What Protein Skimmer should I get?

[pooria]

Hey guys

I have 26 bowfront tank with 20lbs live rock and a bag of live sand.
I have a powerhead and power-filter and I'm looking to add protein skimmer to this tank.

First I have two questions :

1) I'm going to add about 5~6 fish in this tank + corals, do I need protein skimmer ?
2) What I have to be looking for when purchasing a protein skimmer ?

I don't want to spend lots of money since my tank is small. I just want something to allow me to have my fishes and corals healthy and clear water ofcurse but not too expensive.

I have found "Oceanic® BioCube Protein Skimmer" which is about 40$, is it good enough or I should go with something else.
I'm super new to this field so fill me with as much information as you can.

 

[phastroh]

Reef Octopus FOREVER!!!!

 

[MikeG]

+1 Reef Octopus.

5 to 6 fish is way too many for a 26 gallon tank, especially depending on the fish. Your info lists you have a 3 stripe damsel already, if that is the case he is gonna beat the heck out of any fish added to the tank after him. Fish need to be added to a tank in order of their aggressiveness, with the most aggressive added last. And damsels are the "very aggressive" category.

 

[Bifferwine]

The BioCube skimmer is rated for a tank a fraction of your's size. It is not big enough. I do not think a skimmer is necessary for a tank that size. Are you having issues with your water quality? Usually for small tanks like that, regular water changes are sufficient to keep everything in check.

In saltwater, you are limited to about 1 fish per 10 gallons. That's 2 to 3 fish in your tank. Overstocking can lead to all sorts of problems. I suggest you pare down your fish wish list.

 

[pooria]

Thank you guys ...
Actually I didn't know that damsels were aggressive until I added them to the tank.
The local pet store (Pet's unlimited) told me to add cheap (but they are beautiful I like them) fish for now and wait for a month or two to add expensive fish ... but seems I have to stay with these 3 guys ...

How about Coral, can I have corals in 26 gallon while I have three fish ?

@Bifferwine, I want to add coral, my water is great now, but I thought I need protein skimmer before adding coral, am I wrong?

 

[little_fish]

As long as you have lights good enough to keep corals, you can add them any time. I would start with some nice easy corals like mushrooms, zoas, leathers and maybe a few LPS corals. You dont need a skimmer to keep corals, it just makes it easier to keep good water quality. But on a small tank is very easy to do enough water changes to keep the water quality good without a skimmer.

And LFS are notorious for giving bad and misleading fish advice. They are a store after all and its much better for them to sell you a fish that wont do well in your tank, have it die and you come back for more.

Damsels are some of the meanest fish you can get, and I wouldnt add any more fish to your tank. You might find that they kill eachother off until you are left with the biggest and meanest one. I personally would remove them, that way you can get fish you like. But you should also add no more than 2 fish at a time to the tank and wait at least 3 weeks between additions.

Lastly, you should start a tank showcase thread!

 

[Bifferwine]

It's fine to add corals once your parameters are stable, as long as you have strong enough lights. You do not need a skimmer to keep corals. :)