Why do you use a skimmer?

[xdannyxrocksx]

see with your own eyes, tanks that are very succesfull skimmerles, just running a simple scrubber.

{http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=9&sid=d5cb47482654d9154b0d9bbf12e69922}

 

[xdannyxrocksx]

the reason alot of people dont admit they run scrubbers is because theres people like alot of people here that just talk crap because they are not running top dollar equipment. All of the info i gave came from a thread here i wasnt stealing anything its information given out to the public

 

[xdannyxrocksx]

nothing i am sure will ever replace my skimmers as far as keeping my water quality in check... its jus the way it is, imo

its whatever works for you and you aquarium, you asked how scrubbers functioned i answered, i have experienced this first hand for only 8 months yes, but so far my water quality is great. Skimmers work for me also im just trying something new.

 

[teesquare]

Good to see some civility return here!

I have always believed bothskimmers and scrubbers have merrit....but - I need toknow that the "yellow water" issue is a managable one. Not just for aesthetics, but the chemicals that are released from the algaes on a continuing basis - part of them can be skimmed out, and part with carbon, but is that the optimal situation?

Perhaps one of the biggest differences between the two methodologies is that while both remove things - only the scrubbers - or refugiums w/cheatomorpha or other algaes - can add somethings back.
The questions, for me are:
1. What is added back?
2. Of that - what is needed, and what is not? Concerning foods, and useable nutrients.
3. Lastly - what are the negative chemicals added back? Are they removeable via carbon, or other media?
T

 

[xdannyxrocksx]

i add a small 1/3 cup of carbon just to remove any negative chemicals that do happen to go back in the water. We all know that nothing completly removes anything out of the water.

 

[xdannyxrocksx]

and i control the yellowing, the stink or anything else that can happen by cleaning my scrubber every week. If not maintained properly its will cause a stink and yellowing/greening of the water. Just if we leave our skimmers go and not dump the collection cup negative things occur.

 

[teesquare]

Well...let's be careful about "absolute" statements...

EX: Triple distillation, and some high end R.O systems *do* remove everything from the water.

And - I am not picking on you, or trying to take you out of context. Merely pointing out that in order to have a civil, and positive discussion, it will help us all to think - and write in terms of: In my experience...or - in my opinion...or according to this author....

It just will make for a better exchange of ideas, without being percieved as adversial to other persons.

Make sense to anyone else?

T

 

[xdannyxrocksx]

I agree did not look at it that way. makes perfect sense

 

[teesquare]

Just trying to help keep our playground a safe and fun place - so the police don't have to come and shut it down!:wavehand::lol2:

T

 

[RVANANO]

Wow!!! This is one of the most beautiful tanks I have ever seen!!!

Just to put my money where my mouth is, A Gratuitous FTS

 

[scubasteve06]

and i agree with both of you guys, its about time people with sense reply. I agree its not a win for me yet. Like my first couple of posts stated, this is a new tank its only an experiment. It has been doing fine i have been seeing good results. All i posted was information and results by no means did i down skimmers, did i say they were crap. If u have a good balance skimmers are very succesful.

@serpentman: amazing tank, may i ask what is your filtration set up?

@uncle_salty: I agree with you, in other words when it comes down to it its personal opinion, not one is better than the other, one does what the other doesnt.

So I have no sense because I didn't type in "skimmers and why they are better than an ATS" and copy and paste everything I found. Yea that's sense all right....IBTL:thumbdown


Added: I want to see this awesome ATS you have and the tank it scrubs.

And of course if everyone let their collection cup overflow a skimmer wouldn't be worth anything, but thats the easiest thing about a skimmer. All you have to do twist and dump. No water change for over a month, set the cruise control and have a tank like serpentman all the while you are scrubbing the crap out of your algae sheet and performing multiple water changes. I think I'll stick with my skimmer, but then again I have no sense so what good is my comment.....:hmm2:

 

[frankpayne32]

LOL guys! :lmao:

I was hella drunk when I made this thread (the room was spinning). I was thinking 'out of the box' (literally) and out loud, pondering what the skimmer is actually removing.

Reefs organisms get their nutrients from upwelling and predation. P04 and N03 gets utilized fast in this process. Corals like SPS rely on their polyps to capture zooplankton in order to get the limited nutrients available.

This is not the case in a closed system as the zooplankton is skimmed out, leaving excess nutrients that overdrive zooxanthellae and mess with the coral's natural balance.

IIRC, Steve Tyree has a skimmerless system, with a cryptic zone for export?

Their are a few fallacious statements here. First, SPS corals do not feed primarily on zooplankton (too big). I don't think they do at all actually. Phytoplankton, bacteria, and detritus are on the menu. I believe that even the phytoplankton is probably too big in many cases (correct me if I'm wrong please). Second, zooplankton are too large to be removed by a skimmer. You could perhaps make the argument that the skimmer's impeller destroys the plankton as they pass but I would doubt this has a large effect either. Third, it has been shown that cryptic zones do not export nutrients at all. In fact, cryptic zones likely remove far more beneficial substances than a protein skimmer.

 

[zygote2k]

I find this debate interesting enough to post about it.

I've used skimmers and ATS for approximately 20 years and have had great success with both. I have found that skimmers are the preferred method of waste removal with the least amount of work involved. This makes them great for lazy reefers and for maintenance guys like myself.
The ATS systems require a little more patience and expertise to get them to work as flawlessly as a protein skimmer. When they are 'dialed in' they work just as well as the skimmed systems.

FWIW, I can grow delicate SPS just as fast in either system. I'm adding the basic 3 part chemicals and using carbon in both. No more, no less.

On my current home system, I use a biopellet reactor, RDP fuge, and a DSB. Aside from some cyano outbreaks, this system is working as well as the other 2.

 

[Pallobi]

i would like to see some pics to back arguements as well... if you show me a pretty well stocked tank that looks great, ie algae on sand, glass, rocks, water clarity... then one will have a bit more of an arguement... again, i have NO algae scrubber experience and enjoy learning about stuff i dont know of... but unless backed with proof, it really has no grounding to stand on... jmho

 

[frankpayne32]

. Skimmers do indeed remove alot of the nutrients that coral like to feed on.

Where are you getting this data? I would like to see some references to back it up instead of just conjecture.

 

[frankpayne32]

you are welcome, im not putting down skimmers just found something easier that keeps my corals happy

I'm sorry but much of the information you stated is simply scientifically inaccurate. You are the one that does not understand what a skimmer does and does not do and you are the one that does not understand what an algae skimmer does and does not do. Algae scrubbers do provide some benefits, you just don't have a firm grasp on what they are.

And, for the record, I am in no way connected to the aquarium industry in ANY way and my protein skimmer was bought used for $20.

 

[Pallobi]

and also to add, my tunze skimmer which i paid 100 dollars for used, does almost jus as good as a job as my $500 dollar bought new reef octopus 300, and its (tunze) about 20% the size of my dual pump reef octopus... so its not a matter of my $1000 dollar sump... its a matter of finding a deal that works for you like frank jus mentioned with his $20 skimmer...

 

[frankpayne32]

scrubbers have been bettered since the last time you checked into them problably cus my tank is neither yellow or grows my sps slow..this is the reaons why u clean the screen every 7 days. and the reason your local guys scrubber stinks is because he did not build it properly. not enough flow, doesnt clean the screen.

Please post up to date pictures of your tank to back up your claim.

 

[Pallobi]

for some reason i dont think we are gonna get these pics lol

 

[scubasteve06]

Where did the ATS guy go. He's like ricky bobby's friend in talledaga nights he's "The Magic Man", "Now you see him, Now you dont"!