Why Use a Skimmer

[Cibo]

I ask this question find out what benfit I will gain with my new skimmer that is on the way. I have a 24 gal jbj running for 2 years no problem.
corals and fish doing fine! what should should I expect to happen with my new skimmer in the tank......:Lurking:

I bought a remora nano!

 

[StephenEvans]

i would stay skimmer-less in a nano tank. The JBJ comes with bioballs and a carbon bag which should be enough if you don't have that much fish and do water changes consistently. The JBJ also has a very clean look which I would want to keep.

However, you can can probably expect less nuisance algae, less water changes, healthier corals, more oxygenated water, more clear water.

 

[Cibo]

I was going to weekend skim I'm gona put in on for a few days on my week that I dont change water. does any else do this or did I coin a new frase....

 

[Henrye]

I viewed skimming as a 24/7 process (other than feeding for me with a 24 aquapod). You might want to look at the sapphire skimmers that fit in back chambers of the JBJ and aquapod, and let you run with the hood down. I do weekly 5g water changes, yet I still pull out enough medium brown, stinking skimmate to make me believe that there is a benefit to a skimmer even in such a small tank. I can't say I've seen a big difference in my tank (just about 4-6 weeks now) but I do feel better having it.

With a 2 year old healthy tank, you're clearly doing things right, but as I'm still new to this, I feel "safer" having a skimmer in there.

Henry

 

[Cibo]

henry
do you have a link to sapphire skimmers that fit in the back!

 

[PVsPlayhouse]

http://storefront.addictiveaquatics.com/products/Sapphire_Nano_Cube_12_Skimmer-5243-0.html
This is the 12 gl one. Im thinking about getting it for my nano.
They also have one for the 24gl one.
PV

 

[Henrye]

Yes, I have the AP24 sapphire in the back chamber. It's a pretty good skimmer, and I started to get medium brown skimmate within 12 hours of putting it in. There were a lot of micro bubbles for the first 2 weeks, but it's decreased to very few by now. I do have to empty the cup every one or two days though, as it's not really large and cup doesn't come with a drain hole. I keep the cup about 3/4 of the way up (the cup sits much like a Remora cup) and just check my sump level daily. Otherwise, I haven't had to make any further adjustments.

It's not cheap, but it's the only skimmer I know of that works and let's you run with the hood down, without cutting the hood up to try and cram an HOB on (I've only seen that done with the coralife super skimmer, 2 large chunks of the rear part of the hood were cut out for the intake and outflow).

It may not pull dark brown dry sludge out, but it still pulls a nice medium brown liquid. At least it's a skimmer, unlike the fission POS.

Henry

 

[Cibo]

henry
when you put in in the back where do you place it what part of the filter media do you remove.

 

[Henrye]

I only have 2 chambers while your nano has 3. I have the skimmer in the overflow chamber (first shot at the surface skimmed water), along with a polyfilter wedged between the skimmer and the front wall and a bag of purigen next to the dividing wall. In chamber 2 I have 2 pumps, 1 for the original outflow and a second MJ900 for flow. In there I have a bag of chemi pure. It gets tight, and I have to be sure there's no obstruction of flow from chambers 1 to 2 (or else 2 empties and the pumps suck air). You have that extra chamber, and depending what you normally run, you shouldn't have a problem arranging it.

 

[Cibo]

I have sponges in the first chamber 3 bags of rings 2 carbon and a handfull of bio balls in the 2nd 3rd chambers along with the return pump and I have not had a problem In 2 years thats why I am leary on change!

 

[tosiek]

I had alot less junk gathered in my sponges when i was doing my weekly water changes with the remora skimmer on my JBJ 24. Water was a little bit cleaner (from clear to a crystal clear) but don't expect a major difference when you install it. And when you do install it expect microbubbles for a week or two. Go with the sapphire skimmers so you won't have to mod the JBJ hood to accept the skimmer. And if you go with the Remora do the remora mod for the return water to extend the flap to cut down on the bubbles. There is also a microbubble flap mod you can do inside the return part of the skimmer to reduce them even more.

The skimmer is mainly skimming out microparticles that you usually don't see in the water. Its made to remove dissolved wastes in the water channel from food and waste.

You would be amazed how much junk it pulls out of the water every day though no matter how clean you keep your tank. I'll guarantee you once you see the collection cup brown and disgusting in 1 day in your jbj you'll think twice about only running it only during the weekends.

 

[tosiek]

The JBJ comes with bioballs and a carbon bag

I hope your not running the bio balls

 

[Cibo]

I just have a handfull of bio balls in the back how will that be a problem

 

[jackson6745]

I ask this question find out what benfit I will gain with my new skimmer that is on the way. I have a 24 gal jbj running for 2 years no problem.
corals and fish doing fine! what should should I expect to happen with my new skimmer in the tank......:Lurking:

I bought a remora nano!

Cibo a remora nano isn't going to make a world of difference in a 24gal tank. Don't expect too much nutrient removal from it. you're going to have to rely on water changes to keep your levels in check. Also depends on your livestock. Softies and some LPS could care less if you pee in the tank

 

[danny]

skimmer

Hi! Cibo:

Here is what I noticed, started a 58 gal oceanic/ berlin method skimmed 24/7. set-up a 120 gal RR with refugium & did not skim. The rocks from the 58 gal once in the 120 had more polups growing than ever before. Skimming also takes out nutrients. I am starting a 14 gal nano cube in a couple weeks with a built in skimmer which I will put on a timer to skim a couple of hours each day& set up a small fuge in the return compartment. 5 yrs skimmerless & my water was still clear using mangroves in the fuge.

Danny

 

[jackson6745]

Danny what skimmer did you use?

Keep in mind that to run a system dependent on a skimmer like your Berlin 58gal, it MUST be a kick ass skimmer.

What was your Phosphate + Nitrate Levels of the skimmed 58gal
and unskimmed 120gal?

 

[danny]

skimmer

Hi! Jackson:

It wasn't I guess a kick ass skimmer Berlin XL turbo skimmer, the 120 had a small bioload, yellow tang, mandarin fish, six line & 5 green chromis. But I noticed alot more growth on my corals. (2-250 watt hqi & the refugium) & polups growing on the live rock that for 5 years had no polup growth.THe 58 gal had 1 250 watt HQI. I just think now I would not skim 24/7.
nitrate levels almost zero on both systems, but I did a weekly 10%water change on the 58 gal & no water changes on the 120 for 4 years. One thing was on the 120 I rarely fed the tank since I had Kent mud sediment in the fuge that generated live copepods & brissle worms.
I did have an algae bloom after 4 years after I starting feeding too much cyclopease. If you skim less feed less unless its live food.

Danny