Are Skimmers a necessity?

[G Santana]

For me, this tells me yes!!!
I change my filter socks every 3 days, I have an algae scrubber my bio load is very light and still I have to clean my skimmer cup every 3-4 days.

 

[Cell]

Not necessary. In some low nutrient systems with low stocking, they can even be detrimental. But in most cases, they are helpful and effective nutrient control tools.

 

[WVNed]

One is for my system. I am sure you could build one that doesn't require one too.

 

[flyingscampi]

I said no because I haven't used a skimmer (or sump) in 18 months of reefing with a nano.

However, I only have 1 fish and I still have to perform 10-20% water changes a week to control nutrients. Not a biggie with a small tank but I still resent pouring seawater down the sink.

I'm setting up a larger tank with a sump and I'm hoping that a refugium will keep nutrients at healthy levels. If I still have to perform water changes to control nutrients, then a skimmer will go on the shopping list.

 

[schooncw]

So, everyone cleans their toilet differently... to the same end so to speak
What if one chooses a different export system and gas exchange system?

Like what?

 

[Midrats]

It's too much fun watching foam blobs rise and fall in the neck, eventually being pushed up into the cup, to not have one.

 

[exnisstech]

I have two systems one approx 200 total gallons the other a reefer 170 about 38 gallons total. Both have sumps and both fuges with chaeto. The larger tank has always had a skimmer and the smaller tank never. I chose a fuge on the reefer instead because I like having a place for pods to grow and the sump is not set up for both fuge and skimmer. Nitrates on the tank with the skimmer run 10-20, I don't test often except alk. The reefer I have to dose N and P to keep levels detectable so I don't see any reason for a skimmer. So I say no they aren't a neccesity and to be honest I could probably pull the skimmer off of the big tank as I rarely empty the cup these days.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What a strange thing to say! Have you tried it both ways and encountered problems when you didn't use a skimmer?

I did.

When I took my skimmer off line for a couple of months as an experiment, my pH got too high (I used limewater for calcium and alk).

IMO, I'd use a skimmer for gas exchange, even if it did nothing else.

But obviously the word "necessity" is not applicable since there are fine reef aquaria without them.

 

[ReefGeezer]

This question always leads to poor discussions because it is overly broad. People with lightly stocked Nano's tell of their success without a skimmer. Others with big, heavily stocked tanks argue that they are an absolute requirement. We see people who have well established tanks loaded with corals arguing that a skimmer is not needed, while others with high fish to coral ratios say they couldn't live without one. The truth is that a skimmer is a tool. It is great when needed. It can also be unnecessary and even harmful in well established tanks that otherwise have balanced nutrient processing pathways.

Personally, I run a skimmer and a cryptic fuge in my established 90 gallon. The skimmer is not an expensive, super efficient version... now. However, I used a much more efficient one when the tank was new, and used it until the tank's other nutrient processing pathways matured. Now, the less efficient skimmer, set very dry, is used simply to provide an addition nutrient processing pathway that allows me to feed heavily, and add supplements for my corals that are highly organic and might otherwise cause problems.

 

[jft]

For me, this tells me yes!!!
I change my filter socks every 3 days, I have an algae scrubber my bio load is very light and still I have to clean my skimmer cup every 3-4 days.

It appears you modded your ASM skimmer. I just got a G2 could you please show the mods you did to it. Thank You!

 

[G Santana]

It appears you modded your ASM skimmer. I just got a G2 could you please show the mods you did to it. Thank You!

I'm not home right now, when I get home I'll take a pic of it. I found the design on an old Reef Central post and used it. It allows me to control the water height in the column without touching the tube. Very simple.

This isn't my skimmer but it's what I did. You need a gate valve, pipe a T and an elbow to fit your pipe dimension

 

[jft]

I'm not home right now, when I get home I'll take a pic of it. I found the design on an old Reef Central post and used it. It allows me to control the water height in the column without touching the tube. Very simple.

This isn't my skimmer but it's what I did. You need a gate valve, pipe a T and an elbow to fit your pipe dimension

Thank YOU!

 

[CloRob]

Skimmers can be great, but let's not forget that they also remove pelagic bacteria that sps corals eat, often smell bad, are often loud, and require maintenance. I have run tanks with and without over the years, but I'm not sold on the idea that they are essential, or even really make things easier. Right now I'm running three skimmerless reefs.

Yes i agree my skimmer is rarely on in last 2 years and my tank doubg so much better without it

 

[glennf]

No skimmer in here, just a powerfilter.

 

[TWYOUNG]

These threads are very bad for our hobby!

While protein skimmers may not be an absolute necessary for a successful saltwater aquarium, most beginner & intermediate aquarists will need one to get started to understand the fundamentals of a successful reef.

Agreed, however I would caution other beginners like myself to avoid skimming until you actually have rising nutrients. Otherwise you'll end up with zero nutrient issues.

 

[Sycamoron]

I use the skimmer primarily to pull in outside air to cope with high CO2 levels in our house. Running it adds about 0.2-0.3 units to pH vs. No skimmer and keeps the overnight pH drop to about 0.1.

 

[ZoWhat]

Actually tanks aren't necessary either as you can keep fish and coral in mason jars and do daily waterchanges

 

[MrG]

A skimmer is very important in my opinion, as long as it's not ATB

 

[vlangel]

The only tank that I have employed a skimmer was my seahorse tank.

My other tanks are simple systems that rely on biological processes (live rock, DSB, macro algae and cuc

). I also do a 5 gallon water change once a week to replace trace minerals, calcium, alk and magnesium. It works for me.

 

[Crustaceon]

It really depends on how you maintain your tank, but in general, i'd say no. My reasoning is, even for beginner aquarists, you should know the absolute basics. That's the good old water change first and foremost. I wouldn't buy ANY nutrient reducing/preventing equipment until getting into a habit of doing water changes correctly and establishing a maintenance schedule you can reliably stick to. If you can pull that off when needed, consistently and at the correct parameters, you can keep anything water quality-wise and that's without a skimmer. The reason why many of us think we need a skimmer is because we're trying to avoid larger/more frequent water changes and need a skimmer/ats/macro algae/carbon dosing etc. to compensate for our laziness/thriftiness or have some weird situation where more gas exchange is needed (which should be resolved with an airstone and not a skimmer TBH).