugieum. That's enough filtration, your water stays pretty clean/clear with that as your filtration?
The water in my dt is perfectly clear. My only problem with it is I have a poorly designed refugium and there's a lot of detritus build up in there. But I just siphon it all out with my water changes.