Is it worthwhile to add a protein skimmer?

[Dooner248]

I am in the process of setting up a new saltwater tank. This is my first. Former experience has been with Africans, but lost the whole tank a few months ago. I needed something new. I am using a 210 gallon tank. I am reusing an FX4 and FX6. I am closely following the advise of my LFS and put in two pumps and three new lights geared for corals. I installed a RO system and set up a 40 gallon tank to mix saltwater. I have had two clownfish and five chromis now for a couple months. Recently added some CUC.

I do not have a protein skimmer, sump, refugium or dosing system. I am hoping to curtail any additional equipment. Do I have to add any other equipment? If I add a skimmer can it be a HOB? I did not see any sized for a 210. If the skimmer is rated for a 40-75 gallon tank will it do any good? Is there any other equipment you can recommend or highly recommend?

 

[Magnum Man]

I don't have salt anymore, but was heavy into them 25 years ago, so take anything with a grain of salt ( sorry about the pun ) with the lower stocking of fish I would suspect that you wouldn't need a protein skimmer... but I'm unfamiliar with the abbreviation of CUC... I messed with a few on some of my freshwater tanks recently ( I had one that often got an oily film on the surface ) if you suspected you need one, you could maybe try one of the HOB Tidal filters that incorporate a surface skimmer... but you are already way ahead of what I was capable of 25 years ago, with available equipment

 

[Colin_T]

I don't have salt anymore, but was heavy into them 25 years ago, so take anything with a grain of salt ( sorry about the pun ) with the lower stocking of fish I would suspect that you wouldn't need a protein skimmer... but I'm unfamiliar with the abbreviation of CUC...

CUC is clean up crew (shrimp, hermit, crabs, starfish, etc)

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For the OP

You don't need a protein skimmer unless you want one. They do remove protein from the water and help keep it cleaner for longer but I have run marine tanks without them. In fact I only ever ran 2 types and removed both after a month because they didn't help as far as I was concerned. One was an air operated skimmer, the other was a Tunze power skimmer. Both were a waste of money as far as I'm concerned.

Protein skimmers also remove plankton from the water and that can be an issue if you are trying to breed anything because the larvae gets taken out with the protein.

If you only have a few fish and you do big regular water changes, you are fine without a skimmer. If you want lots of corals and fish, then get a skimmer to help keep the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate lower for longer. you will still have to do water changes, but might be able to go a week or two longer between water changes with a protein skimmer. I did a 90% water change every month on my tanks without a skimmer. Unless you have a full refugium, skimmer, automatic mineral dosing and everything else, save your money.

A smaller skimmer will do the job but won't take out as much stuff as quickly so instead of cleaning up the protein waste in 30 minutes, it might take an hour or two.

If you grow macro algae like Caulerpa and Halimeda in the tank, they remove nutrients and in my experience keep the water cleaner than a protein skimmer.

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You don't need special coral lights either. Any plant light with a Kelvin rating of 6500K will do. If you want corals to glow, get a blue (not UV) light to go with it. Corals have symbiotic algae that needs red and blue light the same as terrestrial and freshwater aquarium plants. A lot of marine lights have too much blue and not enough red. These usually have a 8000-15000K rating (the higher the number the more blue they have). They normally have a colour spectrum chart on the light unit's packaging and you want equal parts red and blue light where it spikes.

 

[jaylach]

Not really related comment but you say that you have a 40 gallon tank for mixing salt water. Never use that water when just 'topping off' the tank. Only use it for water changes. Water evaporates, salt does not. When just topping off adding salt water ends up increasing the salt level in the tank and will eventually kill the tank. I've seen this happen... Ya, it was me forty years ago.