skimmer

[blb75usa]

do you have to have a skimmer on a small tank

[larryandlaura]

No just make sure to stay up on water changes aka water quality!

[jimsflies]

What size range of tanks are you asking about?

[MizTanks]

I'm no longer running one on my 26g. It's been a month + now and all is well been doing 25% bi-weekly WC. However I'm not keeping sps either.

I do have to add that I am running a surface skimmer. It is attached to my intake pump that goes directly into my fuge. I cleaned it out for the first time today..YUCK!

[Poseidon]

What's a "small tank"?

[rmalone]

Exactly to me small is anything under 30-40g. Above that I feel a tank should be sumped and skimmed, not that it has to be, but it sure makes life easier.

[binford4000]

I personally believe if your going to have fish in a tank running a skimmer is good idea,Regardless of tank size.Skimmrs will help you maintan good water parameters in a very small water volume.Yes you can do without one but it will help reduce the number of those difficult times all reefers go thru.IMHO

[MizTanks]

Originally Posted by binford4000

I personally believe if your going to have fish in a tank running a skimmer is good idea,Regardless of tank size.Skimmrs will help you maintan good water parameters in a very small water volume.Yes you can do without one but it will help reduce the number of those difficult times all reefers go thru.IMHO

What difficult times are we talking about here? Aside from the ones that regular water changes won't take care of.

[rmalone]

Well Miz, the problem is "regular water changes", start to become less regular over time. Particularly if things are going well. Water changes work great if your very disciplined, but most drunkards like me, get lazy over time and then all heck breaks loose when you least expect it.

[purerebel]

Originally Posted by rmalone

Well Miz, the problem is "regular water changes", start to become less regular over time. Particularly if things are going well. Water changes work great if your very disciplined, but most drunkards like me, get lazy over time and then all heck breaks loose when you least expect it.

LOL brother I hear ya. As the weather gets warmer the tanks suffer more than the winter months. Sometimes I rather drink beer in the sunshine in the garden than work on the tanks Fortunatey my better half keeps "reminding me" in her gently way to do WC and stuff.

I do run a skimmer on all 3 tanks. 20 gal. Frag tank on has a HOB filter with a skimmer thing that floats up and down on the intake tube. It works better than nothing but I run through the filter pads really quick.