Skimmer for softies, or no skimmer for softies?

[.Chris.]

I've read some pros and cons for both. I'd like to hear from experienced keepers, however, as I am considering doing a soft coral dominated reef for my next tank.

 

[cloak]

For the overall health of the tank, I would buy a skimmer. Softies are not to particular when it comes down to parameters, lighting & flow. If you ever feel as though your water is too clean, just feed more.

 

[.Chris.]

When you say the health of the tank are you talking about the fish? Because if softies aren't too particular about parameters then they wouldn't be concerned with the lack of skimmer?

I have no experience with keeping soft corals in a tank outside of working with them in my position as an LFS employee. My personal experience is solely with SPS and LPS.

Excuse my ignorance.

 

[cloak]

For everything... The fish, the corals, the invertebrates etc. It also provides a lot of oxygen to the tank as well. (pH) A protein skimmer is definitely a very beneficial tool. GL.

 

[Mikefromaz]

It is generally perceived that softies do well with some nitrates. Turning off your skimmer a couple of days a week will cause your nitrates to come up a bit. 5ppm would be about as high as I would go though. With the skimmer off, whatever you feed the coral will remain in suspension longer too so tje nutrients have a better chance of being utilized.

 

[Reefvet]

It is generally perceived that softies do well with some nitrates. Turning off your skimmer a couple of days a week will cause your nitrates to come up a bit. 5ppm would be about as high as I would go though.

Where do you come up with this stuff ?

You have no idea what the tank setup is intended to be, number of fish, how often they'll being fed, much less how much rock there will be, how many corals he intends to keep, what other filtration he'll use. I could continue but I think I've made my point. Your post is total nonsense.

As for the OP. A skimmer serves many functions and if you're unsure you need one then do some reading. Search here and you'll find plenty of good information.

 

[Mikefromaz]

Where do you come up wit. this stuff ?

You have no idea what the tank setup is intended to be, number of fish, how often they'll being fed, much less how much rock there will be, how many corals he intends to keep, what other filtration he'll use. I could continue but I think I've made my point. Your post is total nonsense.

As for the OP. A skimmer serves many functions and if you're unsure you need one then do some reading. Search here and you'll find plenty of good information.

Boy, you're some nasty piece of work aren't you. I'm not going to dignify your garbage with an explanation, or an argument.

 

[Kentech5]

If you were planning on going with light stocking fish-wise I don't think a skinner would be necessary in a softy tank. That's just my opinion though.

 

[Mikefromaz]

If you were planning on going with light stocking fish-wise I don't think a skinner would be necessary in a softy tank. That's just my opinion though.

I believe that any tank would benefit from the usr of a skimmer. My tank a 29 gal. with a 20gal. sump utilizes a skimmer rated at 125 gal., a leftover from a much larger tank many years ago. My bio load is two chromis and an oscellaris and a half dozen or so corals. In my case it is easy to overskim. That being said it was wise for the poster considering the softies to look for advice. It is better to buy the largest one can afford because you can "grow into""it as needed.

 

[3dees]

I have a lot of softies and a few lps in my 120 gal. I run a skimmer 24/7. people do run skimmerless tanks, but I can't see any cons in running one.

 

[saf1]

They are not neceaasy but do serve a purpose. You can do a search and see many tanks without skimmers that do well. Soft corals do like dirtier water for lack of a better word. Again do a search and you can read on your own. A lot depends on what you are keeping but than again that is true for all animals we keep.

You can also use one and see how it goes. Alternate days, etc.

 

[vlangel]

I have run tanks successfully both without and with skimmers. My skimmerless tank was a softie dominate 90g with lots of LR. I had beautiful sinularia, an anemone, devil's hand and nice hammer and frogspawn. It was stocked fairly heavy with 11 -12 fish. When I downsized to a 36g I bought a skimmer. My nitrates went from 20ppm to 5 ppm in my now LPS dominant tank with a display seahorse macro fuge attached. Seahorses really should have a skimmer so it comes down to what your aquatic life needs. IME softies don't need a skimmer although I would run carbon to deal with their chemical warfare.

 

[Mikefromaz]

I've found that keeping a mixed tank of LPS and softies to be a real challenge. I can go months without even a hint of nitrates. Sounds great and it is for the stonies but my leathers just sit there. As soon as I force my nitrates up a bit the leathers act like the dinner bell just rang! I know a lot of reefers have trouble with nitrates but running a Coralife 125, two bags of Purigen and a half quart of carbon on a 40 gal. system is likely overkill. I have been experimenting with shutting the skimmer down two dsys a week. My other most controlable option is removing some or all of the purigen. I am more for making small changes and giving the tank a chance to respond.

 

[take2]

+1 on skimming regardless of setup

 

[joshky]

Skimmers aren't entirely necessary in some setups, but I would personally opt for a heavier bioload in a tank where I felt a skimmer wasn't necessary. (with a skimmer running, obviously) Fish poop and more food in the water column is nice for the corals. :thumbsup:

 

[3dees]

I have 14 mostly small fish in my 120 gal. softie/lps tank. I feed once per day but feed a lot. I can't get any nitrates. my corals are doing well, but I had a Kenya that just melted away within a few months. I'm wondering if I should turn my skimmer off for a few days to see if I can get just a little nitrates, or just leave it alone. I thought some nitrates would make my corals grow faster.

 

[Knots]

Skimmers 9/10 usually help your tank... but they alone aren't enough to filter your tank. I've ran tanks with and without... and as an indication of how I feel, I just bought a skimmer.

I noticed that I have to do less maintenance in the long run if I have a skimmer. This is a win for a semi-lazy guy.

 

[Knots]

I forgot to mention... there are two somewhat inexpensive skimmers that I've used and I liked both... never had any problems with them. Just know that it takes AT LEAST one week, sometimes a few weeks, for the skimmer to start working. It takes time for the bubbles/slim/etc. to balance itself out. Plus, a lot of folks don't place them at the right depth. Watch youtube... very helpful.

Fuval Sea PS1 has one for about $75. Lee's protein skimmer is also pretty good. Both of these suit about 55gal tanks. The Lee's is cheep, quiet and works, but doesn't act as an extra source of water movement. Fuval's is also cheap (for a skimmer), very easy to use, and somewhat quiet.

Hope that helps. Not sure if I'm allowed to recommend brands... those two are just the one's I've actually used.

 

[Mikefromaz]

One way or another unless you have a large enough tank and a miniscule bio load waste products must go. When you think about it, by far most efforts and gizmos sold for aquariums are for waste reduction/ removal. Good insurance for sure.