Skimmers and UV sterilization

Michelle3 · Mar 22, 2023

I have a 35 gallon tank that is over a year old. It has live rock, live sand, a Penguin biowheel filter, heater and light. I have had a flame hawk and clown fish for a year and recently (last week) added a porcupine puffer and two turbo snails. I do small weekly water changes (~5 gallons). After doing a little research I'm considering adding a protein skimmer and a UV sterilizer to make my tank even cleaner and healthier. Can they come as a combination to save on space and power cords? Does anyone have any recommendations for a skimmer and UV for a small tank? I looked online but the options are overwhelming....

SlugSnorter · Mar 22, 2023

Michelle3 said:
I have a 35 gallon tank that is over a year old. It has live rock, live sand, a Penguin biowheel filter, heater and light. I have had a flame hawk and clown fish for a year and recently (last week) added a porcupine puffer and two turbo snails. I do small weekly water changes (~5 gallons). After doing a little research I'm considering adding a protein skimmer and a UV sterilizer to make my tank even cleaner and healthier. Can they come as a combination to save on space and power cords? Does anyone have any recommendations for a skimmer and UV for a small tank? I looked online but the options are overwhelming....

1. Do you have a sump?

2. No, theres not really a good option for combining them.

3. They may not be needed in a tank of this size.

14 foot reef · Mar 22, 2023

SlugSnorter said:
1. Do you have a sump?

2. No, theres not really a good option for combining them.

3. They may not be needed in a tank of this size.

Pretty sure with a Penguin Bio Wheel as the filter there is no sump.

SlugSnorter · Mar 22, 2023

14 foot reef said:
Pretty sure with a Penguin Bio Wheel as the filter there is no sump.

Its not impossible, but yeah, didn't think about that lol.

Theres not really a good option for HOB skimmers

Michelle3 · Mar 22, 2023

I don't have a sump.
I wasn't really worried until I got the puffer. He is a pig and also wastes some of his food (he swallows half and spits half out). The flame hawk and clown hoover up some of the scraps, but not all of them. I really want to do all I can to stay on top of water quality.

o2manyfish · Mar 22, 2023

Not only is your puffer a messy eater, but what goes in must comes out, and the puffer is a messy pooper.

A protein skimmer is for pulling out inorgranics in the water column. And while it does pull waste out of the water, it does not pull out solid waste ie; a Puffer Dootie.

A UV breaks down cells at the structural level, and while it may kill parasites and algae, giving a clearer looking water column, it will not do anything for the solid waste.

Your best bet is to get a Mechanical filter that removes solid waste - For your size tank this could be a second bio-wheel, a bigger bio-wheel, or a canister filter system. Something that captures/traps the solid waste and then once it's trapped in some kind of media material, you can pull it out and dispose of it.

When I say dispose of it - I don't mean everytime the puffer craps, but depending on the size your puffer gets it could be monthly and as he gets bigger it might have to be more frequently to keep your water 'clean'.

Dave B

lilgrounchuck · Mar 22, 2023

I've been using the Macro Aqua M-50 HOB skimmer on Amazon on my 50G mixed reef for the last few years and it's been great. I also have a UV light from Amazon in the Seachem HOB filter I have on there. I only use that filter to add mechanical filtration or carbon as needed, so it's just sitting there and only moving water around 99% of the time, so I figured why not give it the ol' college try. I did have the UV light go out on me a while ago and noticed the water was significantly less clear than when it's running.

SlugSnorter · Mar 23, 2023

o2manyfish said:
Not only is your puffer a messy eater, but what goes in must comes out, and the puffer is a messy pooper.

A protein skimmer is for pulling out inorgranics in the water column. And while it does pull waste out of the water, it does not pull out solid waste ie; a Puffer Dootie.

A UV breaks down cells at the structural level, and while it may kill parasites and algae, giving a clearer looking water column, it will not do anything for the solid waste.

Your best bet is to get a Mechanical filter that removes solid waste - For your size tank this could be a second bio-wheel, a bigger bio-wheel, or a canister filter system. Something that captures/traps the solid waste and then once it's trapped in some kind of media material, you can pull it out and dispose of it.

When I say dispose of it - I don't mean everytime the puffer craps, but depending on the size your puffer gets it could be monthly and as he gets bigger it might have to be more frequently to keep your water 'clean'.

Dave B

+1 to canister filter, just remember to clean it

Michelle3 · Mar 24, 2023

You have all been immensely helpful! Thank you!

mnl119 · Mar 24, 2023

Michelle3 said:
I have a 35 gallon tank that is over a year old. It has live rock, live sand, a Penguin biowheel filter, heater and light. I have had a flame hawk and clown fish for a year and recently (last week) added a porcupine puffer and two turbo snails. I do small weekly water changes (~5 gallons). After doing a little research I'm considering adding a protein skimmer and a UV sterilizer to make my tank even cleaner and healthier. Can they come as a combination to save on space and power cords? Does anyone have any recommendations for a skimmer and UV for a small tank? I looked online but the options are overwhelming....

I used a Remora HOB skimmer for several months on my quarantine tank. It worked well and gave several ounces of skimmate/day at its peak, driven by a MaxiJet 1200. It was fairly low profile and needed only 3" of clearance from the wall There are other HOB skimmers that you could try.

As far as UV sterilizers, there are in tank options, but the really take up too much space for a 35 gallon. I seen HOB UV sterilizers but never really tried them.