Skimmer for a 20L

[ISUAquatics]

I've debated for the last week or so on hanging a skimmer on the back of my 20L build. (It does not currently house a sump) This tank will be lit by Kessil Led. I'm hoping to start out with softies, and may eventually stretch to SPS down the road, with a small fish biomass. I was looking at the Bubble Magus QQ1, but haven't pulled the trigger. Anybody have suggestions or ideas on a skimmer that would work well? 

[jservedio]

No need for a skimmer in a tank this size, especially if you are light on bioload. In fact, it'd be better to not have a skimmer when you have a light bioload since the skimmer will pull out what little dissolved organics exist in your tank that your corals and inverts need. After your tank is established, if you decide to get a lot of fish and are having trouble with nutrient export, that's when you should consider a skimmer.

 

I have a fairly heavy bioload and run no mechanical or chemical filtration at all because I have a ton of corals and inverts to soak up all of the waste. My tank just passed 10 years, so nutrients building up definitely isn't an issue long term!

[ISUAquatics]

That's awesome, this is exactly what I was wanting to know. Thank you! What size is your tank and what does your bioload consist of if you don't mind me asking?

[jservedio]

It's a 20 gallon tall, here's the build thread.

 

[mcarroll]

A Tunze 9001 skimmer might be the best fit, just to answer the original question.

 

https://www.tunze.com/US/en/details/9001.000-comlineR-doc-skimmer-9001.html

4.5" x 2.5" x 8.5"T

 

It's true that everything can be considered optional, especially if you really know what you're doing.  Recall that marine aquarium keeping goes back to the 1850's. EVERYTHING we know about, equipment-wise, can be considered optional.

 

But live rock and a protein skimmer are without doubt the most tried and true "filter combo" for reefing...all the way back to Peter Wilkins and The Berlin Method.   A protein skimmer provides lightweight filtration, but also excellent aeration.

 

Where possible, live rock and a protein skimmer is the combo I'd still recommend to anyone starting out. 👍