Filtration / Roller V Skimmer

[James001]

Hey, setting up a beginner tank, 50g display, 10 gallon sump volume soft corals, what would you rather use a filter roller or a skimmer?

Black Friday, so I am working out a purchase soon, either a Theiling Compact roller filter or a Coral box D300+ skimmer, I don't want to over filter the tank or buy excess equipment.

 

[Doctorgori]

Skimmer has higher priority IMO but if the discount on that roller mat is there then follow your budget. I wish for one as I change socks 2-3x/wk

 

[arking_mark]

Not sure why the reef community is still pushing skimmers. Skimmate analysis and skimmers studies has shown skimmers to be far less effective at filtration then other methods (activated carbon, resins, refugium, etc...). In fact, aeration may be their best benefit to you tank...which again can be done with better flow and surface agitation.

Jury out on skimmers?

To skim or not to skim that is the question. I have head many conflicting reports on the use of skimmers while employing an ATS. I know the so called...

www.algaescrubbing.com

I also prefer ultra low maintenance, which a roller matt gives you in spades! Also, a roller matt is more effective at removing particulates in your tank then a skimmer.

 

[Doctorgori]

Not sure why the reef community is still pushing skimmers. Skimmate analysis and skimmers studies has shown skimmers to be far less effective at filtration then other methods (activated carbon, resins, refugium, etc...). In fact, aeration may be their best benefit to you tank...which again can be done with better flow and surface agitation.

Jury out on skimmers?

To skim or not to skim that is the question. I have head many conflicting reports on the use of skimmers while employing an ATS. I know the so called...

www.algaescrubbing.com

I also prefer ultra low maintenance, which a roller matt gives you in spades! Also, a roller matt is more effective at removing particulates in your tank then a skimmer.

Not really disagreeing and actually I regularly chime in against monster slimmers. But if O2 is it, then a skimmer does gas exchange like no other...
So as for Roller mats value, did I mention I change socks 2-3X per week

 

[arking_mark]

Not really disagreeing and actually I regularly chime in against monster slimmers. But if O2 is it, then a skimmer does gas exchange like no other...
So as for Roller mats value, did I mention I change socks 2-3X per week

How many tanks have issues with gas exchange or O2 levels? With proper flow and surface agitation most tanks are at proper levels.

I would look to using a Skimmer if I really couldn't get my tank parameters where I wanted them and thought aeration was the issue.

 

[James001]

Thanks guys I went with the Theiling, my internal debate was on if the skimmer would capture more organics considering some fish food, detritus probably decays in the display and misses the filter roller

 

[takitaj]

Both. I run a medium BM roller mat for large particles like excess food n what not and the skimmer for dissolved organics and gas exchange. It's no different than socks as far as filtration goes, you just don't have to change em every couple days. I usually get around a month & 1/2 between rolls and I empty the skimmer every 3-4 days of some really nasty gunk.

 

[arking_mark]

Both. I run a medium BM roller mat for large particles like excess food n what not and the skimmer for dissolved organics and gas exchange. It's no different than socks as far as filtration goes, you just don't have to change em every couple days. I usually get around a month & 1/2 between rolls and I empty the skimmer every 3-4 days of some really nasty gunk.

Again the evidence suggests that skimmers are much less effective than other filtration methods. If you have these other methods, I wouldn't waste money on a skimmer.

 

[takitaj]

I meant the roller mat is no different than socks, not the skimmer. The point I was trying to make was even with the mechanical filtration of the roller mat the skimmer is still doing it's job and pulling lots of stuff from the water. They have two completely different functions. You can spend your money any way you like. I will always have a decent skimmer.

 

[Orm Embar]

My 2 cents:

1) A skimmer removes roughly 20-30% of total organic carbon (https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/1/aafeature)
2) Mechanical filtration reduces nitrates by roughly 30% (https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/content/post/brstv-investigates-what-do-filter-socks-do-for-you)

I would consider both of them to be roughly equally effective based on that.

 

[arking_mark]

My 2 cents:

1) A skimmer removes roughly 20-30% of total organic carbon (https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/1/aafeature)
2) Mechanical filtration reduces nitrates by roughly 30% (https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/content/post/brstv-investigates-what-do-filter-socks-do-for-you)

I would consider both of them to be roughly equally effective based on that.

Activated carbon and resin is 60 to 80% effective of removing TOC. Far better than a skimmer. I'd rather use a couple chemipure blue media bags and replace them every couple months....instead of dealing with a skimmer.

 

[James001]

Thanks for the input today. I am starting the tank with only the filter roller and will consider adding an algae reactor or small refugium or small skimmer if the need arises down the road. I am very much trying to keep it simple. So for the time being I will see if a filter roller and carbon in a bag can keep it looking nice and clean.

Very excited to see how the tank comes together, going to be fun have a tank again its been a while. Going with green star polyps, zoanthids, gorgonians, leathers, mushrooms.

 

[James001]

Activated carbon and resin is 60 to 80% effective of removing TOC. Far better than a skimmer. I'd rather use a couple chemipure blue media bags and replace them every couple months....instead of dealing with a skimmer.

Good point never used chemipure before I'll have to look into that.

 

[Orm Embar]

Activated carbon and resin is 60 to 80% effective of removing TOC. Far better than a skimmer. I'd rather use a couple chemipure blue media bags and replace them every couple months....instead of dealing with a skimmer.

Do you have any raw data on ChemiPure (I haven't seen any)?

For activated carbon, I agree that it is quite useful. I haven't checked as to how long it lasts in my tank, though - I used to check water color to determine when it was time to replace it. I may try Purigen to see how it works, as that's the alternative that I have (I haven't tried ChemiPure).

Activated charcoal effectiveness and longevity experiment

I posted this on Facebook for my local reefing group, but I thought that it was interesting enough to share here. I recently restarted a reef tank about 7 months ago, and have been reading up on various articles on reefkeeping to try to improve my success rate with keeping fish/corals/etc as...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[arking_mark]

Do you have any raw data on ChemiPure (I haven't seen any)?

For activated carbon, I agree that it is quite useful. I haven't checked as to how long it lasts in my tank, though - I used to check water color to determine when it was time to replace it. I may try Purigen to see how it works, as that's the alternative that I have (I haven't tried ChemiPure).

Activated charcoal effectiveness and longevity experiment

I posted this on Facebook for my local reefing group, but I thought that it was interesting enough to share here. I recently restarted a reef tank about 7 months ago, and have been reading up on various articles on reefkeeping to try to improve my success rate with keeping fish/corals/etc as...

www.reef2reef.com

I don't. It is a combo of high-quality activated carbon and resin.

 

[reefbro]

If you have the money get both!