protein skimmer
- Thread starter Nemo2010
- Start date
Bifferwine
I am a girl
A protein skimmer is the best type of filtration you can have in a saltwater tank, whether it's a reef or fish only tank.
It's okay not to have one, but without one you may have nitrate problems -- especially if you are using HOB or canister filters.
Regular filters contain media and floss, and trap crap as water flows through the filter. The problem is, water continuously flows through the media, so the crap that you trapped is still in your system. Some of it gets washed back into the tank, some of it just sits in the filter and rots, and slowly produces nitrates.
With a protein skimmer, it filters out the crap by mixing air and water together in bubbles. These bubbles rise up the neck of the skimmer and are trapped in a cup, totally separate and away from your system. Nothing is flowing through them washing them back into the tank. And all you have to do is remove the cup and dump the crap down the toilet.
Skimmers work much better than other types of filters, and are probably the 2nd most important piece of equipment in a saltwater tank -- after lights.
In a FOWL tank, you are not as concerned with nitrates, but nitrates can still have detrimental effects on fish if they get high enough.
It's okay not to have one, but without one you may have nitrate problems -- especially if you are using HOB or canister filters.
Regular filters contain media and floss, and trap crap as water flows through the filter. The problem is, water continuously flows through the media, so the crap that you trapped is still in your system. Some of it gets washed back into the tank, some of it just sits in the filter and rots, and slowly produces nitrates.
With a protein skimmer, it filters out the crap by mixing air and water together in bubbles. These bubbles rise up the neck of the skimmer and are trapped in a cup, totally separate and away from your system. Nothing is flowing through them washing them back into the tank. And all you have to do is remove the cup and dump the crap down the toilet.
Skimmers work much better than other types of filters, and are probably the 2nd most important piece of equipment in a saltwater tank -- after lights.
In a FOWL tank, you are not as concerned with nitrates, but nitrates can still have detrimental effects on fish if they get high enough.
awsome i am running a skilter that is pulling a lot of green yellow foam out lol which i assume is a good thing. Just wondering if it was really worth it. Thanks for the post i will keep it up and running. As far as the anemonie its alive and open i mean i hate to get rid of it it looks beautiful but if thats what you guys recomend then thats what i will do :)
dcantucson
Reef pro
If your tank is as new as it looks like it is, I would take it to a LFS and trade it for some credit.
