Is Skimming Required? + Powerhead Selection

[Revision17]

I'm starting my first nano (10 gallon) in a month or so when my guppy fry are large (and pretty! the males in my strain are very nice looking )enough to be given to other people. Right now I've been doing research and acquiring equipment as I find good deals.

I've read some article that says that skimming shouldn't be done in a nano. However in nano photographs, I see skimmers in most tanks. There are also nano skimmers at Drs. Foster & Smith for around $20, which wouldn't be too painful if I need to get it.

In my freshwater planted tank I use this ViaAqua pump to pump water through my UV sterilizer. It has a nice "powerhead" attachment which seems to work well when I played with it. I like this since I can easily reposition the water output without having to move the large pump or electrical wires. Are 1 or 2 of these good enough for a nano, or should I go with a dedicated powerhead? Also are oscillating powerheads worthwhile?

 

[Musho3210]

skimmers, like everything else practically have their own pros and cons. A pro and con is that they remove DOC, fish dont mind a low to moderate level, some soft corals, shrooms and zoas LOVE a moderate level of DOC, lps, ehh i would say similar to fishes tollerance, sps should have pristine very low to no DOC in the water. So it depends on what you want to keep.

A con is that they remove good things like some trace elements, phytoplankton, and zooplankton.

A pro is that if elements persist, then you may not need to do as many water changes, but it doesnt hurt to not change your schedule.

Anyway, if your gonna get a skimmer, go for a good one. The good nano skimmers run in the 125-200$ price range, so if you cant afford it, i wouldnt get one. I would use that money for an RO/Di unit instead.

 

[chrissaysyes]

Anyway, if your gonna get a skimmer, go for a good one. The good nano skimmers run in the 125-200$ price range, so if you cant afford it, i wouldnt get one. I would use that money for an RO/Di unit instead.

Precisely, a $20 skimmer is probably going to be as useful as sticking your face in the tank and blowing bubbles with styrofoam cup taped to your nose. I personally wouldn't put a skimmer on a nano for the very cons that were mentioned above, nor would I waste money on a cheap skimmer for any tank. I have a skimmer on my large reef tank downstairs and it wasnt cheap but definitely not the best I couldve purchased...it works great but it sounds like a friggin blender.

 

[Adrinal]

skimmers are extra. Especially on a small tank. You do need to off set with water changes.

WATERCHANGE IS KING (done properly)

High flow is seccond. tunze nano or something like that would me nice.


Think of how many water changes you could do for mm 200 bucks of salt on a 20 g tank.

 

[Musho3210]

high flow is something i hate, probably cause of my lps corals.

 

[Adrinal]

Pressure and flow are two different animals.

Remember LPS look best when they are not getting enough light or flow... because they are reaching for it.

I have a frag tank I am taking down... for a few reasons... Anyway whats my point... oh yes. There is only one tunze nano in there and things look awesome and have grown lots, but with such little flow if something gets sick, it suffocates in its own slime. When dirt settles on it its not blown off and that portion dies (leaving it open to some other issue).

Think about the starving mandarin or LPS scenario. Thinks can look great when they are really on the path to death... think about the pink Yumas we see for sale... stunning looking nearly dead animals.


It is hard to get flow without pressure in a small chamber however

 

[steelhealr]

Water changes are key. I've modified your original post with regards to links. SH

 

[Musho3210]

Pressure and flow are two different animals.

Remember LPS look best when they are not getting enough light or flow... because they are reaching for it.

I have a frag tank I am taking down... for a few reasons... Anyway whats my point... oh yes. There is only one tunze nano in there and things look awesome and have grown lots, but with such little flow if something gets sick, it suffocates in its own slime. When dirt settles on it its not blown off and that portion dies (leaving it open to some other issue).

Think about the starving mandarin or LPS scenario. Thinks can look great when they are really on the path to death... think about the pink Yumas we see for sale... stunning looking nearly dead animals.


It is hard to get flow without pressure in a small chamber however

True, but tide sorta changed when the brain coral is completely closed on one side with slight skeleton showing where all the flow hits it. Anyway, its either my lps or sps corals, one cant thrive without the other suffering..... I need a bigger tank to redo my flow plan....