Cloudy tank, recommendations on protein skimmer

[FishLover01]

I would search for HOB protein skimmers on Amazon. Read the reviews of each skimmer and you'll probably be able to find one that will work for you and also at the most decent price. Also, for cloudiness, I'd get a HOB UV sterilizer. UV lights do wonders for clearing water. Good Luck.

 

[Forsaken77]

As directed by a small fish store (not petco or petsmart or any type of chain store) we clean it once a month. We have activated carbon, phosguard, and then fine filter sponge, biological filtration, and then a highly porous filter sponge

Once a month is waaay to long. The detritus pads should be changed, or rinsed out, weekly depending on how many fish there are and if you're overfeeding the fish (meaning there's uneaten food decaying in the tank). Also, canister filters are more so for freshwater or as a supplemental filter for saltwater. They're more work and trouble than they're worth imo. But if that's what you already have then you really need to stay on top of cleaning it out

Like others have said, AquaMaxx, from Marine Depot, makes a decent hang on skimmer. God knows they advertise it every chance they get.

I just want to warn you though that hang on skimmers can cause floods easily if they start overflowing and/or end up dumping the waste back into the tank causing mass destruction. Happened to my brother-in-law with the AI Ghost Skimmer, which is why I wouldn't recommend that one.

Being its a hang on skimmer, I would recommend setting something up for the waste to drain from the cup into a bigger container below it. I use the Reef Octopus Waste Collector because it will shut the skimmer off if the container gets full (because the skimmer power cord plugs into it) and it has a cup of carbon above it to absorb the smell. Some people use a gallon jug, but it stinks, literally. You just should have something for a hang on to drain into to prevent accidents.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Bdog4u2]

Canister is fine for saltwater s long as you clean it regularly I ran one for 13 years on my old 75 gallon and my fish always lived long healthy lives..matter of fact I still have fish that I bought before I set that tank up. my buddy has a yellow tang in his 55 gallon that is well over 10 years old and he uses hob filters and no skimmer. lightly stocked tanks don't need skimmers somehow the rumor was started you can't do marine tanks without a skimmer mmmmm probably by people selling them.

 

[Nano man]

#1 like Diesel said get a nitrate test kit and phosphate and see what your numbers are at.
#2 Throwing money at something doesn't always solve the problem,
Hold off on the protein skimmer.
#3Clean the can out every week, or sell it and recoup some of your money and get a sump.(refugium setup, carbon, filter floss, etc etc,)
#4 weekly water changes of 5 gallons.
That's a start

 

[40B Knasty]

Hi all! Just a few months in here and I am looking into getting a protein skimmer. I need a hang on the back and I am not exactly sure where to start looking. I have a 55 gallon tank. Currently running a hydor professional 350 canister filter. Tank is looking a bit cloudy recently. Did a 20% water change yesterday and helped slightly.

I have a REEF OCTOPUS BH1000 HOB. It was originally on a 20g. Now on my 40B. It is still rated for over that. Does the job very well! I wish I spent the extra money for the BH2000. Easy to clean skim cup. You will get micro bubbles in your tank as it breaks in, but that is every skimmer. Mine has been running for a year non stop solid. Also this skims for 6 fish, corals, invertebrates, and a heavy feeding of 2-3x a day. Clean the whole system every 2 1/2 months. 4 if you get lazy the max, because you want that needle to cut the water into tiny bubbles and rotate smoothly. This will expand the life of any equipment. Like an oil change. If you are guilty of going over 3k extra miles. Well your motor will pay for it in the long run and you will pay for a new one sooner than later, because nothing lasts forever ☺
Also a good rule of thumb is 1lb of live rock per gallon. The more porous the better it is for holding beneficial bacteria. First thing I noticed was you were looking a little light.
If you are looking for the best HOB Filter. FLUVAL C4. It can hold so much media for an HOB. It also lets YOU know when to clean the sponge out in used tank water. 5 stage filtration. I made it a 6 ☺ carbon bags don't last more than a week. Purigin will clear that tank up in no time! Just need to find a bag that can hold fine material. Stuff that in where the carbon bag would go. So much room in there. I put an ammonia bag from a fluval 50 to make it a 6 stage. Look up videos on purigin. Mind blowing how fast it works and I can attest to it. Plus it lasts for like 6 months and you can recharge it with a bleach, but I would say spend the $20 for another container. Why risk it over $20.

 

[40B Knasty]

42lbs of LR. You can see the protein skimmer on the right side. Not to bad of an eyesore. I can see it being very hard to put a lot of live rock in your tank. The width of a 55g is very narrow. Think it is just over a 1 foot. 40B are 18inches wide.