Contemplating going skimmerless

TWallace

TWallace

New member
I know that will sound blasphemous to many, but I'm not convinced my skimmer is integral to my system. My nitrates are always under 5ppm (currently 0) despite the fact that I feed my fish every 1-2 days and my Remora skimmer rarely produces any skimmate. I've tried thoroughly cleaning the skimmer tube, injector and pump to no avail. I have a HoB refugium with chaetomorpha, which I attribute all my nitrate reduction to. Other than nitrate reduction and oxygenating the water, what is the purpose of a skimmer?

For now, I've unplugged my skimmer pump but left it installed to see if I notice any difference in my tank.
 
Thanks for that link Reeses, good info indeed in there. Though Anthony does mention that my skimmer is one of the better ones available, and yet it's not performing for me. Think I'll just leave it disconnected for a few weeks and see if I see any reason to plug it back in.
 
I had a standard Remora w/MJ1200 on my 54g. Its performance was nothing to shout about. I now have it on a 29g with a moderate bio-load and it does ok. If your water parameters are in-line, it's probably due to your good overall husbandry - with or without the Remora.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7996105#post7996105 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jiggy
if u have a skimmer, why not use it?! it wont cause any harm.
Click to expand...

Electricity drain and extra heat added to the system are two minor reasons.
 
This tank is also running Skimmerless

Reef Videos

Click on the video that is the 3rd one down on the left column...

Andreas's Skimmerless

There are some neat tanks in those videos too

Enjoy

Guy
 
Skimming

Skimming

Can I make a suggestion, on this topic. I would go skimmerless only if the tank contains corals of the same species. This way there is no chance of the corals damaging each other from the corals Terpens, (Chemical defense). Also water changes are a must to keep nutrient levels low.
Yes it is a challenge going skimmerless, but remember you are dealing with an enclosed system, where any byproducts can go into the saturation level quickly, destroying a balanced ecosystem.
I will never keep a saltwater tank without skimming, having tanks with multiple coral species is even a better reason to use skimming.

:D CaptiveReef
 
It's an AquaC Remora. It's HoB, but I have it installed on my 10g sump. The pump for it is located right next to the overflow tube output, so it should be getting nutrient rich water from the surface of the tank.
 
Re: Contemplating going skimmerless

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7994133#post7994133 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TWallace
I know that will sound blasphemous to many, but I'm not convinced my skimmer is integral to my system. My nitrates are always under 5ppm (currently 0) despite the fact that I feed my fish every 1-2 days and my Remora skimmer rarely produces any skimmate. I've tried thoroughly cleaning the skimmer tube, injector and pump to no avail. I have a HoB refugium with chaetomorpha, which I attribute all my nitrate reduction to. Other than nitrate reduction and oxygenating the water, what is the purpose of a skimmer?

For now, I've unplugged my skimmer pump but left it installed to see if I notice any difference in my tank.
Click to expand...


NOw, If you want to go skimmerless, thats fine, and its your perrogative, but I have a couple of comments about the above.

1) Feeding every 1-2 days and having nitrates under 5 is not surprising. Honestly, if you fed every 1-2 days and had measurable nitrates, then you've got serious husbandry issues. Every 1-2 days is not a lot. Many of us feed 5-6 times a day, and still keep nitrates less than 5.

2) Please do not judge skimmers by the remora. Theyre made by hand, and cut by hand, so theres a ton of variability. Some of them are decent skimmers, but many of them are absolute pieces of junk.

A good skimmer allows you to do one thing that skimmerless people can not do (and thats pretty much all it does extra): Dump huge amounts of food into your tank without worrying about water quality. IMO, more food leads to healthier animals, with everything form fish, ot mushrooms, to acropora.
 
I have the AquaC EV180 and had a year of trouble with it. I think I finally got it fugured out and I was going to share the secret with you, but you said you have the remora and I have no idea how they work. Sorry.

Mike
 
I have a huge skimmer on my 120. I decided to shut it down for a while just to see what would happen. Did not notice anything unusual. Decided to turn it back on after about three weeks.

Well I noticed something unusual then. My fish acted like they were in heaven. I have never seen them so happy before. dancing around the tank and lots of courting behavior.

I did not think my skimmer was doing much, but this little experiment has sold me on keeping it running.

Maybe you should give it a try. JMO
 
Re: Re: Contemplating going skimmerless

Re: Re: Contemplating going skimmerless

2) Please do not judge skimmers by the remora. Theyre made by hand, and cut by hand, so theres a ton of variability. Some of them are decent skimmers, but many of them are absolute pieces of junk.
Click to expand...

I am by no means an expert at reef tanks, but your logic in this statement actually seems reverse to me. I am not necessarily picking on you, as I have seen this in other forums as well but..

Since the quality of the product varies [considerably] from piece to piece, I think it completely appropriate to judge (negatively at times) this skimmer producer. If a company cannot get its quality control in line, than how is that ok?

That is like Toyota saying, don't blame us because 30% of our cars are a bad, we build them by hand...

This logic just does not make sense, and the company should be judged. The people that have received good skimmers should feel lucky from what I see.
 
I have an aqua cc remora hob 1200 maxi jet on my 20 gal cube. It skims like a champ every day. It is a very nice hob skimmer imo.
 
Re: Re: Re: Contemplating going skimmerless

Re: Re: Re: Contemplating going skimmerless

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7997766#post7997766 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Husky_1
I am by no means an expert at reef tanks, but your logic in this statement actually seems reverse to me. I am not necessarily picking on you, as I have seen this in other forums as well but..

Since the quality of the product varies [considerably] from piece to piece, I think it completely appropriate to judge (negatively at times) this skimmer producer. If a company cannot get its quality control in line, than how is that ok?

That is like Toyota saying, don't blame us because 30% of our cars are a bad, we build them by hand...
Click to expand...

You confused my point husky. What I'm trying to say is more along the lines of "dont blame Cars in general, because 30% of toyotas are crap"

Go right ahead and judge AquaC on this product. Their quality control obvioulsy leaves soemthing to be desired here. I'm just saying that he shouldnt think that hes going to have a similar experience with all other skimmers (from other brands)

Just becaues he doesnt see much difference from his skimmer, doesnt mean he wouldnt see a big difference from a different skimmer.


(this variability in product quality is why I absolutely HATE seeing people reccomend the Remoras to newbies)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7997880#post7997880 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctrulock
I have an aqua cc remora hob 1200 maxi jet on my 20 gal cube. It skims like a champ every day. It is a very nice hob skimmer imo.
Click to expand...

Thats my whole point: Yours probably is a great skimmer. That has absolutely nothing to do with any other Remora, because theres such large variability in their construction. Yours may skim like a champ, his may be awful.

Another issue is, people often reccomend these for newbies, and say "hey, you can get one used for $75." Most of the ones being sold used are the ones the owners weren't satisfied in, and theyre generally junk.
 
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