Cheapest most effective skimmer that fits in a Nanocube

[redfishsc]

In the meantime until you can get a decent skimmer you can use Seachem's Purigen to *almost* do what a skimmer does. Plus it can be regenerated with bleach. I used it a while back for about a year and a half on a 15g nano that had absolutely no skimmer on it, and I grew several sps and softies in the tank. No doubt they would have done better WITH a good skimmer, but the Purigen helped.

[RayWhisperer]

Face palm

 

I didn't read this whole thread. I don't think I need to.

 

Keeping a nano? PROBABLY DON'T NEED a skimmer... Planning on keeping SPS or clams? PROBABLY GOING TO NEED a skimmer. The better the lights and skimmer, the better the results.

 

For whoever said something about if you don't have a skimmer, you'll have nitrates.... I hate to be the one to break it to you. A skimmer doesn't remove nitrates

 

You guys want to argue about petty things, take it to the Lounge.

[masterbuilder]

Ray is right.

No SPS, no need for a skimmer in a nano. Just do your normal weekly water changes.

If you want/need a skimmer for your tank, a nano remora skimmer is the best bang for the buck. To save even more money you could put a WTB ad in the ckassified here and on other forums. I would bet you would find a nice used one fairly quickly.

[nanoskim]

Face palm

 

I didn't read this whole thread. I don't think I need to.

 

Keeping a nano? PROBABLY DON'T NEED a skimmer... Planning on keeping SPS or clams? PROBABLY GOING TO NEED a skimmer. The better the lights and skimmer, the better the results.

 

For whoever said something about if you don't have a skimmer, you'll have nitrates.... I hate to be the one to break it to you. A skimmer doesn't remove nitrates

 

You guys want to argue about petty things, take it to the Lounge.

 

Please read up about the Nitrogen cycles at PetEducation.com under nitrogen cycle.

 

The job of a skimmer is to remove organics BEFORE they break down and end up being NITRATES!!

Once you have nitrates you have to do water changes to prevent the buildup of nitrate levels.

FYI, clams actually use nitrates....read up on this as well...SPS do not like nitrates as you said correctly.

 

Just trying to help your understanding

[RayWhisperer]

Please read up about the Nitrogen cycles at PetEducation.com under nitrogen cycle.

 

The job of a skimmer is to remove organics BEFORE they break down and end up being NITRATES!!

Once you have nitrates you have to do water changes to prevent the buildup of nitrate levels.

FYI, clams actually use nitrates....read up on this as well...SPS do not like nitrates as you said correctly.

 

Just trying to help your understanding

Then I misunderstood what you meant in your post. It seemed as though you were implying a skimmer would remove nitrates. My bad. Skimmer or not, water changes are still needed on just about any tank.

 

Inland Aquatics in Indiana, is the only place I've seen with an almost entirely self sufficient setup. All it requires is topoffs and a partial water change every five years or so.

 

Yes, clams do feed on nitrates and phosphates, from what I know. However, I was also under the impression they required extremely stable parameters. Thus the addition of a skimmer would be advised. It doesn't really matter to me though. I have no clams and don't plan on keeping any in the near future.