Skimmers useful?

[rock_lobster]

delete

 

[EW_Fish]

Anyone else remove their skimmer and notice major improvements in the coral growth and color? Have to wonder if there is any value to sucking the “coral food amino acids” out of the aquarium.

Skimmers are helpful on systems but yes they do take nutrients out the water. I run a skimmer a little bit under rated for my tanks with large refuges.

 

[rock_lobster]

Skimmers are helpful on systems but yes they do take nutrients out the water. I run a skimmer a little bit under rated for my tanks with large refuges.

I think the biggest benefit and often overlooked is simply aeration and degassing while remove nutrients is more of a negative side effect.

 

[Redleg]

Did you replace the aeration? Just wondering if there would be any benefit of running airstone in your sump instead.

 

[DarkSky]

Are you testing NO3/PO4? That'd be a good step towards determining if you're skimming too heavily. You can skim drier and pull out less if you want.

Also, there are a number of reefs out there running without skimmers.

 

[rock_lobster]

Did you replace the aeration? Just wondering if there would be any benefit of running airstone in your sump instead.

Yes I did in order to keep my pH up I am running a pump with an airline attached.

 

[rock_lobster]

Are you testing NO3/PO4? That'd be a good step towards determining if you're skimming too heavily. You can skim drier and pull out less if you want.

Also, there are a number of reefs out there running without skimmers.

yes I do dose both phosphate and nitrate but I want my corals to have more amino acids available instead of just NO3 and PO4. I had been decreasing my skimmer timer slowly for weeks to where it was finally just on for 2 hours a day and steadily the tank improved.

 

[DarkSky]

but I want my corals to have more amino acids available instead of just NO3 and PO4

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe @Randy Holmes-Farley has stated on many occasions that there is no clear evidence that corals actually can process amino acids from your water, whereas they actively uptake NO3 and PO4 to produce tissue.

 

[rock_lobster]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe @Randy Holmes-Farley has stated on many occasions that there is no clear evidence that corals actually can process amino acids from your water, whereas they actively uptake NO3 and PO4 to produce tissue.

Corals in general? im sure that some of the millions of species certainly can. Some even take up large particulate like rhodactis, most LPS and so on which means they are most certainly capable of processing amino acids. Even sps will consume small pellets as well as zoas.

 

[DarkSky]

Corals in general? im sure that some of the millions of species certainly can. Some even take up large particulate like rhodactis, most LPS and so on which means they are most certainly capable of processing amino acids. Even sps will consume small pellets as well as zoas.

Pulling particle food out of the water with their polyps are one thing, processing liquid amino acids out of the water are another.

 

[rock_lobster]

Pulling particle food out of the water with their polyps are one thing, processing liquid amino acids out of the water are another.

It would seem to make sense that if coral can pull out microscopic particulate then they could probably also pull out amino acids but to be honest I never researched that nor really cared to. However a skimmer will also pull out micro particulate like pods or other broadcast food so its already a problem. I do broadcast reefroids and other micro particulate very often.

 

[rock_lobster]

Pulling particle food out of the water with their polyps are one thing, processing liquid amino acids out of the water are another.

Just a brief survey of literature about amino acid uptake tells me its not a question of "do coral uptake free amino acids?" but rather how much and which factors influence how rapidly they uptake free amino acids. Things such as light, pH and growth will influence the rate. Some studies stated that as much as 30% of daily Nitrogen consumption came directly from organic nitrogen sources and that is for Stylophora an SPS.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Totally depends on your set up. If you have alot of fish and feed quite a bit, then sometimes the sump cant keep up, and the Nitrates will climb to high.

 

[flowflezy]

Following

 

[Redleg]

From my research across this and other forums, running without a skimmer seems to require more frequent water changes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe @Randy Holmes-Farley has stated on many occasions that there is no clear evidence that corals actually can process amino acids from your water, whereas they actively uptake NO3 and PO4 to produce tissue.

That wasn't me.

 

[BigJohnny]

Anyone else remove their skimmer and notice major improvements in the coral growth and color? Have to wonder if there is any value to sucking the “coral food amino acids” out of the aquarium.

It's not the specifically the skimmer imo, like any form of nutrient management it's a balance. You likely just needed more "gunk" in your tank. You can probably add more fish and put it back online if you want to maintain the other benefits of running a skimmer, like aeration and the removal of harmful substances.

 

[EW_Fish]

I think the biggest benefit and often overlooked is simply aeration and degassing while remove nutrients is more of a negative side effect.

Yes this is overlooked. Its great for o2 exchange

From my research across this and other forums, running without a skimmer seems to require more frequent water changes.

This some what true. I've ran tanks with large fuges with somewhat to low frequent water changes. (med stock tanks) Great growth and color. I prefer a skimmer for exchange of c02 and 02

 

[rock_lobster]

Yes this is overlooked. Its great for o2 exchange

This some what true. I've ran tanks with large fuges with somewhat to low frequent water changes. (med stock tanks) Great growth and color. I prefer a skimmer for exchange of c02 and 02

I never do water changes maybe 10% a year max. Never saw the benefit.

 

[cjd]

Im a undersized skimmer with refugium reefer. That plus size recommendations you always here i think its because people always go bigger down the line so its one less piece of equipment to buy.