Skimmer Or Refugium?

[KoiRich]

Still planning my new set up and noticed the Sapphire NanoSkimmer NC24 on nanatuners website, looks good. But...

I had planned to do everything that steelhealr recommended and that was using the middle chamber as a refugium.

Being a newbie my thoughts are that a skimmer does lots more than reduce nitrates (which a refugium is used for) but being a koi keeper I have always valued plants to remove nitrates.

Now I don't know what to do. !!!

I will be putting in an extra Maxijet 1200 (as per steelhealr) and TWO 50W heaters, plus 1/2 a sponge and so the chambers will be fairly full, little room for water even! ! ! but .... is there enough for the skimmer AND the refugium. Until my tank arrives (next week I hope) I can't make exact measurements.

The skimmer is 2.25"x4"x11".

Your thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

[Mr Miagi]

It works in the same way as your Koi. Plants are used in marine aquaria to reduce nitrates aswell, but when added to a refugium, they have an added advantage that they are an extremely good habitat for macroinverts like Copepods, which are beneficial for your fish and tank! A skimmer does the same, it pulls dissolved organics from the water before they breakdown and produce nitrates. I think a skimmer would probably be more efective than a small refugium in reducing nitrate, but a refugium has added benefit in supplying a natural escapoe and then a food source to your fish. Both acomplsih the same thing. You could just have both!

 

[SkiFletch]

Agreed. Both accomplish the same thing. Were I to build a nano in the manner of SH's tank I'd go with a refugium before I used a skimmer. Simple reason, refugiums are easier to run. You dont have to balance air inlet, pump packpressure and other things to prevent the refugium from injecting bubbles in your tank . Small skimmers can be a bit tricky to master from a technical standpoint, and even I wouldn't bother TBH

 

[KoiRich]

OK, thanks for your help. I'm going to try the refugium first, it's cheaper, sounds easier and better fits a beginner like me.

Cheers