Swords:
Swords:
Hi, and no, I do not think you should go buy a skimmer to get you started. I do not think it is an issue that needs to be left to the "experienced." Trust me, it takes more experience to understand/run a skimmer than it does to not.
The au-natural concept is quite easy to understand... If you allow time for a natural cycle (found here in the archives, or on my website: New Tank Cycling), your sandbed will immediately begin establishing the bacterium necessary to process nitrates. I, for one, have a total "hands-off" approach, to any new system. Detrivores for the hair algae, caulerpa to start major consumption of nutrients that would otherwise feed nuisance algae.... I basically let the tank sit and run for no less than three months before I do a
thing to it. What could be easier, or more explainable to a newbie? Sure, it will smell, look horrible, etc... But, my oh my, if things don't have a way of balancing themselves out if we just trust nature to do her job.
In fact, or latest show was done with the nasties before the three month period. With no water changes to date (we don't change water in
any of our systems on a regular basis) we haven't had any recurrence of hair algae (oh, it was bad at first), nor have we had any red cyano. My first skimmered tank had cyano so bad we had to treat with maracyn to help out. So, I've never been "sold" that a skimmer is any type of "savior", even to the beginner. Sure, it helps one's ability to overfeed - but it might also be an adverse foe to some folks, even as it's pulling out nutrients as quickly as the newbie is adding expensive bottles of snake oil to "replenish" them. I think the easiest way to set up a system is to go skimmerless, be patient, let things develop naturally within the sandbed, and then one can learn about all the expensive toys and gadgets and make an educated guess as to whether or not one wants to acquire any such gizmos. My guess is that their tank will be looking so awesome that most newbies would shrug off both the need and desire to have excell life-support systems plugged into their tanks, actually sucking life
out of the system.
I've set up a fair share of brand-new folks with marine systems, and a skimmer has
never been a part of the "process." That's just more to explain, more to operate, and I believe - a false sense of security. To date, nobody has torn down their systems out of frustration; they are all doing really well.
Of far more importance to pass on to newcomers to the hobby is the importance of fish compatibility and overstocking. Sandbeds have allowed us to come milestones, and there's
far more important things which will measure our success and efforts than a skimmer. I'm not down on anybody that uses a skimmer, nor do I think that it takes any type of "experienced" reefer to "dare" to go skimmerless... That was the myth a couple of years ago. Far too many brand spankin' new hobbyists have set up beautiful skimmerless reefs from the start and the only concept they've needed to understand was
patience. Of course, even a skimmer won't cure impatience, eh?
Now, I don't advocate anyone to just "unplug" their skimmers... No, no no...
It's far easier to start out
without one than it is to yank something that's prevented your system from developing naturally. And skimmer v. non-skimmered involves no measure of experience. Well, actually, it requires more knowledge to understand/use a skimmer than it does to
not, as I've mentioned somewhat tongue in cheek.
I think the toughest thing about skimmers is admitting that it's a multi-hundred dollar piece of equipment that we just don't need, anymore. A sandbed and some caulerpa are far cheaper, and most people with a skimmer have a sandbed, anyway.
I used to justify my collection of skimmers, but as I helped brand new hobbyists start out without any, I had to put my self-important "tools" further back into the shed lest they be questioned!!
"What's
that???"
"Oh, it's something that we used to have to use... Before sandbeds and macroalgae, we used to rely heavily on mechanical filtration and/or water changes to remove the buildup of everything we put in the tank."
"Oh......"
"Ya, just mix your salt, keep good water circulation, keep the temp up, lay down your sandbed, toss in some cocktail shrimp and just leave everything
ALONE for two months... Can you
give me that????
"Well, what about the fish????"
"Just stir your sand - that will help spread the bacteria around... Put some pieces of dry base lace/bowl rock in there, and that will be the future home to lots of bugs and critters."
"But what do I need to DO?????"
"Nothing.... Just keep fresh air in the room
"
"But, I thought this was so much harder???"
"Oh, we can complicate things, if you'd like.... Wanna hook up some stuff with plugs that requires more of your time???
"
"Uh... no, I guess not.... You're
sure it's this easy?"
"Hey,
see that tank over there???"
"Yeah, but you've been
doing this for so long....."
"Hey, pal, that tank was set up brand new earlier this year.... My 11 year-old daughter maintains it......"
"REALLY????? What does she do? She drops measured amounts of food in, and makes sure the water doesn't fall below this line.... If it does, we just add fresh water."
In all seriousness, this scenario has been somewhat more than played out a number of times. Of course, with my love to gab, I
always tell folks I'm helping about water changes, what they are intended to do, and that it's a good thing to do at least in the beginning so one learns how to mix new saltwater into an established salinity range. There's a whole ton of "basic info" that needs to be parlayed to a newcomer to the hobby, including what a sandbed actually does, the importance of cleanup crews, and of course, let's not forget
LIGHTING. The concept of how much and why we need $$ lighting is without a doubt the most intriguing/complicated concept to any new reefer. Skimmerless systems are gaining far more acceptance... Again, two years ago, this would have been a flamefest, no? But now, we seasoned "vets" can't argue with brand spankin' newbies with beautiful tanks who have never spent a moment with a skimmer in their ownership. They really have shown us that there is far more of a "stigma" attached to skimmerless tanks than there is complexity.
Again, I think that's because most of us feel a need to justify in any way the major dollars we plopped down on our skimmer armies. Once we "get over it", though, we can see the irony in how it's actually more
complicated to use a skimmer than it is to just let nature do her job.
