Protein Skimmer

jaxteller007 · Mar 28, 2018

I'm looking at options to add a protein skimmer to our new 75 gallon setup. Problem is I know jack about what's a good starter one and what isn't, etc. The gf laid down the law on me and said either find one at a nice low price (new or used) or wait a few months to buy a higher end one. We've put a little more than we thought starting this up and still have to move in June lol. I looked on the selling forum but have no idea what those models are and apparently can't start a thread in the looking to buy one.

We will end up with a nicer one down the road still but if I can find a deal I'd much rather go ahead and get one on there quicker.

JoshH · Mar 28, 2018

I would go without one until you can afford one you are happy with in the long term. Systems can and do run successfully without them especially when your just starting out and you have a relatively light bioload in your tank.

BTW what's your current budget for a skimmer?

jaxteller007 · Mar 28, 2018

JoshH said:
I would go without one until you can afford one you are happy with in the long term. Systems can and do run successfully without them especially when your just starting out and you have a relatively light bioload in your tank.

Unfortunately we may have overdone our bioload for a new tank. Foolishly thought "oh well his sand and rock are established, we kept about 25 gallons of the water and the water we filled it with was from an LFS ready to go". Tested last night and ammonia and NO3 were high. Working on bringing those levels down, hopefully without losing any fish.

JoshH · Mar 28, 2018

You might not have overdone the bioload probably just kick started another cycle by stirring up/using the previous sand bed. Test regularly and continue with the water changes, if you can get your hands on some bottled bacteria Dr.tims etc that will help as well. If your levels are crazy high you can use a binder such as prime to help you in the short term. Just remember it's effects don't last forever.

jaxteller007 · Mar 28, 2018

JoshH said:
You might not have overdone the bioload probably just kick started another cycle by stirring up/using the previous sand bed. Test regularly and continue with the water changes, if you can get your hands on some bottled bacteria Dr.tims etc that will help as well. If your levels are crazy high you can use a binder such as prime to help you in the short term. Just remember it's effects don't last forever.

I got some bottled bacteria ammonia/nitrate reducer today and added it. Soon as I get home from work going to do a water change. Also got a little plug and play 10g tank that we will set up as an emergency shelter/quarantine/all that fun stuff.

JoshH · Mar 28, 2018

jaxteller007 said:
I got some bottled bacteria ammonia/nitrate reducer today and added it. Soon as I get home from work going to do a water change. Also got a little plug and play 10g tank that we will set up as an emergency shelter/quarantine/all that fun stuff.

Sounds like you are all over the situation which is great. So to kind of get back on topic, what kind of budget are you working with skimmer wise?

jaxteller007 · Mar 28, 2018

JoshH said:
Sounds like you are all over the situation which is great. So to kind of get back on topic, what kind of budget are you working with skimmer wise?

If I wasn't on top of it, the gf would have kicked me out. She was quite upset that we lost a firefish last night (one of the jets). I have no idea if it was the levels in the tank or if he got picked on or something. The blue damsel that we didn't think was going to survive the move has turned into a huge *******. To the point that I'm probably going to convince the gf to let me take him to the LFS. He won't leave the smaller damsel alone no matter where it goes in the tank. Even though they were tank mates for months before I got the setup.

As far as protein skimmer goes, I have no idea lol. We eventually are going to get into coral, maybe a bigger tank, etc. But that's so far down the road I'm not real sure about waiting that long to get one. At least not if I can find a good one for now in the $100-$200 range.

Maybe even a higher priced one depending on how much I sell some of my playoff tickets for lol.

savetheocean · Mar 28, 2018

Firefish hide when they get attacked, what did it look like?

jaxteller007 · Mar 28, 2018

savetheocean said:
Firefish hide when they get attacked, what did it look like?

It didn't look messed up. It was under a rock for awhile and the other one kept trying to nudge it to get it to swim. Took him out and separated him into a small container with water from the tank and stuff (best she could do at the moment as I was out of the house). He died like an hour or so later. But yea didn't look beat up or anything.

jaxteller007 · Mar 28, 2018

There is someone near my house offering an Eshopps s-200 skimmer for $150 but that looks like it's for tanks twice the size of mine.

Jamie Fauntleroy · Mar 28, 2018

Any advice for a good HOB skimmer rated for a 55gal?? I’m new to feeding as well and not really too educated on skimmer models either.

savetheocean · Mar 28, 2018

jaxteller007 said:
It didn't look messed up. It was under a rock for awhile and the other one kept trying to nudge it to get it to swim. Took him out and separated him into a small container with water from the tank and stuff (best she could do at the moment as I was out of the house). He died like an hour or so later. But yea didn't look beat up or anything.

Sorry for your loss, it sucks to lose a fish