Protein skimmers

[Pistondog]

Deeper dive

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php

 

[theMeat]

you both are right. Skimmers don't remove phosphate on their own but the uneaten food remnants and organic that can breakdown into phosphate. if you have a PO4 issue right now then Mr Mojo's suggestion is right on with the GFO suggestions. i run a couple bags of chemipure elite in my weir section before the return chamber since they have a bit of GFO in them and it helps when i feed my reef jerky daily.

Water changes will do it too
Used to run gfo, and if you have no other options it works.
For me would rather find the balance between skimming, refugium, ats, and water changes that keeps things in check. It’s easy to strip too much with gfo, and with chemipure it gets exhausted so you get swings between when new and absorbing a lot, to used up.

 

[Zbass]

you both are right. Skimmers don't remove phosphate on their own but the uneaten food remnants and organic that can breakdown into phosphate. if you have a PO4 issue right now then Mr Mojo's suggestion is right on with the GFO suggestions. i run a couple bags of chemipure elite in my weir section before the return chamber since they have a bit of GFO in them and it helps when i feed my reef jerky daily.

to run chemipure do you simply just drop the bag in your sump and that helps?

 

[X-37B]

Tunze 9410dc. Very under rated skimmer, imo. I run 2 9410dc's, one on my ext 50 and on my rs 170-35g. I also run a Tunze 9430dc on my main system.
Tunze have been my go to skimmers for the last 8 years now.
Set and forget. Just clean the cup. Cup and neck come off together.
Anti overflow and you don't need to turn it off when you feed.

 

[X-37B]

to run chemipure do you simply just drop the bag in your sump and that helps?

Yes it works in a high flow area. I drop it in a 300 micron sock to keep po4 below .1.

 

[Zbass]

Yes it works in a high flow area. I drop it in a 300 micron sock to keep po4 below .1.

would you recommend using that over GFO. it does seem to be cheaper

 

[X-37B]

would you recommend using that over GFO. it does seem to be cheaper

I use gfo. Certain chemi pure's have gfo so either will work.

 

[reeftivo]

to run chemipure do you simply just drop the bag in your sump and that helps?

I run chemi pure passive in bags. No reactor. Doesn't strip po4 as fast which works for me. Change 2 bags every 4 weeks.

 

[reeftivo]

would you recommend using that over GFO. it does seem to be cheaper

If it's only slightly elevated i would use it since it removes organics as well. If you have high levels of po4 then rowa and wc's

 

[Faurek]

There are some who do not run them. I recall Julian Sprung's display does not use one.

Yes he doesn't like protein skimmers, but guess what he has decades of experience and knowledge, also looks at his tanks, filled to the brim with corals, soft corals, SPS whatever, even the big anemones are sucking up stuff. I would argue that there is a beginning time in an aquarium life cycle where it benefits from no skimmer or light skimming, then once bacteria is settled and you fill with fish and food the skimmer helps and then when it's filled you can probably shut it down.
I love his tank with little invasive anemones tho.
I went 3 years+ trying aquariums without skimmers, because I wanted to switch to dirtier water method instead old school, and now I am back to using a skimmer. I now want to feed more, once I have big macros a skimmer is probably not necessary and could hurt if feeding is not consistent.

 

[PharmrJohn]

I'll be going with an RO Regal 200 SSS. Great quality. Expensive. Definitely. But I don't want to buy another one down the road.

 

[skiergd011013]

For in sump, this.

Classic 110 INT Protein Skimmer - Reef Octopus

Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.

www.saltwateraquarium.com

For hang on, this. This one is way better that the rectangle shaped hob octos. I have this one on my 20 gallon. The reef octopus brand cannot be beat as far as skimmers go in my opinion.

Classic 90 HOB Protein Skimmer

The Reef Octopus Classic 90 HOB skimmer provides powerful hang-on-back filtration with a cylindrical body and surface skimming for tanks up to 130 gallons

topshelfaquatics.com

 

[bakbay]

For me — get the biggest skimmer that I can fit inside the sump!