Nano Skimmer thoughts

[sangria517]

I am new to saltwater tanks and just set my first on 7/13. It's chilling on my second desk in my office doing its thing. Live rocks and Live sand to help jumpstart cycle.

While doing research even prior to starting this one, I have seen a lot of saltwater tanks using skimmers. While necessary for a large tank, what about nanos? I have seen it go both ways.

For an 11-12g tank, do you think it is an added benefit? or will it be more trouble than what it is worth

The two I have seen that I like are the ICECAP K1 Nano and the MiniQ Nano

I also do not understand the "break-in" period of a skimmer.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Some will say you can do water changes and you don't need a skimmer. Others will say get a skimmer so your chemical and nutrient levels don't get out of whack. I run a skimmer on my 20g.

 

[CO2TLEY]

I don’t run a skimmer on a 20g and battle to keep nutrients up with 4 fish. I’d run without it and keep track of your nutrients based on your water changes. If water changes don’t keep it where you want, then I’d invest in a skimmer

Edit: forgot to mention make sure your tank has good aeration if you decide not to get a skimmer with good surface agitation

 

[sangria517]

I don’t run a skimmer on a 20g and battle to keep nutrients up with 4 fish. I’d run without it and keep track of your nutrients based on your water changes. If water changes don’t keep it where you want, then I’d invest in a skimmer

Edit: forgot to mention make sure your tank has good aeration if you decide not to get a skimmer with good surface agitation

Here is a video of my filter. I have the flow set at medium.

Edit
Just incase the attachment doesn’t work, I uploaded to youtube

 

[Narideth]

I run a skimmer on my 15g and no skimmer on my 13.5g. The skimmer provides other benefits outside of skimming dissolved proteins out of the water - it can also raise oxygen and PH. That's one of the reasons I ended up keeping it on my 15g. My 13.5 has a rear filter chamber that churns the water to about the same effect.

The breakin period is more or less the amount of time it takes for (as I understand it) a layer of bacteria/algae/slime to grow on the device. Before that happens, there's some less than optimal side effects, like the skim being too wet until you dial it in, microbubbles etc. It can take from a few days to a few weeks though.

 

[sangria517]

Some will say you can do water changes and you don't need a skimmer. Others will say get a skimmer so your chemical and nutrient levels don't get out of whack. I run a skimmer on my 20g.

Which one do you use?

 

[bubbgee]

I use an ICECAP K1 Nano. Works well. The DC pump works well to adjust the skimmate.
Downside is that you cant use this to raise pH if you have high CO2 in your tank.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Which one do you use?

Mine came with my tank since it is a RedSea AIO 20g

 

[GARRIGA]

Functionality of a skimmer has nothing to do with tank size and all about removing that which would have broken down and gas exchange.