nitrate/skimmer question

[oklahoma11]

will a skimmer help to relieve my tank of nitrates. they are currently around 20 ppm. I have a hard time getting them lower than that

[Jawbone flats]

the answer is NO the skimmer wont remove nitrates..

the answer is YES the skimmer will help prevent nitrates from developing..

you will notice your nitrates not building up immediatley after introducing a skimmer to your system.

water changes and skimmer addition = 0 nitrates

[Orm Embar]

Quite possibly, but it would be helpful to know more about your setup - how big of a tank/what kind of filtration do you have currently, how many fish, how much do you feed, et cetera.

[Orm Embar]

Clarification - skimming would help prevent nitrates, not remove them (agere with Jawbone)

[oklahoma11]

I have a 54 gallon corner tank.
I am running a sump with bioballs, phosban reactor, the tank is full of live rock with 3 inch sand bed. I have some lps corals, mushrooms, zoas. I have 1 purple tang and 1 clown in the tank. I feed 1 cube of mysis every other day, and have some coral food that I feed twice a week. I always try to keep live algae in my tank for natural grazing.

[happysak]

Originally Posted by oklahoma11

I have a 54 gallon corner tank.
I am running a sump with bioballs.

Removing bioballs will help also.

[klwheat]

What the protein skimmer (fractionator) does is remove charged (polar) organic particles from the water before they break down into by products (ie nitrates). So, as above, it will not remove nitrates per se, but rather will prevent them from being produced as readily.

[oklahoma11]

Originally Posted by klwheat

What the protein skimmer (fractionator) does is remove charged (polar) organic particles from the water before they break down into by products (ie nitrates). So, as above, it will not remove nitrates per se, but rather will prevent them from being produced as readily.

Haha I like your scientific approach....like dissolves like