do i need this??

[vsnsofadrgn]

hello, im new to this site. i have a small tank, 20g, that has been up and running since feb 05. my question is, do i need this protien skimmer, its a peice of junk, and half of the time its not working anyways.....cant i just get more live rock?? is there anythin else i can do???

 

[Salttanker]

You can use LR for your biological filtration. Just get around 40lbs and you should be fine. Keep in mind that SW in a 20 gal can be difficult due to thl small volume of water. What are you planning on keeping?

Mike

 

[AndyH5512]

I would use a skimmer.

 

[Jermz79]

I don't use skimmers on either of my tanks and one of them is a 12gal Nanocube. If you keep proper tank maintainance in check and stay on top of it your tank will thrive without a skimmer. It only requires more dedication to the tank, which to me is fun anyway!

 

[Skuseman]

I do not have a skimmer. However i notice that you need to do water changes a little more frequently. For me when the bubbles reach the surface of the water they should pop pretty quickly. If they do not they stay floating for 3 or more seconds it is time to do a water change. I notice you start to get a film of some kind on the top of the tank and the bubbles do do not pop anymore. take that away and you are all set for a while.

 

[vsnsofadrgn]

well the skimmer that i have is a peice of crap, it doesnt even work half of the time, and ive noticed that film on the surface when its not working......so i should get more LR and an airiator??? i do regular water changes anyways so thats not a problem.......i have 2 clowns, some hermit crabs, snail, and a crab of some sort that came with the LR. i only have one powerhead, should i get another??

 

[chelli]

Get a well-built cheap (i know that sounds oxy-moronic) skimmer that hangs on back and you'll be set. I have the Skilter kind. It works and I still have to do water changes but when I change the water I empty the skimmer portion and all the ick comes out.. My water surface is crystal clear and clean 24/7... My bubbles pop as they hit the surface all the time. I change the water because I know its due, not because I have put anything into jeopardy. I believe in fixing the problem before it starts.. since down here its $4.99 for baby damsels and gas is $2.79 a gallon and it is 50 miles one way to the pet store.. we must take extreme care of anything we buy...

 

[HoopsGuru]

The skilter is known as one of the loudest and most inefficient skimmers on the market, but there are various mods that can increase its performance.

For the small size of your tank, I would consider doing 5-15g water change every week or two weeks (the larger the better) with freshly mixed/aerated saltwater and things should be great without a skimmer.

 

[Salttanker]

since down here its $4.99 for baby damsels and gas is $2.79 a gallon and it is 50 miles one way to the pet store.. we must take extreme care of anything we buy...

I'm sure it will go up once again due to hurricane Rita. This is crazy..

Mike

 

[vsnsofadrgn]

i have the kind that hangs on the back, and like i said, its a peice of junk and the water evaporates so fast that it doesnt stay filled when i hang it so i have to usethe suction cups and you can imagine how great that works .....i think if i just get more LR it will be fine, thanks for all your info......but do i need another powerhead??? and an airiator??

 

[Salttanker]

A couple of Maxijet 900's would do the trick for filtration and surface agitation. They are cheap enough too.

Mike