Protein skimmer usage

[Nu2SW]

Ok So I am wondering how many of you use a protein skimmer?


I stopped using my skimmer for like a month and my cheato started growning, my nitrates dropped from 10 to 0 and some of my zoa's that were dull are starting to get more color to them.

Now I know it takes junk out of the water, but It also takes good stuff out. So I am wondering how many of us dont use one and why. Do we use it because we are told that we need it.

What happens to systems that dont have one in the long run???

Also please post what you voted and anything you would like to add.

 

[boviac]

I have a simple prizm type that doesn't work that great but after a week there is quite a bit of ... protien... in there. I tend to divert my breath cleaning that cup out! Since it's not that great I'm not too worried about it pulling too much good out with the bad. But I use it nonetheless.

Chris

 

[Justin74]

I'm probably goin bass akwards with my systems, I skim my softy tank and dont skim my SPS tank. It's been goin skimmerless for the past 6 months now. It is odd seeing some corals brighten and liven up after not using one for awhile, I think theres a few reasons that play into this other than just skimming the bad stuff out though.

I would say over the past year I havent been as consistant as I would like and have no real evidence of any method being better or worse for myself yet. Although I am a lil more 'laxed on the upkeep of the softy tank, so maybe its just a nice saftey net.

I'll be trying to get my skimmer going again on my SPS tank. I'll be buying a needlewheel pump and hopefully maybe that will make it work better.

Has anyone tried the GenX 1000 or 1500 needlewheel pump? Good, bad?

-Justin

 

[CaptiveReefSystems]

you are most likley seeing an increase in dissolved organics when not using a skimmer, so there is more food available to the coral. A skimmer allows you to somewhat over feed and still control the TDO. Long term rise in TDO will cause issues like cyno and other algae issues.

 

[Nu2SW]

Thank you bruce for chiming in, I was wondering if you were still around.

So I got a questiong then, If we use the skimmer not at a constant rate, say off for a month on for a month, would that be better then not running it at all Or would enough water changes take care of TDO from building up over time.

 

[sumyungviet]

on my 30cube, i skimmed alot, basically because i had a mixed reef, with fish, and fed.. ALOT. Also towards the end, i had a clam, so i was feeding alot of phyto feast. i didnt have the tank up long enough to really tell if skimming was really beneficial or not.

 

[dots]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8725134#post8725134 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nu2SW
Thank you bruce for chiming in, I was wondering if you were still around.

So I got a questiong then, If we use the skimmer not at a constant rate, say off for a month on for a month, would that be better then not running it at all Or would enough water changes take care of TDO from building up over time.

That may work if your TDS are close to the mark already.....why not use the skimmer 24/7? Too loud? Run it and let it go the more the better.

 

[Unarce]

Edwin - It's not totally necessary, and is doable under certain conditions. For softies, it's perfectly fine not to run a skimmer. A stony (LPS/SPS) set-up would probably be fine if you at least do a WC once a month. All of the above would less likely do well (although, not impossible) long-term, if you have a very high fishload.

Personally, I've run my reef for years without a skimmer, but I was old school, and only kept one or two fish at a time. Nowadays, I have way more fish and feed way more food, so a skimmer is an essential safety net.

Here are some pics of my last unskimmed reef:

 

[Nu2SW]

yeah i got 2 clowns, a sixline 2-3in, yellow tang about 3-4 inches, a blue/yellow tail damsel 2-3inch, and two 1inch chromis

Feed once a day mysid in the early part and at night i feed some dry food a little at a time so they get most the food.

No it isnt to loud its a cpr bakpak 2 with a mj1200, Its just my zoa's are starting to color up alot and the tank just looks nicer since im not running it.

 

[matttaylor]

i stopped running mine about a week ago, and have also seen an increase in color and inflation of my corals. I don't know if it's because of no skimmer or not, but it's a softie tank with a high bio-load and weekly 10% waterchanges, a DSB and an undergravel filter on one end. Completely old school and backwards tank, however all life is happy and thriving including the large green haddon's carpet.

 

[Avalanche Wolf]

I have a VERY high fish load so a skimmer is a must with me but I do notice that about the 3-4 week mark when the skimmer is running pretty bad due to being so dirty that my Toadstool inflates more. Have not noticed a differance in color though in the BTA,Pylops,Xenias,Shrooms though.

Have not had the Orange Monticap long enough yets to see a differance in that.

 

[dots]

With only two measly chromis and a coral beauty, a Barebottom tank, with a filtersock and a Euroreef skimmer, feeding once every two days, and my lights so close to the water.....my SPS have lightened up just a tad......I am turning mine off for a while to keep what nutrients in the water from getting picked up.....which is VERY little as is....currently I am lucky if the cup is changed once a week.

 

[CaptiveReefSystems]

to use or not use a skimmer depends on several factors. What is in the tanks and fish only do not need a skimmer. If you are doing large or frequent water changes, you are performing some of the service a skimmer provides.

If you have a strong skimmer running 24/7 and it is not producing much, you can either add more food stuff to the tank or run it 12/7 and see how it goes.

I am not a fan of large or frequent water changes. I believe it is not a good use of a valuable resource, not to mention the cost of salt these days. I work at proper and controlled feeding and good equipment. Items like skimmers and DSB and media reactors allow us to over feed our tanks so the animals get everything they need, but the issues with to much DO are controlled by this equipment.

 

[Jim_S]

^ Absolutely agree!

 

[dots]

Exactly Bruce agree with you on that 100% also....thats why I just turned mine off.....don't need it right now with my load. quieter too!!!

The whole water change thing in general has got me wondering if people do to much when having nutrient exports properly and not introducing too much food or phosphates by using tap water.

The old, trace element arguement does not apply with 2-parts like B-ionic.....in fact, the water I pull out of the main tank, goes into the nano, and the nano water gets poured out. I want to get my moneys worth.

My water changes seem to be getting longer and longer between lately, and mine tank is doing as good as ever.

But if you have a smaller tank, that is overstocked and feed twice daily with no skimmer.......one is going to need to change their water twice as much as I would need.

I agree, skimmers and the technology gives us a little more wiggle room to do what we want were in the past we couldn't as Karl mentioned not having many fish with a non skimmed SPS tank.....It is the simmiliar arquement I make when keeping anenome or SPS under less than MHs.....

sure it can be done, but having the right equipment makes it a whole lot easier to control your tank enviroment and provide a little wiggle room in times that the tank is out of whack.