using a skimmer on a 20G

[felixfish]

I have a 20 gallon high tank with 3 power heads. 2 Hydor Nano's and a 660 type on the sand bed. I had a HOB filter that I turned off and wanting to remove. I have noticed a film layer on the top of the water, and when i agitated it with a net it looked like brownish flakes. I have this Reef Octopus skimmer used on my 55 gallon rated for 60g. Would this be benificial to have running on my 20g? I was just running carbon & GFO in the HOB filter, but I needed to change it, so i just turned it off.

Yes I know they are nitrate factories, but i religiously scrub it every 3 weeks. It's been off the last 2 weeks, and makes no noise, which is nice. I have the skimmer cleaned and up for sale, but with that film layer, I would think it would clean up that surface layer.
Thanks

Untitled by felix_434, on Flickr

skimmer

skim3 by felix_434, on Flickr

 

[R3verb]

I actually have no idea but just from experience, give it a shot! I'm sure it can't hurt your tank. A lot of times if you way over do the skimmer on a tank, you get a super clean tank and that allows you to do cool stuff like nems and SPS corals in small tanks which is always really impressive IMO. Do you run a sponge in your HOB filter? If not, that is why you aren't seeing a lot of nitrate build up. If you are just running it with media, i sorta just becomes a reactor which lots of people run.

 

[felixfish]

yes i ditched the carbon filters and just run the media bags on either side. I may try the skimmer. hmm :-D

 

[R3verb]

Yea like I said, It can't hurt anything. PS really nice tank! Love all the corals.

 

[Smitty]

I'd run the skimmer too, it won't do anything but help your tank. :)

 

[felixfish]

Awesome thanks guys! I wanted a Hydor Slim Skim for it, but I think I may be getting a 34g Solana for 120$ here in a few days in addition :-) Thanks for the compliments! I have just been fragging a bit and growing these at the office then transfering them to the 55g at home.

 

[R3verb]

Very cool. Do you have any fish in there? Yea I have heard really good things about the Slim Skim. If you get that Solana, you should just move your stuff from the 20 gal to that and sell the 20 gal and get some extra awesome equipment for the Solana.

 

[felixfish]

That does sound like a good idea. No fish, had an ick out break 33 days ago. That does sound like a good idea. The Solana has no stand so have to either make, or find one for a decent price. You think I could transfer my live sand into the Solana, without big spikes?

 

[R3verb]

It looks like, from your pictures, you have a DSB (deep sand bed). You may get a spike when you move it over. A lot of people recommend not ever moving sand over and just buying new sand. That being said, you could probably move those frags to your 55 for a few days, set up the new tank with your old sand and the old water, give it a day or two to settle, then add some water from your 55gal, test, and the frags back in and be ok.

 

[felixfish]

I added the skimmer this afternoon. I think it'll clean up the water significantly! Yes I have a DSB in the 20G. The only thing is the sand in my 20g isn't small grain sand which i like. The guy selling the Solana tank has fine sand in it, but never had a chance to get the tank cycled. Anyway, here is the tank with the skimmer on it.

Untitled by
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/27780242@N02/6864911251/]
Untitled by felix_434, on Flickr

 

[Bifferwine]

Nice! That's a great looking zoa rock, btw. Nice color variety.

 

[felixfish]

What do you guys think about performing my WC's with the skimmer? It's been pulling out some good skim. I usualy do 3 gal every saturday. You think I could get by with every 2 weeks?