Skimmer or no?

[boisblancboy]

Going to be setting up a 35.2 AIO waterbox. Most likely going to be adding life to it very slowly over the course of a year. Just no plans to rush anything. Question I have is do you think a skimmer will be something I’d need? The tank will have room in one of the chambers for the Tunze which is nice.

 

[exnisstech]

Not necessary but won't hurt. I run tanks with and without skimmers. I prefer without and skim very dry on the tank that has a skimmer so the cup never fills up. Many people think they are a must have but that is not true.

 

[The_Paradox]

How much and what you planed to feed would be the deciding factor for me. If you plan to feed a decent amount of frozen a skimmer will help a lot with biofilm. If you’re an, “you’ll eat your pellets and like it”, kind of guy it won’t be as helpful.

 

[boisblancboy]

Am I correct that they would be more beneficial to a high bioload?

Second question is there an advantage in a low bioload situation or any other benefits I may not be aware of in general?

 

[The_Paradox]

Am I correct that they would be more beneficial to a high bioload?

Second question is there an advantage in a low bioload situation or any other benefits I may not be aware of in general?

Aeration is one of the main reason people run skimmers… then dose because nutrients bottomed out

With a small tank I doubt you will have nutrient issues though and even if you did you could just skim drier.

 

[flashsmith]

My answer would be a question. Would you swim in a septic tank?

 

[boisblancboy]

My answer would be a question. Would you swim in a septic tank?

Question for a question. You saying any tank without a skimmer is similar to a septic tank?

 

[exnisstech]

My answer would be a question. Would you swim in a septic tank?

Everything does very well in my septic tank

 

[flashsmith]

Question for a question. You saying any tank without a skimmer is similar to a septic tank?It

It can be. You need to export organics. A filter pad won't cut it. Imagine swimming in and breathing your own poop. Have you ever seen the sludge a skimmer pulls out? Do you "need" one? Of course not. What you will have is a far higher likelihood of developing cyanobacteria and other things not pulling that sludge out. Like anything it's a tool but a very useful one I wouldn't do without. But hey whatever helps these guys sleep at night. These "old timers"will never change simple as that and their ways are always the best ways...lol

 

[boisblancboy]

Aeration is one of the main reason people run skimmers… then dose because nutrients bottomed out

With a small tank I doubt you will have nutrient issues though and even if you did you could just skim drier.

Would this be a bad idea on my part, possibly waiting and getting a skimmer down the road?

 

[boisblancboy]

It can be. You need to export organics. A filter pad won't cut it. Imagine swimming in and breathing your own poop. Have you ever seen the sludge a skimmer pulls out? Do you "need" one? Of course not. What you will have is a far higher likelihood of developing cyanobacteria and other things not pulling that sludge out. Like anything it's a tool but a very useful one I wouldn't do without. But hey whatever helps these guys sleep at night..

Thanks for the better explanation.

 

[exnisstech]

But hey whatever helps these guys sleep at night..

It just a tool but those of us that chooses not to use that tool should loose sleep because of it? utterly ridiculous. I sleep perfectly fine . I have no shame

 

[ryanjohn1]

Personally think that they maybe more trouble than they are worth. But I’m no expert

 

[Jyeef]

From my understanding, a skimmer will help certain areas and depending on the inhabitants of your tank, hurt others. I run one and if you smell what it pulls out... you'd probably not want that in your tank either lol. Its great for aeration as well. I could see if your water change schedule was pretty intense, and you had good aeration by water movement, not necessarily needing one. Its all a balance of give/take with equipment.

 

[anemonalex]

I don't like skimmers in my set ups. But I have never had anything over 40g. I have chetao in a refugium hang on I put together with super glue and a cheap but decent grow light, with a timer. Both amazon specials. The hang on breeder is supplied by an air pump so there's not a pump to chop up the pods. I currently keep a bag of chemipure blue in the sump. I use filter floss in my return and change that when it looks rough. I feed daily and change 2g weekly; 1g 2x a week. And I dose small amounts of sodium nitrate to balance out the phosphates for macro consumption. It depends but if I added a skimmer with my macros, my corals and anemones would get stressed and be hungry most likely. So my 2 cents is chose between macroalgae in a reactor/refugium or a skimmer.

 

[flashsmith]

I pulled and cleaned this cup yesterday afternoon. This isn't even 24 hours so y'all do what you want. But I don't want this in my tank. This is what's left after I dumped it. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. The smell is just lovely too...So when you take your morning dump don't flush it and let it stew all day. Probably gonna look like this. Lol

 

[boisblancboy]

I don't like skimmers in my set ups. But I have never had anything over 40g. I have chetao in a refugium hang on I put together with super glue and a cheap but decent grow light, with a timer. Both amazon specials. The hang on breeder is supplied by an air pump so there's not a pump to chop up the pods. I currently keep a bag of chemipure blue in the sump. I use filter floss in my return and change that when it looks rough. I feed daily and change 2g weekly; 1g 2x a week. And I dose small amounts of sodium nitrate to balance out the phosphates for macro consumption. It depends but if I added a skimmer with my macros, my corals and anemones would get stressed and be hungry most likely. So my 2 cents is chose between macroalgae in a reactor/refugium or a skimmer.

I was planning on eventually doing a chaeto reactor, also keeping up with water changes weekly. I’m totally not against a skimmer at all but have read enough where it leads me to believe there are times one shouldn’t be used or that your dosing what it just took out.

 

[anemonalex]

I was planning on eventually doing a chaeto reactor, also keeping up with water changes weekly. I’m totally not against a skimmer at all but have read enough where it leads me to believe there are times one shouldn’t be used or that your dosing what it just took out.

Here is the hang on refugium. I thought I had put a picture in my original reply

 

[Pistondog]

Going to be setting up a 35.2 AIO waterbox. Most likely going to be adding life to it very slowly over the course of a year. Just no plans to rush anything. Question I have is do you think a skimmer will be something I’d need? The tank will have room in one of the chambers for the Tunze which is nice.

Yes, for aereation if nothing else.

 

[boisblancboy]

Here is the hang on refugium. I thought I had put a picture in my original reply

Thanks pretty cool. Think it works pretty good for your needs?