skimmer vs fuge

digitalsteve · #1 12-08-2004, 04:48 AM

alrighty guys , i have a 10 gallon nano reef , she's alive with color but lacks in the cleanliness department( too much algae and suspended material. i have a fuge in the bcak of the tank with lr and livesand , i am thinking of changing that to a skimmer , good idea, bad idea? any siggestions?

Stirfry · #2 12-08-2004, 05:38 AM

i luv my fuge it has cute down the amout of hair algea in my tank so far and i am soooo glad

and this is a very contravercial issue but i have not used my skimmer for abotu a year and now i just started using it about a year ago and i havn't noticed much difference

some belive it is a nesseside other believe it is not

im not sure on mine but why not do both jus build a d.i.y. skimmer ur own way and then u can custom build it to the exact size

hope i wuz some help

p.s. sorry about my spelling

digitalsteve · #3 12-08-2004, 05:53 AM

how would i build a skimmer onto my tank , i am using a skilter 400 as my fuge , i know it is a skimmer but i have heard they are junk so i use it as a fuge with live sand and rock

IslandReefer · #4 12-08-2004, 11:22 AM

Hey Steve,
I have a 15g tall with a 500 aquaclear mainpump/refugium with a small powerhead as the only other equipment. (excluding lights and heater)
...ie no skimmer for >1yr. The bioload has been variable but reasonbly high for a 15g....4 fish,shrimp,crab,hermits,snails and up to 20 corals and frags, including SPS.
Given that skimmers remove DOC and aerate, sooo to go without one; you must remove organic another way...as well as maintain good oxgenation.
In this tank, I manage DOC by:
-weekly 20% water change (aerated and warmed)==DOC dilution
-lots of carbon...apx. 1cup, swap out half/ month....also keeps coral chemical warfare down.Plus a small amount of Purigen to remove what ever other nasties are there...ie sometimes get a trace of nitrate..(jury still out on purigen)===chemical and physical removal or detox.
- there is also a sand bed,LR(fuge and tank), some macroalgea, that do what they do.........natural processing.
But MOST important IMHO is to prevent DOC build-up. By this I mean things like good pulsing flow over and through and under the LR (closer to 2 lb/gal), vacumn and turkey baster up any visible debris, and of course careful feeding.
....and this allows me to go skimmerless

....lots do it and have success...and after owning a prismpro...I have my doubts about small skimmers anyway