Skimmer on a small'er sized nano tank

[NanoTank1]

For those who have used a skimmer on a tank that is 12 gallons or below:

• How heavily stocked was your tank?
• What skimmer did you use and how did the experience go?

[BlueThumb]

That's a tough one as most nano skimmers are not very efficient - and if they are - they're expensive and the HOB kind. A lot of people, like me (on a 28 gallon), use an air-stone skimmer. There's a fairly simple DIY version you can find on this site.

 

My tank only has three fish but a huge amount of SPS coral, zoas, and GSP.

I'm using some cheap JBJ air-stone skimmer that came with my JBJ Nano Pro.

 

Note: I am planning to build a slightly improved version but the JBJ has been fine.

[spazizz]

My next tank I'm doing is going to be around 8 gallons or less, I plan on using cadlights smallest skimmer. I hear good things about it.

[supernip]

I have a mame skimmer on a 5g tank. It skimmed well for the first 2 weeks, now it doesn't do much but aerate the tank. With smaller tanks, I would just do water changes and skip the skimmer

[farkwar]

I wouldnt knock airstone(limewood) skimmers. I actually liked the little crappy skimmer that came with my nano cube, except having to take the cup off to open the lid.

 

They produce smaller bubbles than a needle wheel (those ive experienced).

 

The beautiful little Mame Design skimmer is an airstone skimmer, and not cheap. And even on a nano you could probably use 2 or 3 if them.

 

Too bad the Gnome guy went out of business, or maybe bongs just made him more money for the effort.

 

I've read that PiCo is developing a nano pico skimmer.

 

I have a mame skimmer on a 5g tank. It skimmed well for the first 2 weeks, now it doesn't do much but aerate the tank. With smaller tanks, I would just do water changes and skip the skimmer

Why?Did you just skim everything out?

[Islandoftiki]

I had a gnome glass skimmer on my 10 gallon tank. It worked fine. Nothing life changing, but the skimmate coming out of it was pretty comparable to my Tunze 9002 on my 25 gallon tank. The gnome glass skimmer had the advantage of being usable in the main display without looking ugly, and with a quiet air pump mounted in the cabinet below, it's was darn near silent. I hear the Gnome Glass skimmer's availability has been inconsistent as of late. I had a Yellow Watchman Goby/Tiger pistol shrimp pair, a sixline wrasse, two cleaner shrimp and a large mix of soft corals, LPS and SPS corals.

 

Ideally, I wish I could have sumped that tank and put a bigger skimmer in the sump and gotten all of the extra gear out of the display.

 

Also, you need an area with consistent water level for a skimmer to work. I managed this with a Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO and a little mounting creativity. The optical sensor kept the water level +/- 1/8" and kept the skimmer doing it's job.

 

By the way, if you can fit a big HOB filter on the back of your tank, like the AC110, then an InTank media basket will allow you to fit a Tunze 9002 skimmer in it. That adds up to a fairly sizable investment. You might be able to sump it cheaper if you're willing to build your own sump out of a cheapo petco tank.

 

Those are my thoughts.

[supernip]

 

 

Why? Did you just skim everything out?

 

Not everything but enough to keep it from skimming efficiently. After a while, it just dried up near the output and wasn't very efficient. Again, let me reiterate I do not think it is worth it but it's fine as a buffer.

 

Take a 10g tank, a 2g water change will take out 20% of any suspended waste. Takes 5 mins and you just did what a skimmer would take days to do, if it ever takes out that much.

[BlueThumb]

islandoftiki - I'm using the JBJ ATO to do the same. And I thought I was the only clever person in the room

The only issue I have is the float sensors foul every few months and require a vinegar dip and cleaning. I am seriously considering the Tunze Osmolator.

[Chadf]

I have an sca 301 on a 12g with a 20g sump, consistently pulls nice sludge with just two fish.

[Jackal_Knight]

 

I have an sca 301 on a 12g with a 20g sump, consistently pulls nice sludge with just two fish.

Me too but I think he's asking more about a sumpless tank. But if you do have a sump then just get a sca 301 great skimmer for what it cost

[Red_Blenny]

I have a Bubble Magus QQ skimmer in my 12gal tank and it works wonders. But I have an AIO tank and it barely fits in one of the back compartments. So far, it's been almost 10 months and so far, it skims pretty well.

 

It's mostly stocked with softies with some LPS and SPS. I only have one fish (which I feed every 2-3 days) and I spot feed my corals every once a week (though lately it's been once every 2 weeks).