Skimmer & Macro Reactor..Or..

dzones · Sep 21, 2018

Okay so just recently setup a 24 cube with an 11 gallon frame less tank as a sump so I am guessing probably 30 gallons at most, probably a little less with the rock.
My plan is to have a lot of corals of variety, maybe an sps or two at most.
I have some choices to make for the skimming and macro algae and am curious of the following.

I have a Reef Octopus 110 that is probably too much for that small tank (or is it??). If I use this I have no room for anything else in the sump should I need it.
Alternatively I do have a cheaper skimmer that is rated for about 40 gallons and much smaller, allowing me to have room for a macro reactor for diversity of export.

Which way would you go with this?

Thanks in advance!

(edited for spelling)

saltyfilmfolks · Sep 22, 2018

Go with the smaller skimmer.
Space is a premium under a tank imo. And there is such a thing as over skimming.

Orm Embar · Sep 22, 2018

I have found macroalgae to be substantially better than skimming at keeping nutrients well controlled (both in the past using a downdraft skimmer vs Caulerpa, and currently using a refugium with chaeto without any skimming in my current reef). Per Advanced Aquarist, skimming reduces dissolved organics by 20-35% (with really expensive skimmers needed to hit the 35% mark). I'm debating adding nitrates or pruning my chaeto more dramatically to try to keep some nutrient levels up.

A good 36w grow light (I use the TaoTronics on Amazon for around $35), some chaeto, and you're set. You can also certainly skim with macroalgae to provide oxygen and need less chaeto to filter. You could use a small algae scrubber or algae reactor for space savings, but I like refugia for simplicity/low cost/ease of maintenance.

Lastly, you can just throw some dragon's breath or gracilaria in the main tank and get a similar effect, even if those are slower growing than chaeto.