Do i need both a filter and protien skimmer?

[Rpujol85]

I have a 29g tank with plans to set up as reef, but after research plan to stay away from sps due to lighting reqirements.

Thing im having problems finding good info on is wether or not it is necesary/beneficial to run both a HOB filter and a protien skimmer? Should I start with one or the other, see how things go and then reasses/upgrade if I see its needed?

Im planning on having a deep sand bed and a fair amount of live rock, if that makes any difference.

Thanks for the info and input.

 

[Steven R]

IMO yes you need both or at least a skimmer to remove organic waste, deep sand bed of at least 6in is what is needed to create a oxygen free zone for de-nitrification my suggestion to you is a hang on back fuge with a skimmer. CPR Aquatics makes a nice one. is this a bio-cube 29 or a 29 long?

 

[Rpujol85]

standard 29g, 30" long. Thanks.

 

[mainereefer]

you dont NEED ANY!! I would use a refugem over a hob filter but none are required
(I dont run anything on my 180g but I only have like 6-7 small fish)

I am assuming you are using ro or distilled water? so with a small tank like you have just do a 5g water change every week. and dont overstock or over feed, thats the only reason you would need filters/skimmers on a 29g softie/lps tank
with a 29g, use a couple spray bar's connected to a couple powerhead's for flow. it will give you better water movement so your dsb (4"min) and rock can do its job

 

[mainereefer]

filters remove good aswell as bad if you dont over stock or over feed they will remove more good than bad

 

[Rpujol85]

I was planning on putting a couple of koralia nanos for flow, but im not familiar with spraybars. What is that/whats its intended purpose?

 

[mainereefer]

here is an example of large spraybar setup.
Marine Aquarium Spray Bar Test - YouTube



you could also put it around the top rim of your tank or have it on one side or just the back wall, any combination to get the desired flow so there are no "dead spots" on the sand.
better flow = cleaner tank, this will be hard in a 29g tank because of the dimensions of the tank
(my first sw tank was a 29g eclipse system)

 

[fyrfytr]

Really like this idea. Would this be enough to take the place of a powerhead or two?

 

[mainereefer]

if you need more flow use a bigger pump

 

[Steven R]

What type of reef tank are you going to try this in my opinion will let you know how in depth you need the filtration to be, but I do agree with mainreefer that if you are ambitious enough to keep up with the system and do at least a 5G a week change you would be able to get by with bare minimum filtration ( mechanical ) But for the overall health of the tank I recommend at least a fuge I am running 3 systems a 46 with a 30g fuge a bio-29 HQI what the heck a esshops rs-75 converted into a fuge and a 80 gallon with a 50g fuge all with miracle mud and chaeto ona 24h light cycle and I would not change a thing, Nitrates are always under 5ppm with this method. my 29 is a sps dominated tank with two clowns and 3 chromis and with out the added fuge i constantly had algae problems and just overall not clear sparkling water we all shoot for when doing a reef tank, I still do a 10% change once a week on all three systems.

 

[Steven R]

And I also agree with him on the flow but if you are going for a functioning DSB you want little flow through the deepest parts of it to actually get the biological use of it, I am using a RDSB on my 80g with the sand bed being 13in deep with water flow just enough to move along the top of the sand, and have had no nitrate problems at all since installing. But i do feed heavy and like main reefer said this will be your biggest thing to watch out for. either way good luck and hopefully in no time you will have a thriving system , just take your time nothing good happens fast in this hobby/passion

 

[Rpujol85]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Since Im just starting out Im going to start off with the DSB, a piece or two of LR, and just mechanical filtration (maxijet 1200 pulling through filter media); let that cycle, and then probably add a couple of clowns. After that a skimmer is definitely next on my list.

What do you guys think?

(forgot to mention I actually ended up getting a rimless 29g cube, havent heard of the brand before (ECOS)? but it seems just like the new jbj rl)

 

[specvjeff]

In a 29g aquarium you certainly can go without a skimmer. You'll just have to do larger and more frequent water changes to keep the dissolved organic waste to a minimum. If this isn't your thing, then I'd go for a skimmer. If you don't want a skimmer in the tank, like the Tunze Nano 9002 (which I have used and like), I'd go for a hang on the back skimmer. The Aquamaxx HOB skimmer is pretty nice and very quiet. It also looks pretty nice. If the tank you got is plumbed, the Tunze Nano 9002 will work just fine in the sump.

 

[Rpujol85]

I'd like softies and lps eventually.

The tank measures 20"x15"x17", LxWxH and has a rear chamber similar to the jbj cubes. Chamber is 3-1/8" wide, and the hood that covers the rear chamber only is 3-3/4" high, not alot of space.

Near future plan is to do DSB in main rear chamber (display area not tall enough for DSB), and add a hydor koralia slim skim nano (3-1/8" x 3-1/8" x 12", rated for 15-35g) in main rear chamber. Only problem is, that is after the mechanical filtration media, is that a problem for skimming purposes? If it is I could go with the larger model (4" x 4-1/2" x 17-1/2", rated for 48-65g) in the display area.

Thoughts, opinions, advice?

 

[always reefin]

Filters can be nitrate factories, don't recommend for long use. Can use for short time to clean/polish if necessary

 

[-Logzor]

I think we're all kind of missing the point here to some degree.The key to a healthy aquarium is the suspension of detritus and ample skimming capacity. This means that there should be no place in your aquarium or sump where detritus collects. How can a DSB or skimmer properly remove nutrients if they're slowly releasing from stagnant areas in you aquarium?

In my opinion, only a skimmer and growing chaeto is necessary. Not many people run DSB's and there is no concrete evidence that they're beneficial. They're a risk to the system if they are disturbed. To me they're lots of extra hassle for potentially no benefit. However, plenty of people run them and swear by them but there is no evidence they're aquarium would be any less successful without them.

I support zero-sand systems, or bare bottom tanks, where there is no sand in the sump or display, this allows for channels for flow to lift, suspend, and remove detritus from our reefs allowing are skimmers to remove them. Obviously powerhead placement is key, I'm not saying good filtration is not possible with sand, it is, you just have to be a bit more creative. Treat your sump like the display, don't like crap build up in the corners and bottom, rocks and sand only make this worse.

My old BB 90g system, not a grain of sand or extra rock in the display or sump. This system was incredible successful. Now i have a new tank with sand and I can't stand it!

 

[mainereefer]

ok this is getting off topic

you can set the tank up however you want. the KEY to SUCCESSFUL aquarium is STABILITY!!

as mentioned there are many ways to set up your aquarium, IT IS ALL PERSONAL PREFERENCE.
with enough filtration or even allot of waterchanges you dont need anything rock, sand..... the problem is keeping the system stable, thats why most people run a dsb with lr and good flow. (thats the filters) without them if a pump on any of your mechanical filters dies it can crash your tank because the stability is gone
not to mention pods,critters breed where the sand meets with the rock

 

[Rpujol85]

Ok. So after reading everyone's responses, I guess there is no "correct" answer to the original question.

But speaking in terms of "best practices", would placing a skimmer in the second rear chamber after filtration media negatively impact its efficacy? Just for aesthetics this is what I would prefer but if it makes a big difference I would run the larger higher rated skimmer in the display area.


What do you guys say?


Thanks for all of the input everyone.

 

[Pappy]

You def do not need both ime. From the beginning I was taught to mimic natural habitat as much as possible and not use any chemical filtration. I've never had a canister filter and never will. I do however run a reactor once in a while with gfo to control phosphates (only because I feed too much because I want a lot of growth). If I practiced good reef keeping and didn't over feed the only thing I would EVER need is 10% wc every week religiously (what I do) and a good skimmer (what I have).