Protein skimmer vs Sump

[chocolates mom]

Could someone please explain the main differences between a protein skimmer and a sump? If I have a 55 gallon FOWLR and am planning on adding some beginner corals in the next few months do I need both?

 

[kraze3]

Sump holds all your equipment such as heaters, thermometers, even your protein skimmer. The sump also adds extra water volume to your setup making it easier to maintain. And finally its a place to do water changes and any dosing of chemicals so they arent dumped into your main tank

The protein skimmer itself skims the water of a nasty stuff.

IMO I would do both, but your system can be run with just one or niether. I just bought my first skimmer last week and Im in the process of building my first sump as we speak.

 

[cb9tunerguy]

i found this link when browsing the other day. this is an exelent site for sump info. i spent about 2 hrs reading info here. i hope it helps http://www.melevsreef.com/

 

[salreus]

you do not need a sump. But the more water you have the better. So a sump would only increase your volume of water and allow it to be controlled easier. unless you are very experienced, and know how to set up a tank without a skimmer, I don't think anyone would tell you to not use a skimmer.

simple answers to your questions.

sump- stores more water
skimmer-removes organic waste

 

[jedi31]

If you have a sump you can buy a nice in sump protein skimmer. They sell hang on the back skimmers and there are some good ones out there, but I think the in sump skimmers are more efficent than the hang on the back ones.

 

[salreus]

I agree. HOB skimmers are limited in size. So they are limited in what they can do. using a sump skimmer or external skimmer can give you a lot more size thus a lot more skimming. However you have a 55 gal tank. so a good quality HOB skimmer might work. But make sure you research on good quality HOB skimmers. I have read there are a lot of useless ones out there.

 

[firefish2020]

Run both if you want to avoid any pitfalls down the line. If you are doing coral, a skimmer is a must UNLESS you are planing a tank full of xenia which has actually been shown to decline if the water is skimmed to much. A reef is a balanced system of nutrient import and export each system will be a bit different in the way or ways it processes the waste and how it becomes balanced. Either way though a good skimmer is worth it's weight in gold IMO