Marine Topic Of The Week. 9/23 Thru 9/30

[Great Lakes]

Looks like we need a topic of the week.

How about skimming?

When I first started this hobby, I thought skimming was a bit over rated.

I never seemed to have any troubles. My tank was not anywhere near over stocked, so this most likely helped my impression from being shattered.

The I got a deal on a complete tank that came with a skimmer, and after setting up the whole deal, was amzed by how much crap the skimmer pulled out!!

The thought now of not skimming send chills down my spine.

GL

 

[Lynden]

I don't skim... yet.

When I get my big tank I will get a big skimmer too. I hope it doesn't have to be a 6' tall, $1000000 skimmer

I'm actually thinking about getting a Tunze skimmer, as it seemed relatively small and cheap (Tunze? CHEAP? Get out of here...) but given Tunze's reputation, I'd imagine it's just as effective as they claim it to be.

But I will probably get a Coralife "Super Skimmer". Probably just as good and a hell of a lot cheaper.

Everything else is too damn expensive. The Tunze is borderline.

- Coralife Skimmer .....$224.95
- Tunze Skimmer ...... $384.47

-Lynden

 

[Dalejr_802]

u can get that coralife skimmer alot cheper than that i will send u the link ASAP i belive its about 50 or 60 dollars cheaper than that its 220 gal too

 

[Dalejr_802]

heres the link https/host100.ipowerweb.com/~aquarium/ord...er_coralife.htm

 

[Lynden]

Not only am I not familiar with that website, but they don't ship to where I live

I found an even more inexpensive site to buy from that I am familiar with, though.

Big Al's Online

Could someone take a quick look at that page and recommend one for me? Normally I wouldn't ask and figure it out myself... but the only skimmer I have ever used is a Lee's air driven skimmer, and skimmers are most definetly not my specialty.


-Lynden

 

[SkiFletch]

Go with the Coralife. It uses a knockoff sedra needlewheel impeller thats probably the best on that list. The sedra pumps with needlewheel impellers are what makes euroreef and ASM (same company) so stinkin good. The coralife superskimmer uses a nextremely similar needlewheel. I'd probably go with the middle sized 125 gallon model if you can fit it

Thanks for that link btw, been lookin for where to get a cheap needle-wheel skimmer

 

[Lynden]

Thanks Ski. I was actually going to get the skimmer for the big tank (180 gal+) that I am getting in several months. So then, just get the biggest one? Or maybe two smaller ones?

Or what about this one?

Red Sea Berlin Turbo XL

-Lynden

 

[SkiFletch]

Get the biggest coralife, they have a better needlewheel... Dont bother with the berlin

 

[Lynden]

Get the biggest coralife, they have a better needlewheel... Dont bother with the berlin

Okay, thanks Ski

-Lynden

 

[steelhealr]

Releasing this. SH

 

[Redstratplayer1]

mesh mod

most Skimmers work best with a mesh mod.

A mesh mod is when you take any thick plastic mesh and use a twisti tie and cover the needle weel with it.
It works on the CSS

just puting that out there

 

[bunjiweb]

Well to actually reply to the topic in question rather than talk about which one should be bought....

From what I have seen and experienced skimmers are a necessity on a good sized reef tank, however this does not mean that they are best run all the time. Skimming 24/7 may take away food from corals and other inverts meaning that either coral food is wasted or natural planktons that are in the tank may get removed aswell. I always turn off my skimmer just before and for at least an hour after feeding coral food, and sometimes I turn it off at night aswell.

A skimmer is worthwhile on a larger tank if only because of the safety net it can provide. If you keep anenomes, sea apples, cucumbers or anything like that which at some point could possibly die or breed and release a toxic mess into your tank a skimmer does a great deal to help remove all that rubbish from the water. You may have seen your skimmer throth more if you have had a fish or coral die in your tank, this is because of all the excess proteins in the water when something starts to decompose.

I dont have skimmers on any of my really small tanks (2x 5gal, 1x 9gal), primarily because they are much more lightly stocked and dont contain the kind of things which require me to skim. I simply water change these tanks every week or so and do fw top ups as needed.

If i ever set up a tank bigger than 20Gal i would deffinately consider a skimmer on it for the reasons i've just stated, however some people run beautiful tanks with alternatives such as deep sand beds, algae scrubbing refugiums and all the rest of it.

Ben