I was just out of town trying to do more resrearch for setting up my tank. The proprieter of the store I went to said that there really is no reason for a skimmer and/or uv sterilization. Has anybody else found this to be true? He said that all of his tanks in the store had neither and had been running indepently of each other for 17 years with no crash.
Protien skimmer and uv
- Thread starter Jericho
- Start date
- Tagged users None
I say you can go without the UV sterilizer, although they are nice if you want super clear water and can afford one. On the other hand, I think a skimmer is pretty necessary for a reef tank that is stocked with a lot of corals and fish. I have a 120 with minimal fish and my skimmer skims out a lot of crud. That crud would be in your tank being turned into nitrates by nitrifying bacteria if the skimmer didn't take it out.
Degener8
Active Member
I so almost just took a picture of my skim mate cup that is only 24 hours of production.. and its NASTY but mallorie said it well.. You don't want that junk in your tank and without largish water changes and light stocking.. it will be there otherwise.
gmoney243
2500 Club Member
You can also run tanks heavily stocked using natural filtrations like algae scrubbers or refugiums and miracle mud systems and such. If you search you can find high end sps tanks run for many years using more natural filtration methods.
Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2
Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2
bige
Valuable Member
The research shows skimmers remove very little of the bad stuff. That being said, I'm not going without one. Uv is one of those things that might help might not. I don't use one. But like others have said, stocking is key.
Decalf
Community Member
I think that alot of people over look an important point. Not only do Skimmers remove some 27% of the dissolved waste but they saturate the water with air. Keeping the highest concentration of air in your tank could prevent many problems like ich ,because the fish will not be oxygen stressed. I see alot of tanks that us live rock only filtration that in my opion don't have enough air exchange.
Just something to think about
Just something to think about
cdness
2006 - Present
I say UV is not needed, but can be a benefit to running occasionally to polish the water a bit or deal with film algae...
Skimmers on the other hand are needed in my 'opinion'. There are many out there running no skimmer, but personally I wouldn't want all those nutrients in my tank. You can get by with an ATS but that is another debate. The skimmer just provides too much to the tank to be without one. They are also the easiest thing to get started with. The other options are usually more difficult or have worse drawbacks.
FYI the store is constantly filling bags with water and sending them with customers. They are doing continuous water changes in their systems through out the day. That is how their nutrients stay down. Also a higher level of nutrients is OK for a fish only tank, but it can turn a coral tank brown in no time.
Hopefully the LFS isn't recommending using Bio Balls...lol.
Skimmers on the other hand are needed in my 'opinion'. There are many out there running no skimmer, but personally I wouldn't want all those nutrients in my tank. You can get by with an ATS but that is another debate. The skimmer just provides too much to the tank to be without one. They are also the easiest thing to get started with. The other options are usually more difficult or have worse drawbacks.
FYI the store is constantly filling bags with water and sending them with customers. They are doing continuous water changes in their systems through out the day. That is how their nutrients stay down. Also a higher level of nutrients is OK for a fish only tank, but it can turn a coral tank brown in no time.
Hopefully the LFS isn't recommending using Bio Balls...lol.
erikjphillips
Community Member
my tank has been up and running for 2 years, 75 gal with a 30 sump(only for water volume). No skimmer, No UV. i change 10 gallons a week every saturday. its a mixed reef SPS, LPS, and many zoa and palys. fish include 2 clowns, lunar wrasse, a few chromis and a yellow tang. IMO regular water changes are the same as skimming. just my .02
Thank you all,
I work in the oil and gas fields and can't guarantee that I can do big water changes on a weekly bassis. Especially on a set schedule. I will be addin a skimmer to my sump. UV is still undecided.
I work in the oil and gas fields and can't guarantee that I can do big water changes on a weekly bassis. Especially on a set schedule. I will be addin a skimmer to my sump. UV is still undecided.
fish doctor
New Member
skimmers are great for adding o2 to your set up and removing waste
uvs are a nice add on for water clarity and alage contol plus parasite reduction
you dont have to have them but
the more filteration the more stable the system
i also use canisters for that extra support but they must be maintained on a regular basis
regular water changes are a must no matter what equipment you have
uvs are a nice add on for water clarity and alage contol plus parasite reduction
you dont have to have them but
the more filteration the more stable the system
i also use canisters for that extra support but they must be maintained on a regular basis
regular water changes are a must no matter what equipment you have
Young Frankenstein
I sniff ozone and relax.
Dont compare your setup with the store, first of all even if the store owner does water changes very 3 days, his PH will drop without a sufficient skimmer, my suggestion, is go with a larger skimmer than you need, forget UV they dont do anything for the reef.
