Do I Need, or Will I Benifit from... A Protein Skimmer??

[56cbr600rr]

I've got a small little 25 gallon tank with 5 fish and loaded with corals. I feed flakes every day. Brine shrimp, 2-3 days a week, and occasionlly fish eggs, clams, etc... I usually try and keep phospahtes around .08 and nitrates 10-15. In truth, I maintain this easily with a 4 to 5 gallon water change every 2-4 weeks. I do use a small uv sterilizer when it is dark in the tank.

Fish are healthy, tank is pest free, and corals are growing no problem.

Is there anything more a protein skimmer will do for me? Everything seems to be at a nice equilibrium at the moment and it seems a skimmer would add complication.

Am I missing anything? Will the skimmer pull things out of the water that I'm not realizing are there? Or keep plugging along like I have been?

 

[56cbr600rr]

Also, I rarely use carbon, and I DO change out the filter floss every 2-3 days.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

How long have you been running your tank this way? If only a few months, then I'm not sure that a skimmer wouldn't be a bad idea. If you've been running this way for years, why change.

 

[56cbr600rr]

It's been a year and a half now..

How long have you been running your tank this way? If only a few months, then I'm not sure that a skimmer wouldn't be a bad idea. If you've been running this way for years, why change.

It's been a year and a half now

 

[Garf]

I've got a small little 25 gallon tank with 5 fish and loaded with corals. I feed flakes every day. Brine shrimp, 2-3 days a week, and occasionlly fish eggs, clams, etc... I usually try and keep phospahtes around .08 and nitrates 10-15. In truth, I maintain this easily with a 4 to 5 gallon water change every 2-4 weeks. I do use a small uv sterilizer when it is dark in the tank.

Fish are healthy, tank is pest free, and corals are growing no problem.

Is there anything more a protein skimmer will do for me? Everything seems to be at a nice equilibrium at the moment and it seems a skimmer would add complication.

Am I missing anything? Will the skimmer pull things out of the water that I'm not realizing are there? Or keep plugging along like I have been?

A skimmer would aerate the water but if you’ve got a fast flowing water surface somewhere in the tank, even that benefit maybe minimal. Sounds like you’ve got it dialed in, as it is. A pic would be good. I had a tiny skimmer years ago and it was a right pain and ended up not even bothering trying to get it to produce skimmate.

 

[56cbr600rr]

A skimmer would aerate the water but if you’ve got a fast flowing water surface somewhere in the tank, even that benefit maybe minimal. Sounds like you’ve got it dialed in, as it is. A pic would be good. I had a tiny skimmer years ago and it was a right pain and ended up not even bothering trying to get it to produce skimmate.

Definitely have some surface agitation, Pic incoming..

 

[56cbr600rr]

 

[vetteguy53081]

Skimmer will add o2, provide good nutrient export and remove inorganics.

 

[Daftendire]

Beautiful tank. Looks like you're doing fine without a skimmer. Hard to justify the complications and expense for something that your water changes are already doing.

 

[X-37B]

Very nice system! I would not change anything.

 

[Idech]

I wasn’t sure about a skimmer but I bought one and now there is no way I would go without it.

Once you see how much organic waste is removed, it’s impossible to not believe this is essential for fish. In my 75 gallons tank, I remove at least 3-4 cups per week (maybe double, I never measured) of brownish/green disgusting, nasty, smelly waste. I wouldn’t want my fish to live in that.

 

[56cbr600rr]

Beautiful tank. Looks like you're doing fine without a skimmer. Hard to justify the complications and expense for something that your water changes are already doing.

Thank you and thanks for the input.

 

[56cbr600rr]

Very nice system! I would not change anything.

Thk you!

 

[56cbr600rr]

I wasn’t sure about a skimmer but I bought one and now there is no way I would go without it.

Once you see how much organic waste is removed, it’s impossible to not believe this is essential for fish. In my 75 gallons tank, I remove at least 3-4 cups per week (maybe double, I never measured) of brownish/green disgusting, nasty, smelly waste. I wouldn’t want my fish to live in that.

Will in lower Nitrates or Phosphates significantly? I like my levels where they are at the moment.

 

[Idech]

Will in lower Nitrates or Phosphates significantly? I like my levels where they are at the moment.

I’m still new at this. But I don’t think so, as currently my nitrate and phosphate levels are too high (27 ppm and 0,18 ppm respectively) and my skimmer is running 24/7.

 

[Duncan62]

I’m still new at this. But I don’t think so, as currently my nitrate and phosphate levels are too high (27 ppm and 0,18 ppm respectively) and my skimmer is running 24/7.

Add some macro and forget the skimmer. Your tank looks great. Keep doing what your doing. Some nitrate and phosphate are good. Macro will lower your nitrate.

 

[tharbin]

A skimmer is never needed. It can be helpful and on larger systems it may be the only way to accomplish certain goals. Your tank is running very well with great levels and it is obviously healthy. Water changes can accomplish everything a skimmer does except gas exchange and personally, I believe that benefit is overstated. I would never advocate to add expense and complexity that isn't needed. Your tank is clearly fine,, in fact, better than most.

Good job!!

 

[Idech]

Add some macro and forget the skimmer. Your tank looks great. Keep doing what your doing. Some nitrate and phosphate are good. Macro will lower your nitrate.

I’m not the OP, just giving my opinion from a new reefer’s perspective.

 

[56cbr600rr]

Add some macro and forget the skimmer. Your tank looks great. Keep doing what your doing. Some nitrate and phosphate are good. Macro will lower your nitrate.

not too familiar with the macros... Any suggestions or tips?

 

[56cbr600rr]

A skimmer is never needed. It can be helpful and on larger systems it may be the only way to accomplish certain goals. Your tank is running very well with great levels and it is obviously healthy. Water changes can accomplish everything a skimmer does except gas exchange and personally, I believe that benefit is overstated. I would never advocate to add expense and complexity that isn't needed. Your tank is clearly fine,, in fact, better than most.

Good job!!

Wow! Thanks for that.

Growth has been quite aggressive in the last 4-6 months too.. I think the added stability of the Apex/Triden/DOS has helped a ton.