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Protein skimmer


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#1 Guest_Amazon_*

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Posted 27 July 2009 - 04:28 PM

I have never used these in brackish. Are they really needed for brackish?
Thanks in advance

#2 Guest_schambers_*

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Posted 27 July 2009 - 07:16 PM

I don't think they are necessary, I have several brackish tanks and only use hang-on-the-back filters. The tanks are relatively small, the largest is 29 gallons. I'd be interested to hear other people's experiences, too.

#3 Guest_Amazon_*

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Posted 27 July 2009 - 09:35 PM

Thanks schambers, my tank is on the salty end of brackish though. Whats your sg?

#4 Guest_schambers_*

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Posted 27 July 2009 - 10:21 PM

Mine's toward the fresh end. I don't bother testing the salinity, for water changes I use 1 part sea water to 5 parts fresh. Sometimes I vary it. You may get some benefit from a skimmer where I wouldn't.

I was curious, so I looked around a little. Check out this page from WetWebMedia. It's a great web site with some knowledgeable folks. Here's a quote: "... above SG 1.010 you can use a skimmer, but beyond that, there's not a lot of advantage" Search on "skimmer" and you can read the rest.

#5 Guest_Amazon_*

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Posted 04 August 2009 - 05:26 PM

mines gonna be about half salt half fresh water. So do I need it for my fish to live? or will they be fine for a while until I get one?
Thanks

#6 Guest_Gene2308_*

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Posted 06 August 2009 - 05:59 AM

Are they really needed for brackish?


No, not at all. They really aren't even needed for saltwater tanks, even reef tanks.

I have known tons of SW guys running metal halide, tons of live rock, dosing phyto, running RO units in their kitchen, etc. and refusing to run protein skimmers because they take "good" stuff along with the "bad". (i.e.- just because the skimmer cup is full of "nasty-looking stuff" doesn't mean the stuff is bad, or should be removed).

The idea is that water changes alone maintain pristine water quality -- skimming not necessary and/or detrimental to levels of phyto, food, etc.

Note: people argue to the death on this very topic. Take this response with a grain of salt.

#7 Guest_Amazon_*

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Posted 06 August 2009 - 08:26 AM

No, not at all. They really aren't even needed for saltwater tanks, even reef tanks.

I have known tons of SW guys running metal halide, tons of live rock, dosing phyto, running RO units in their kitchen, etc. and refusing to run protein skimmers because they take "good" stuff along with the "bad". (i.e.- just because the skimmer cup is full of "nasty-looking stuff" doesn't mean the stuff is bad, or should be removed).

The idea is that water changes alone maintain pristine water quality -- skimming not necessary and/or detrimental to levels of phyto, food, etc.

Note: people argue to the death on this very topic. Take this response with a grain of salt.


im gonna have to agree, if people can keep a reef alive without one, I think ill be fine without one on my brackish tank.
Thanks everybody

#8 Guest_AndrewAcropora_*

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Posted 06 August 2009 - 03:47 PM

I totally agree with Gene's response. Don't be sold into buying a skimmer when you don't need one. I've had my nano reef running skimmerless for three years. I doubt a brackish tank would have the viscosity needed for effective skimming anyhow.

#9 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 14 August 2009 - 12:04 PM

Been keeping marine and brackish, native and tropical, for over 20 years and never owned a P-skimmer. Have good success with supposedly fragile species such as butterflies. Inverts, not so much. Nitrates get up there between h2o changes.

My only complaint was from before I figured out the role of calcium based substrate in the Dreaded Purple Slime attacks. A skimmer may have helped me keep my sanity back when my wife still insisted a fish tank should be presentable to guests. [-X
She gave up on my tanks [and me] too late to benifit when I discovered that a silica based substrate [beach sand] would not feed the Purple Slime Monster. Instead I get thin brown diatoms which I gladly live with. No one judges my tanks anymore anyway. :dry:
Glad not to deal with the cost and bother of P-skimmers. I dealt with too many when I worked retail shops. More trouble than they're worth unless you're trying to keep fragile inverts.

#10 Guest_jim graham_*

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Posted 14 August 2009 - 12:57 PM

I used to have a brackish system with 12 5 gallon and 12 20 gallon long tanks on it. It was set up to circulate thru a home made trickle fliter full of bio balls with a filter pad on top into a laundry tub and then back to the tanks. I would have to change the filter pad monthly until I added a protein skimmer and then I never had to change it again as it never got dirty enough to need changing. I haven't got it set back up since I moved my fish out of the basement into the fish house. The new one will have 9 10 gallon and 6 20 gallon longs and a 50 gallon tank for the sump.

#11 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 14 August 2009 - 04:18 PM

As i understand it, it's not viscosity but LOW surface tension that a foam fractionating skimmer needs to work. Freshwater has high surface tension (thus large bubbles). Salt reduces the surface tension (as does soap) and allows smaller bubbles to form that proteins and organic particles can stick to. You wont see water striders or fishing spiders on a salt pond - they'll sink! I hadn't thought about a skimmer stripping out beneficial phytoplankton too but it makes sense. I'd been wondering what's the minimum salinity for a skimmer to work. So it's 1.010 huh ? Thats around 40% seawater.

I totally agree with Gene's response. Don't be sold into buying a skimmer when you don't need one. I've had my nano reef running skimmerless for three years. I doubt a brackish tank would have the viscosity needed for effective skimming anyhow.



#12 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 14 August 2009 - 04:56 PM

There is a genus of marine water striders, Halobates.

Irrelevant but fun! :D

#13 Vandepoele

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Posted 01 July 2017 - 02:33 AM

Yeah, the thinking of my protein skimmer is best for saltwater tank. Because I am quite interested to set up my high quality protein skimmer after checking the reviews of my saltwater fish tank. 

 

Let me know your suggestion!



#14 littlen

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Posted 01 July 2017 - 09:57 AM

Just an FYI, the original post was made 8 years ago.  Most of those folks do not frequent the forum any longer.


Nick L.




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