Protein skimmer for 20g tank

[funzy021]

I started my reef tank 3 weeks ago and I can tell you that I don't know wy I didn't start it before. It's so fun to watch!! I can spend hours just looking at my little hermit crabs walking all around the rocks. They're so cute.

Yesterday, when I came back from home, I noticed that I had a lot of algea on the glass. I'm wondering if I can use the Prizm Red Sea Protein Skimmer with my tank size. Will this help?

Actually, I have a 20g tank with 25 pounds of live rocks, 4 blue leg hermit crabs, 2 red hermit crabs ans 2 turbo snail.

 

[rennocneb]

i have a 20gallon and the best thing ive found to control algae is more hermits and snails the local fish store told me at least one crab per gallon and one snail per gallon. I tried a seaclone skimmer it was terrible tons of bubbles and a leak in the j tube. Im interested in the prizm deluxe myself. I plan to possibly upgrade to a 40 long or 55 so i want something that will work for that too. Im just wandering if the prizm pro or red sea berlin turbo is worth the extra 80 bucks over the prizm deluxe on a 40 or 55.

 

[captivereefs]

Prizms work great once they break in. I run one on my sons 26 gallon reef and it does a good job. I would not put it on anything over a 29 gallon though.

 

[beachbumin]

the prism is a great skimmer for smaller tanks and it doesnt take up a lot of room on the back of the tank. Although it probally wouldnt hurt to get a few more snails and hermits anyways. Good luck!

 

[funzy021]

Thanks! I think I'll buy more crabs or snails next weekend. But wich one is better for cleaning? crabs or snails? One thing I noticed is that my snails don't clean the sand bed because they never go on it and they like to stay at water level.

 

[biotoxin]

Snails. Some hermits like my blue legs just keep goin at each other, i have to constantly blast em apart with my turkey baster. They love to fight. I would go with nassarius and astrea snails.

 

[funzy021]

so i should put a total of approx. 10 snails?

 

[MACATUA]

You could even go up to 20-25 snails, if you added no more hermits.

 

[jackdp]

I run the prizm standard deluxe on my 20 gallon tank and have no problems with it and it is thin and takes up little space in the back. If you can find the deluxe go for it, it comes with a surface skimming attachment and a carbon basket.

I would go with snails over hermits for algae control. Some hermits can eventually go after polyps. Add snails slowly maybe in groups of 5 or 6 and pay attention to the algae..if you still have an algae problem add another group until they get the algae under control.

 

[funzy021]

Wow. There's a lot of help on this forum!

Thank you all!