how necessary is a protein skimmer?

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hobbes

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Nov 7, 2003
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Location
Redwood City, CA
Question for the board...

I have a 40 gallon corner acrylic tank, w/build in sump. I have a seaclone 100 skimmer, that won't fit in the sump (sump is too narrow) so I have to hang it on the back.

To make a long story short, to get it to hang on the back is going to be a royal pain. I'll need to move my tank another 3-4 inches out from the wall, as well as possibly due us cutting into my canopy.

It is a FOWLR tank, I am in the middle of cycling right now, but when going will have probably 5 very small fish and a few inverts as well as live rock. My question is, how necesary is the protein skimmer? I know it will be of some help, but if I can get by without it at this point it would save me a hell of a lot of trouble. Wanted to get some opinions either way.

Thanks in advance.
 
My question is, how necesary is the protein skimmer? I know it will be of some help, but if I can get by without it at this point it would save me a hell of a lot of trouble.

Yes you can get buy without it. You should try to do water changes just a bit more frequently and feed just a bit less than you might normally do since you dont ahve a skimmer there to assist with daily pulling out of DOC's. Also there may be other hang on skimemrs that will acutually benifit your tank more than the seaclone 100.
 
I found that a skimmer is a great tool if you have a tank outbreak of a disease. I have run tanks with a skimmer and without. I have had much better luck with the skimmer, especially if you have live rock.

Talk with you later
 
I agree... with fish only... you aren't going to be dosing like you would with corals... you can counter a lot of the biological waste issues with your cleanup crew, filters on the powerheads and activated carbon. You'll probably still have to dose with iodine for your crabs and any shrimp but your bi-weekly water changes bumped up to 15-20% (or 10% done weekly) will keep all that from being too problematic.

You may want to also consider using something like Kent's Iodine and Calcium suppliments that are suitable for more frequent or larger doses when you do dose... that will reduce the chances of overdosing the tank. Some of the suppliments are so strong that you dose one or two drops once a week or once a month... be warry of those, it's easy to put in one drop too many and have to do an emergency water change.
 
You said a few inverts but I would guess having a good load of inverts would be better as they will eat a lot of the waste in the tank before it gets too much of a chance to foul things up.
 
I found that a skimmer is a great tool if you have a tank outbreak of a disease.

I only mean that in the beginning of a new tank, before you get soft coral or invertebrates, I have had trouble with ich or other parasites attacking some fish. This is very true if you purchase fish from a less than friendly local fish store. If you treat the tank with, lets say Kent RX P Expert Series, then you need the skimmer to clear out the treatment or the treatment will overload in your tank and kill your fish.
 
lgarmes said:
If you treat the tank with, lets say Kent RX P Expert Series, then you need the skimmer to clear out the treatment or the treatment will overload in your tank and kill your fish.
Carbon and a water change will do the same thing.

Cheers
Steve
 
i would go with a skimmer, you woil be amazed at what it pulls out of your water, mabey take a look at a prizim delux i think there only 2 or 3 inches deep
 
I skim 10 Hours a day. 0 Nitrates..period
Deep sand bed (live sand), large sump, lots of LR and its paradise in a box.
 
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