Is a protein skimmer necessary?

[JoeBatt]

I think its much easier to run skimmer less on a smaller tank since water changes are much easier to do. Yes you can run any size tank skimmer less but it gets harder and harder the bigger the tank.

 

[bat21]

I think its much easier to run skimmer less on a smaller tank since water changes are much easier to do. Yes you can run any size tank skimmer less but it gets harder and harder the bigger the tank.

This is definitely true.

 

[newbie2014]

Thanks.

GFO was in a TLF 150 reactor hanging off the back. Carbon was in the canister filter, along with a bunch of rubble rock to add biological filtration.

The downside is that cleaning the canister becomes a royal PIA, and as such, becomes the first thing to be put off. Stay on top of it and it can work.

That's exactly what I have in mind. My canister is full of rubble rock and one tray of carbon. I have been contemplating the TLF 150 for hang-on-back, but don't know which pump to use. I already have MJ1200, but I think that would be too powerful for the TLF 150.

Thanks again for the tips.

 

[billdogg]

I used a minijet400. The TLF comes with a ball valve so that you can adjust the flow regardless of the pump you use.

 

[E572]

I use one, made my own out of a orange juice bottle, an extra air pump I had laying around, a piece of hose from my water siphon pump and a plastic container. I put silicone on it to seal it and it works great. Cost next to nothing.

 

[Bergvid]

You don't need a skimmer if you have a small bio load when compared to the size of your system. People have it drilled in their heads that if you have no protein skimmer everything will die which is rubbish. Julian Sprung actually runs a tank with no protein skimmer you can view it on youtube.

 

[newbie2014]

I used a minijet400. The TLF comes with a ball valve so that you can adjust the flow regardless of the pump you use.

Thank you for the tip.

 

[jzch82]

I have an HOB-XC. It does a great job. I would not run a saltwater fish tank without a protein skimmer, that's just my perspective. I usually run my skimmer for a day, then turn it off for the day. The cup usually fills up halfway in a day, that is a lot of waste is pulling out of the water. My phosphates are usually always at .25, even running my skimmer. I have a Marineland 400 filter and a Fluval 70 filter, I change the carbon filters once a month. And I have a Jebao WP-25 waveMaker. Of course I run my wave maker and my Marineland 24 hours a day. Like I said, I run my skimmer and my Fluval 70 filter every other day or for a couple days, then give it a days rest. I also turn both of these filters off when I feed the fish and corals. I just bought the tropic Marin balling method, I'm not sure I understand it yet. So if anybody has any advice for me let me know. I tried to do a 5 or 10% water change every week or every other week. My PH has been about 7.9, is that fine. Everything is doing fine in my tank accept my starfish just died, technically I think it's still alive but two of its arms fell off and turned into goo.