goldenservices3
New member
Do I need to run a skimmer on a nano(8gal) lots of zoo's some live rock,and 1 fish maybe2 but the fish will be small.
Zoas and skimmer
- Thread starter goldenservices3
- Start date
A. Grandis
Active member
Skimmer is a must for any marine aquarium IMO.
Makes life so much easier!
Just my taste...
Grandis.
Makes life so much easier!
Just my taste...
Grandis.
I personally wouldn't with that size tank and tiny bioload. When I ran a 20g I did have a skimmer but only 1 damsel and my skimmer never pulled anything out because there just wasn't enough to be pulled out. Just make sure you do a water change every so often, probably every other week.
A. Grandis
Active member
I prefer to say that it's not about the amount of water to be changed, but the percentage of filtration to take place. If you agree the skimmer is a good instrument to remove impurities from a 1000gal system, just because it works continuously and does a great job, it should do the same for a 20gal.
I would get the best skimmer I could for the 20gal. And wouldn't think that's a luxurious matter.
Hardy fishes, like the damsels, could be fine in a 20gal and in a 1000gal with 80% water change in both sizes of systems... and that is another story...
Now, if you don't " believe" in skimmers, that 1000gal tank should be skimmer free too.
If we would like to keep the params stable as possible, the skimmer will help a lot too. That's for zoas, included!
With all the respect for the skimmer less folks. That's my point of view.
Happy zoa keeping!! :thumbsup:
Grandis.
I would get the best skimmer I could for the 20gal. And wouldn't think that's a luxurious matter.
Hardy fishes, like the damsels, could be fine in a 20gal and in a 1000gal with 80% water change in both sizes of systems... and that is another story...
Now, if you don't " believe" in skimmers, that 1000gal tank should be skimmer free too.
If we would like to keep the params stable as possible, the skimmer will help a lot too. That's for zoas, included!
With all the respect for the skimmer less folks. That's my point of view.
Happy zoa keeping!! :thumbsup:
Grandis.
On a 1000g system 10% changes would be 100g and siphoning all the poo out would be difficult. People in general aren't doing that, so skimmers are a huge help. On a 20g, 2g is 10%. most people can handle this weeky and with a siphon they can get the detritus from a couple of smaller fish.
A. Grandis
Active member
Well, the detritus to be siphoned from the tanks during maintenance are not removed from the skimmer in either case, if the percentage is respected for the partial water changes. Even if the proportion of organisms ("bioload") would be approximately for either systems, thinking in the long run.
The 1000gal will need the partial water changes just like the 20 gal.
The 1000gal would be running much better in the long run with a skimmer, just like a 20 gal. would.
Water changes won't substitute skimmers, they complement each other in a maintenance schedule for every system IMO.
I'll wait for others to participate too...
Grandis.
The 1000gal will need the partial water changes just like the 20 gal.
The 1000gal would be running much better in the long run with a skimmer, just like a 20 gal. would.
Water changes won't substitute skimmers, they complement each other in a maintenance schedule for every system IMO.
I'll wait for others to participate too...
Grandis.
calveezzzy
New member
Grandis,
You can ask almost any nano reefer, and they can tell you that they don't run a skimmer. In fact, it's not uncommon to see that nano reefers aren't using any mechanical filtration at all. Most are just using LS, LR and water movement along with weekly 10% or bi-monthly (every other week) 25% water changes.
You can ask almost any nano reefer, and they can tell you that they don't run a skimmer. In fact, it's not uncommon to see that nano reefers aren't using any mechanical filtration at all. Most are just using LS, LR and water movement along with weekly 10% or bi-monthly (every other week) 25% water changes.
A. Grandis
Active member
Yes calveezzzy,
I really don't have any problem with all that.
That's all good. I've been there many, many times with nanos with and without skimmers. Had all kinds of set ups in my life and my kids too...
The ones without skimmers were running temporarily, less than 6 months.
All good! water changes and so on...
I didn't mean to flame the idea, but I wouldn't do that if I had a 20gal as my main tank, running for more than 6 months. No problem guys... :thumbsup:
That's just my best advice.
Skimmer will keep things much better in the long run, specially because the smaller the tank, the wider is the angle for fluctuations.
Nanos should have sump, auto top off and skimmer IMO. :hmm4: Just IMO.
We love zoas!!
Grandis.
I really don't have any problem with all that.
That's all good. I've been there many, many times with nanos with and without skimmers. Had all kinds of set ups in my life and my kids too...
The ones without skimmers were running temporarily, less than 6 months.
All good! water changes and so on...
I didn't mean to flame the idea, but I wouldn't do that if I had a 20gal as my main tank, running for more than 6 months. No problem guys... :thumbsup:
That's just my best advice.
Skimmer will keep things much better in the long run, specially because the smaller the tank, the wider is the angle for fluctuations.
Nanos should have sump, auto top off and skimmer IMO. :hmm4: Just IMO.
We love zoas!!
Grandis.
fshaqrmman
New member
I wouldn't run a skimmer on that small of a tank. I would recommend using Seachem's Purigen though.
I ran a sucessfull 29 Biocube for 3 years with no skimmer. Had zoa's, sps, clam, lps...all I ran was Purigen and Chemi-Pure.
I ran a sucessfull 29 Biocube for 3 years with no skimmer. Had zoa's, sps, clam, lps...all I ran was Purigen and Chemi-Pure.
kalgra
New member
I do run a skimmer (tunze 9002) on my 28 nano but it dosnt work all that well. Perhaps it the skimmer, the tuning of the skimmer, or too low of a bioload on my tank for it to work effectively IDK. What ever the reason I have been thinking about switching to purigen but am curious if it will strip my water to efficiently and starve my corals. Can you advise on how long you would run the purigen a day. I would be running it in a reactor with the reactor pump on a controller so I can set it up to run intermittently throughout the day, all day or just a portion of the day.
I have what I would consider a low to medium bioload. Small pair of clowns, yellow watchman goby and pistol shrimp, a bengai cardinal, and a red dragonet. I feed daily but only what can be consumed.
Would you or anyone else have a recommendation in this regard? I apologize if i am hijacking.
fshaqrmman
New member
I used the small pre-packaged Purigen and used it every day. I replaced it with a new one every 3 months or so.
mussel and hate
New member
You don't need to run a skimmer but it will certainly help. I'd say it's even more important for a smaller water volume, things can go sideways quickly in 8 gallons.
Skimmers aid in gas exchange while removing surfactants, it's a 2fer.
Skimmers aid in gas exchange while removing surfactants, it's a 2fer.
A. Grandis
Active member
One really can tell the difference after trying.
People substitute the skimmer for water changes and they think that skimmers are for big tanks only because of the work of water changes and the money they spend for salt.
I think that's what it's about. Sorry, but that's a missinformation.
Well, if everyone does, should be the right way? Hummm...
It is accepted by many, but definitely not the right way to compare.
Skimmer has it's advantages and water changes has other advantages.
The size/percentage of the system shouldn't play that way.
They should work side by side and for every modern aquaria/natural system, if performance and a healthy environment is what we look for nowadays.
There are various types of impurities formed/excreted every single day in our tanks.
Skimmers are the best way to remove them. Even if you do water changes everyday you won't be able to remove what the skimmer can.
If you do water changes and use skimmer you'll still remove brown junk from the water.
Have you tried? I know you know that part...
Purigen has it's advantages too! Carbon and even GFO in some cases.
I'll go further... to say that water changes won't be able to remove what skimmer does (in quantity, quality and as often).
And all above is for zoanthids' systems.
BUT still, it's all good. Everybody has his/her way to do, and certainly we all need to respect. All good...
Again, just my two cent$ to contribute to the thread.
Grandis.
People substitute the skimmer for water changes and they think that skimmers are for big tanks only because of the work of water changes and the money they spend for salt.
I think that's what it's about. Sorry, but that's a missinformation.
Well, if everyone does, should be the right way? Hummm...
It is accepted by many, but definitely not the right way to compare.
Skimmer has it's advantages and water changes has other advantages.
The size/percentage of the system shouldn't play that way.
They should work side by side and for every modern aquaria/natural system, if performance and a healthy environment is what we look for nowadays.
There are various types of impurities formed/excreted every single day in our tanks.
Skimmers are the best way to remove them. Even if you do water changes everyday you won't be able to remove what the skimmer can.
If you do water changes and use skimmer you'll still remove brown junk from the water.
Have you tried? I know you know that part...
Purigen has it's advantages too!
Carbon and even GFO in some cases.I'll go further... to say that water changes won't be able to remove what skimmer does (in quantity, quality and as often).
And all above is for zoanthids' systems.
BUT still, it's all good. Everybody has his/her way to do, and certainly we all need to respect. All good...
Again, just my two cent$ to contribute to the thread.
Grandis.
