Why use a skimmer on a nano?

[ktownhero]

Originally posted by onthefly

Here's an idea....run a skimmer and do a 20% weekly w/c

 

Ultimately, that may be what I end up doing Going with an AC500 fuge to start off with, it is just so inexpensive to do. I'll see how things go from there. It'll probably be a while until I decide to even start putting corals in anyway.

[steelhealr]

KTown and Onthefly...do you guys mind if I copy your last two posts onto my thread? Thanks. SH

[onthefly]

No worries here.....

[ktownhero]

I am sorry, this is my intellectual property. I cannot have you taking my words... my ideas... my life and using it for yourself. What would the world come to if we all shared our thoughts, our concepts, our ideas? The world would end, it'd be anarchy!

 

Um, yeah... I don't care

[dhoffroad]

So what if a skimmer removes a few pods, phyto, or zooplankton?  The levels in our tanks are far from providing a source of nutrients.  It's analogous to you starving in your living room and finding a McNugget in the couch cushion....a pleasant surprise, but not a means of constant nutrients.

 

now that is good, a McNugget, OTF that almost made me spit out my beer....LMAO...(but then again very true "statment")

[onthefly]

See, I knew you'd be drinking your PBR (drinking the cheap stuff since your chick has your wallet in her purse) at the very moment you read that.....

[ktownhero]

Originally posted by onthefly

See, I knew you'd be drinking your PBR (drinking the cheap stuff since your chick has your wallet in her purse) at the very moment you read that.....

 

PBR is the beer of champions.

[pdhenderson]

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Han...inSkimming.html

 

I was quoting BF, that I should not have done without having validation in my statement. To proove this is best done personally. I encourage you to test all elements in your system, with/without skimmer.I believe you will see for yourself my point,. However, no two systems are identical and results will vary. I have taken water samples in for testing and told that certain elements were low, asking how this was removed, was answered with "skimmer".

I should have stated desirables rather than essential, you are correct.

 

McNugget in the couch? Time to move out of the trailer.

 

Ktown..........is a skimmer needed in a nano?

If you have time constraints, neglect, over feed, than yes, I could see how you would benefit. If you are comitted to your investment,

than no.

 

 

American beer tastes like ass, and doesnt do the job. hit up some Alexander Keiths IPA, now thats beer

[ktownhero]

Actually, I really dislike beer in general. I have friends that love it and give me all of these "good" beers to try out and they taste like ass to me. But, for some reason, I can kick back with a PBR and enjoy it.

[pdhenderson]

to each his own, its about kick back and relax

whats the opinion on canadian beer?

I hate molson and labatts products, gives ya molson mudslides

[onthefly]

Originally posted by pdhenderson

molson and labatts products, gives ya molson mudslides

 

Reminds me of a Tijuana lunch.......

 

You're very right PD, it really is a "preference" issue....I mean I don't run one and neglect my tank ...but I don't feed it anything other that light, Ca, Alk, and Mg (all tested for of course).

 

Once again, we're given a braod statement that "skimmers indiscrimently remove molecules" I won't argue that if a molecule is hydrophobic (the actual property that skimmers utilize, which both articles fail to mention) that it won't be removed from the water column. But, you have to ask yourself, if a molecule is so hydrophobic that it will coalesce at the surface...is that molecule really bioavailable for coral metabolism? Or, is it better to remove it before it enters the Nitrogen Cycle?

 

The problem is...how do you test for Manganese? Molybdemum? Vitamins? Cofactors? You can't without a lab. Hell, even most PO4 kits are horribly inaccurate and many salt mixtures are inconsistent from batch to batch.

 

The things that I know you can't test for and need to remove are: coral warfare molecules, slim, caulerpyne (since many run caulerpa), palytoxin, etc. Besides, it helps with dissolved O2/CO2 levels and helps to stabilize pH (which is probably a more wide spread problem).

 

As for canuck beer.....I like kokanee (Candian Coors light), but being here in Oregon, you can't get past the microbrews.

[dhoffroad]

Originally posted by onthefly

See, I knew you'd be drinking your PBR (drinking the cheap stuff since your chick has your wallet in her purse) at the very moment you read that.....

 

MGD not PBR....

 

and well maby I let her keep my wallet cause if I did'nt we probably would'nt be eatin, but I would have a sweet arse tank...LOL

 

(sorry to get off subject)

[pdhenderson]

On the fly

True, should have kept my mouth shut.

good reading though.

 

Its canadian not canuck and kokanee is water, try keiths or sleeman cream ale.

[skabooya]

WOW this thread was really helpful. Now i need to add another item to my shopping list for my initial nano start up. LOL.

 

and for my 2 cents

mmmm keiths,mmmm MGD, and eh kokanee (if MGD isint around)

[air_doc28]

organic proteins and amino acids such as pods, toxins released by coral or any other proten substances excreted by corals and other fish/critters i presume and not inorganic essential minerals and elements. I would assume you don't have to dose inorganic minerals and elements like calcium, etc. I'massuming that this will decrease the amount of protein broken down to nitrates.

 

is this accurate?

[onthefly]

Well air-doc I'm not sure I'm following what your saying, but....

 

I don't does anything into my tank other than: top off, 2-part, and light!!!

 

If anyone is interested...here's a great experient done by EB on oxygen levels in aquariums: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/eb/index.htm

 

Check out Exp. tank #3/chart#5......Very good reason to run a skimmer!

[Jpl3k]

Originally posted by pdhenderson

A small skimmer for a ten?

Skilter if you want to go cheap and burden yourself with problems, but everyone I asked always went with the remora, and they prooved to be right.

 

pdhenderson: I just talked to a LFS owner this morning who has been using a couple skilters on his 10's for many years now, and as long as you do the necessary cleaning/maintance (which is not a lot of work) the skilters run great and do their job just as well. Another, younger LFS employee with the additude "Sell, sell, sell! Even if its unnecessary." told me the same thing, Skilter is junk, you need a sump and an expensive skimmer. This seems to be untrue; why do you dislike the skilters so much? What's the real truth?

[Jpl3k]

Sorry, double post!

[pdhenderson]

I dislike them through experience. Mine worked very well at first, then it was daily adjustments all the time, became very noisy, and it produced bubbles that leaked into my DT. The foam ws good then became "very" wet, evaporation was high and just had a hard time with it. At the moment I am not using any skimmer at all. I am just warning you, as it goes with everything, you may find someone who has an item that works flawlessly but when you get it , its junk. Mine was and I have a buddy who had one and he agreed, he had the same problems as I did.

[onthefly]

^^^ My experience as well! ^^^

[Jpl3k]

pdhenderson: I understand, and I was not ripping into you or puttin you on the spot, I just needed reason to stand clear of the Skilter. My G/F was considering one, as well, so you probably did us BOTH a favor. Thanks!

[pet_doc]

Jpl3k: try a search for the skilter mod on this site. It involves using a wooden airstone placed into the reaction chamber, i've done it with my 250 and it pulls out a good amount every few days. Also, alot of the noise everyone talks about has to do with the skimmer pulling in air which this mod also eliminates. And this mod is cheaply done! All that you need is the airstone and an inexpensive pump.

[aleiodubua]

Well as for me, I'm going to buy a skimmer for my 12g Nano Cube. I just can't see not making your water cleaner if you can. I mean think about it, it's basily like air to the fish, would you like to breath dirty air all the time, or would you rather it be clean?

[Electrobes]

I think it really depends on what you already use for filtration in your tank. I have a 40g breeder and I purposely don't use a skimmer. I fully understand how a skimmer works, and even I try to convince more people to use them. If you understand why you don't need a skimmer than I say don't feel pressured to get one, but if you are unsure, you should prob get one.

 

My own reasoning is that I have a clam dedicated tank (which themselves are filters), a 20g "full fuge" (not sectioned off and packed with rock/chaeto), a lot of flow, decent clean up crew (but not too large), and my favorite material... activated carbon (Black Diamond to be specific), I run it 24/7 most of them time.

[onthefly]

Well Said Electrobes......