Protein Skimmer for a Nano, Putting it to rest for now

[reef-luva]

If I ran one on my 24, it would be for a few hours (8 max)...but once again, I dont see this as an "opinion" as much as an animal load question...lot's of stuff, I mean ALOT... one might be silly NOT to skim. A lighter load...one has more options.

I am a "changee"...currently.

[Upright Joe]

For what it's worth, I'm also a changee. I have a relatively small bioload and all softies. No problems for well over a year now. I even get behind on my water changes sometimes (though I think I'll be behind less now that I'm on catalina).

[BrookR1]

I run two skimmers on my 60 gallon tank. One Prizm and one CPR and the Prizm totally outskims my CPR. The CPR is junk in my opinion...even with the maxijet pump. Also, because the skimmer is clear, I get tons of corraline and aiptasia growth inside it. Last night, I finally bit the bullet and purchased an AquaC Remora with the hopes that it will do the job of those two. Then, I can keep the Prizm for curing LR and QT tanks and then sell the BakPak. Or...if there's somehow a way I can hook up my Prizm to my nano...that would be sweet.

[mrabolli]

Clearly water changes are "better" or preferable over skimming as skimming is only trying its best to duplicate the fresh water you are using to perform a water change! For most of us though time and hassel concerns mean that skimming is the only good way to balance a healthy reef and a normal life that doesnt keep us always doing water changes. I dont run one at the moment and I probally will at some point but my new nano is only about 2 months old and Im just now starting to see proteins build up on the surface. The mangroves will eventually kick in full swing (1 year?) and the need for skimming will be obsolete. Oxygenating the water still remains important though so Id have to make up for that some other way.

[onthefly]

I can't remember where I read it (somewhere in reefkeeping magazine...I'll try to find it), but mangroves are nothing more than "spinny rims" on a nano. Very cool looking, but they lack functionality. A couple mangrooves lack the density to sufficently reduce nutrients. You'd be better off growing and harvesting chaetomorpha.

 

I do agree with the "changees" that a religous w/c is good for a nano regardless....but, unless your planning on doing them like Sanjay does his nano (90% bi-weekly), I feel that there is the potental for a 1000-fold more crap in your tank that you can't test.....that a skimmer "might remove".

 

Therefore, skimmer and monthly w/c!

[Cellenzweig]

I can't remember where I read it (somewhere in reefkeeping magazine...I'll try to find it), but mangroves are nothing more than "spinny rims" on a nano. Very cool looking, but they lack functionality. A couple mangrooves lack the density to sufficently reduce nutrients. You'd be better off growing and harvesting chaetomorpha.

I've read something similar on WetWebMedia.com

[proraptor]

I would go with the coral life super skimmer...I hear good things about them. The remora guys are switching to them as well

[zombiereef]

i voted other becuase i use a css65 and i really like it. its only fault is it uses a rio 1100 with a redesigned needle wheel pump. the pump works but i hear so many nightmares about rio pumps. it isnt the quietest skimmer out there either. i have mine on my 20L with a 10g refugium and it pulls a lot of crud out of my tank. i have 2 shrimp, a blue devil damsel, small ricordia, small frogspawn and a few hermits/snails. i have a nice wad of cheato in my fuge. i run mine 12 hours a day and it seems to be working nicely.

[Undertheradar]

If you make a 6"x2"x24" version of my nano skimmer with 1/4" acrylic and run it with a Mag 3 it will outperform a remora.

[marc nichols]

I have an 18 month old 12G eclipse reef. Despite hard work, at @9 months had a bad outbreak of hair algae. Nothing worked to rid the problem, only to minimize. Installed an Aqua C. Problem solved. Everone is happy. Highly stocked and can feed daily with out significant risk to stability. Also rigged an automated top off which further stabilized the environment, particularly since my ambient room temp is @85deg now causing high evap rate. 18 months now.

[reiple]

Running a skimmer AND frequent water change would be a better option. Especially if your skimmer does not suck. Skimmate that is.

[plb]

I've had both skimmer and skimmerless systems...both were fine.

[geekreef_05]

So as some of you may or may not know Im a big fan of natural reefs...

...my nano is a 15 gallon mixed reef with SPS (two monti caps and two acro's) and NO SKIMMER. Now I have no fish, so I have very little pollution, but this setup works very very well. I do two water changes a month (25-30%) and thats about it.

 

Not every reef needs a skimmer. Its completely dependant on your bioload and what your reef can handle. I also have a 60 gallon FOWLR tank, with no skimmer. The LR filters the water well enough to keep param's perfect. I did have a skimmer on this tank at one point; it was LifeReef venturi model. It pulled out a decent amount of 'stuff'...but why bother running it if you can get perfect param's without it? There are only 4 fish in this 60 gallon and about 60 lbs of rock. It seems to work out just fine. *)