Protien Skimmer

[Bracod]

I am planning on having a 10 gallon nano-reef with 20 lbs liverock, 40 lbs reef sand (dsb). My livestock will include:

 

Tank Raised Ocellaris Clownfish

1 Pepperment Shrimp

7 Trochus Snails

3 Turbo Snails

4 Nassarius Snails

6 Cerith Snails

 

Question is, do you think I will need a protien skimmer? I am just starting off in nano-reefs and this will be my first one, so I am thinking that I should have a protien skimmer to give me a little bit of room for error, but how necessary is it? If I do get a PS, it would be hang on since I am not going to have any sump stuff going on. What do you use on your tank?

[Vincerama]

Well, there is an article that goes over whether or not to use a PS, but it's all a matter of opinion. I have one, I dunno what difference it makes, but I see scum in the collection cup. Some might argue that that scum consists of necessary elements, with the argument being that water changes would replenish the elements I'm skimming out...but then I might as well just water change and not have a skimmer, right?

 

So you decide! I have one, because I'm lazy and will eventually neglect a water change, so I want the room for error.

 

Having said that, a HOB skimmer sure takes up a lot of that precious real estate on a 10g!

 

V

[Bracod]

Yea, I am worried about a hang on PS taking up space but I don't want to have one under the tank if at all possible, I saw somthing about a piccolo skimmer, looked really small, are these good? I am thinking about a small HOB PS, so if you can offer me with any advice it would be appreciated.