Skimmers bad for nano tanks?

[MizTanks]

I read an article the other day about skimmers being bad for nano tanks. Reasons given are, they quickly kill off the pod population, and removing to much of the nutrients. What say you all? I'll find the article and post the link later :)

[SaltyDog]

It actually varies with the size and what the bio-load is like.....if you have an overstocked nano tank than yeah it's a good idea to have one.Even if it's not stocked to the max you can run one maybe once or twice a week to help remove the surface proteins.But for a non-highly stocked tank i'd just go with the mechanical filtration.

[Sir Patrick]

I recall a tank of the past, that ran skimmerless, and had so many pods they were irritating the corals in the tank. Too much disolved organics/nutrients.

I cant say I have seen a tank that was healthy lacking pods, even with the biggest best top of the line skimmers. Nanos included.

I dont beleive there is such a thing as "removing to much of the nutrient", there is a reason we feed our tanks.

What goes in must be used or removed. Without a skimmer, it just breaks down into the stuff that will cause your tank to be dirty and depending on how you feed, possibly polluted.

I wouldnt be able to feed the way I do without a good skimmer.

Link to this artical? I am interested in seeing what else it might have to say....

I guess if someone is starving their tank, dissolved nutrient and pod poulation can suffer, but hopefully, for the animals in our glass boxes sakes, no one is doing that.

[Nano-Newb1983]

i have had my nano for many years now without a skimmer, and im not seeing any issues at all.

IMO it wouldnt hurt much to have one tho, i just keep up on cleaning tank, waterchanges, and changing filter floss and that every few days

[MizTanks]

Would upping water changes not remove the excess nutrients? My main concern is/was placing the skimmer in such a small fuge such as mine. Leaves me scrambling for alternatives :(

[Tom@HaslettMI]

Some folks feel skimmers are not necessary. I agree with the info. Sir Patrick and SaltyDog have provided. I'll add that a skimmer-less tank usually has a deep sand bed, a very low bioload, and avoids species that require pristine water conditions. Personally, I feel a skimmer is a must (unless you plan to do frequent water changes, minimal feeding, and not keep SPS and other such sensitive species).

Here's my recent experience... My skimmer pump failed a few months ago and I thought "I'll try going skimmer-less for awhile. At least until I find a better replacement pump." Well, with a busy summer, not increasing my WC frequency, and keeping the feeding about the same I ended up with the following:


Nitrate spike (50ppm!)
Cyanobacteria outbreak
tissue necrosis on several SPS (essentially losing a large S. hysterix colony)
Bleaching and tissue loss of several LPS

HTH,
Tom

[larryandlaura]

How could be removing to much waste be bad? Cleaner the water usually means better health for our little pieces of the ocean. I have never ran a tank without a skimmer.

[creefer]

Some folks feel skimmers are not necessary. I agree with the info. Sir Patrick and SaltyDog have provided. I'll add that a skimmer-less tank usually has a deep sand bed, a very low bioload, and avoids species that require pristine water conditions. Personally, I feel a skimmer is a must (unless you plan to do frequent water changes, minimal feeding, and not keep SPS and other such sensitive species).

Here's my recent experience... My skimmer pump failed a few months ago and I thought "I'll try going skimmer-less for awhile. At least until I find a better replacement pump." Well, with a busy summer, not increasing my WC frequency, and keeping the feeding about the same I ended up with the following:


Nitrate spike (50ppm!)
Cyanobacteria outbreak
tissue necrosis on several SPS (essentially losing a large S. hysterix colony)
Bleaching and tissue loss of several LPS

HTH,
Tom

I had a similar experience this summer as well. I would never run a tank skimmerless, but that's JMO.

[MizTanks]

:embarrassed: ok now that you all have totally scared the crap outta me :duh:.....I started it back up :thumbsup: Now I'm on the hunt for a different skimmer.

[Sir Patrick]

Dont let thiss information scare you. Running a skimmerless system can be done, if done properly, running a variety of systems.

Good luck with your search for a new skimmer!

---------- Post added at 02:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:42 PM ----------

Would still like to see this artical though.....unless it goes much deeper into the subject, that was not shared, it doesnt sound like very well writen information on the hobby. I am looking forward to reading it myself.

[MizTanks]

Dont let thiss information scare you. Running a skimmerless system can be done, if done properly, running a variety of systems.

Good luck with your search for a new skimmer!

---------- Post added at 02:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:42 PM ----------

Would still like to see this artical though.....unless it goes much deeper into the subject, that was not shared, it doesnt sound like very well writen information on the hobby. I am looking forward to reading it myself.


Dang! I'm looking an looking and I can't find it...came across it while looking for a new skimmer (3 days ago)...I'll keep trying :) it did go deeper into keeping nano tanks.

[rmalone]

I agree that running a skimmer is never a bad idea. It might not be a must for some tanks but it sure makes life easier. Miz you are starting in on sps and they are VERY picky about water quality, not only the quality but consistency as well. For my money any tank with sps should have a skimmer.

I think Eschopps (sp) has a reasonable price hang on back skimmer that would work for you. ATB has a very expensive HOB that would be sweet but too spendy for a nano. I would avoid any of the itty bitty in chamber skimmers, useless has been my experience. Also some people have had good luck with Aqua-Remora skimmers, me, not so much, the one I have is still hanging on my 22g at home. It's shut off until I find a real use for the mj1200 attached to it. Well built and utterly useless, perhaps mine is an anomaly, but it sucks.

Personally I find it funny when people say your as well off without a skimmer. Can you get by with water changes? Sure you can and over time you'll slowly get a little lazy about water changes (human nature, water changes suck). Not to mention that managing nutrient via water changes will, over time, end up more expensive than just getting a skimmer in the first place.

Oh and Miz, are you VERY sure your not ready to just get a bigger tank with a sump and big boy skimmer? At that point a skimmer for the nano would be a waste. Admit it, Miz your going to go bigger sooner than later, lol.

[creefer]

.....are you VERY sure your not ready to just get a bigger tank with a sump and big boy skimmer? At that point a skimmer for the nano would be a waste. Admit it, Miz your going to go bigger sooner than later, lol.

Boy isn't that the truth???

[MizTanks]

Lmao! rmalone your to funny :) Will def be going bigger some day!!