qtown_newbie
Reefing newb
Has anybody heard of this eco Aqualizer gadget or tried it? Is this thing for real or is a piece of junk to get newbies like me to buy? :twocents:
Newbie Question
- Thread starter qtown_newbie
- Start date
qtown_newbie
Reefing newb
Sure. Here it is: http://www.ecoaqualizer.com/aquarium.htm. I'm sure it can't do everything this ad says it can. I don't think much replaces regular partial water changes, but I was just wondering if this ionizing thing is for real or if it's just a bunch of hocus pocus to get someone (like me) who doesn't know much about what they're doing yet to buy it.
I also had a couple of questions about protein skimmers. I have a 55 gallon FOWLR. I've been reading a lot about protein skimmers HOB & in-sump. I would prefer to use in-sump for aesthetics(I hate to have junk hanging all over the back of my tank). My question is(and it may really be a diy question) that my wet/dry is set up so that the bio balls are the first place water drains to from my overflow. There isn't a compartment before my bio-filter for the skimmer. I've read that it is best to place the skimmer ahead of any mechanical or bio-filtration. Could I get a tall rubbermaid for it then cut a hole for a bulk head and add some pvc between the rubbermaid and the wet/dry so that the water drains from the rubbermaid w/protein skimmer to the wet/dry bio-filter area? Would that work? Or is there that much difference between skimming ahead of bio/mechanical filtration and after? I don't know that much about plumbing these things, so any input would be great.
I also had a couple of questions about protein skimmers. I have a 55 gallon FOWLR. I've been reading a lot about protein skimmers HOB & in-sump. I would prefer to use in-sump for aesthetics(I hate to have junk hanging all over the back of my tank). My question is(and it may really be a diy question) that my wet/dry is set up so that the bio balls are the first place water drains to from my overflow. There isn't a compartment before my bio-filter for the skimmer. I've read that it is best to place the skimmer ahead of any mechanical or bio-filtration. Could I get a tall rubbermaid for it then cut a hole for a bulk head and add some pvc between the rubbermaid and the wet/dry so that the water drains from the rubbermaid w/protein skimmer to the wet/dry bio-filter area? Would that work? Or is there that much difference between skimming ahead of bio/mechanical filtration and after? I don't know that much about plumbing these things, so any input would be great.
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minireefer
Reefing newb
Pretty cool device I am going to have think about adding thgat to setup
bkv1997
Reef enthusiast
qtown:
I personally would remove all bioballs and rely on my LR for the bio filtration. If that were the case then it wouldn't matter.
The theory with the skimmer before the bioballs is because it would completely remove x% of the waste from the water then only the remaining x% even has the chance of being converted by the bioballs into the ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate cycle.
Bio balls are really good at what they do and that is the problem most hobbiest have with them. You will end up with high nitrates... a somewhat more common approach is to remove them and use a bigger skimmer, which removes the problem before it starts, instead of breaking it down to the less leathal substance(nitrates).
Just my :twocents:
Brandon
I personally would remove all bioballs and rely on my LR for the bio filtration. If that were the case then it wouldn't matter.
The theory with the skimmer before the bioballs is because it would completely remove x% of the waste from the water then only the remaining x% even has the chance of being converted by the bioballs into the ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate cycle.
Bio balls are really good at what they do and that is the problem most hobbiest have with them. You will end up with high nitrates... a somewhat more common approach is to remove them and use a bigger skimmer, which removes the problem before it starts, instead of breaking it down to the less leathal substance(nitrates).
Just my :twocents:
Brandon
qtown_newbie
Reefing newb
Okay. I'm just really new at this and don't know much about protein skimmers even though it seems like I've read and read and read some more about them. It's just that I've had some ammonia problems even after my cylcing the tank for various reasons not the least of which was medicating my display tank for ich. I've learned a lot just reading the various posts here and reading the articles. I've also researched on wetwebmedia.com. There is much technical jargon that I am not familiar with yet. Thanks so much for your :twocents: since I don't seem to have any...lol.
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bkv1997
Reef enthusiast
you will get it all eventually... Heck I still spend hours a week reading websites about more advanced techniques... This hobby is always a learning experience.
We joke at our club meetings about how 6 people could give 7 opinions, but thats what you will commonly find in the hobby. So try to research as best you can, before making any drastic changes in your tank.
On the aqualizer..... it might work it might not, but for someone starting out I would stick to the tried and true methods... I can't say for sure but if it was me starting a tank i would spend my money on something that everyone could agree on.... And I don't know to many people in the hobby who think a good protein skimmer is a waste of money, but yea there are a couple...
Brandon
We joke at our club meetings about how 6 people could give 7 opinions, but thats what you will commonly find in the hobby. So try to research as best you can, before making any drastic changes in your tank.
On the aqualizer..... it might work it might not, but for someone starting out I would stick to the tried and true methods... I can't say for sure but if it was me starting a tank i would spend my money on something that everyone could agree on.... And I don't know to many people in the hobby who think a good protein skimmer is a waste of money, but yea there are a couple...
Brandon
qtown_newbie
Reefing newb
Yeah, I'm planning on getting one. One of our local LFS said "Oh, a protein skimmer is bupkus(?), you don't need one". But most everyone on the web seems to agree that it's an indespensible peice of equipment and I'm not a rebel. I'm just trying to decide now which one to get on a shoestring as they can also be an expensive peice of equipment and I've already spent a small fortune. I'm trying to decide between the Coralife Super Skimmer 125 and the Aqua C Remora. One is a hang on which I'm not crazy about and the other can do either. If I were to take the in-sump approach, do I need to slowly remove the bio balls or does the skimmer remove the need for them altogether?
bkv1997
Reef enthusiast
How much live rock do you have.
How many fish and how big.
How many fish and how big.
qtown_newbie
Reefing newb
I have about 35 lbs of base rock placed around the first of Feb and about 15 lbs of live rock which I know isn't enough, but I'm pacing myself. I have a Blonde Naso that is about 5" and a Brown Scopas that is about 3" and one Black Molly left over from cycling. My husband thinks I'm a geek because I could just sit and watch them for hours. I think I have the ammonia problem under control. I've tested twice per week about a month ammonia tests at 0 for the last two weeks, nitrites are 0, ph stays at 8.3, nirates are more like 20ppm to 40 ppm. I change 10% of the water every week.
rarecoral21
Reefing newb
i agree with bkv1997 bye the biggest skimmer u can afford its the way to go
qtown_newbie
Reefing newb
Which skimmer would anyone recommend? I don't want to necessarily buy a cheap skimmer, but I don't have a lot of money to spend on it. Would the Coralife Super Skimmer 125 or Aqua C Remora do the job, or is there something better out there for someone on a budget?
minireefer
Reefing newb
I have the coralife 65 on my 29 gallon and it has been a great skimmer pulling alot dark skinmate from my tank.Also the price for the performance is unbeatable
qtown_newbie
Reefing newb
Minireefer:
How do you have yours set up?
Donna
How do you have yours set up?
Donna
minireefer
Reefing newb
HOB in the main tank
xlayedoutx
Reefing newb
I bought one of the those aqualizers on ebay for $40. I don't have my tank up and running but I'll do a test one with and without once I get it going and let you know. My LFS has one on each of their tanks and they have the cleanest tanks I've seen as in water quality.
rarecoral21
Reefing newb
my skimmer is a g-2 it works really well i piad 240.00 the sell for about 300.00 theey are rated for up to 200gal let me know for sure how that aqualizer works
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