Skimmer recomendations needed ASAP

[michaelaz]

Just started a 20L frag tank, now Im thinking I need to add a skimmer for any toxins,slime from cuttings,etc. as well as general water.

I need a Hangon skimmer recomendation and ease of use/setup is of importance.

There is no sump,refug,etc FYI. Just a bar bottom barebones tank.

Thanks in advance.

[GSMguy]

i like my deltec mce 300 would work great on a 20L

[kodyboy]

depends on what you want to spend
if you have cash a bermuda aquatics rogue wave
if you do not a D&D marine typhoon or aquatraders (odyssea) PS75
note: the ps160 would not make a good HOB, leaking issues

[8BALL_99]

For such a small tank just doing water changes every other week should be all you need. Its not much trouble to change a few gallons.

[michaelaz]

I was planning a 2 gal change weekly, too much ??

[8BALL_99]

Nope not at all.. If your going to change that much water then I for sure wouldnt' bother with a skimmer inless you have trouble keeping your levels in check with just the water changes..I bet the water changes will be enough..

[michaelaz]

thanks, I was nervous, never done frags.

My bigtank has a canister,my nano has a "skimmer" but wasnt sure about a barebottom with no rock or sandbed for filtration.

[Bebo77]

if you dont get the deltec dont bother with another... most skimmers for small tanks are POS and not worth anything...

[michaelaz]

Yeah ,Ive noticed with the RSM, its only a skimmer in name. On my RSM I do weekly 4 gal changes so the skimmer or lack of hasnt hurt me...yet... LOL. I figure If I watch the bioload that will help me alot with the smaller tanks.

[hahnmeister]

If anything, maybe a small sanders air-driven skimmer.

[rishma]

For such a small tank just doing water changes every other week should be all you need. Its not much trouble to change a few gallons.

I do not agre with this statement, based on experience. The key is that michaelaz has a bare bottom tank, no refugium, nothing. He needs something to break down/export waste.

In my experience, you will not be successful with a small, skimmerless, bare bottom tank unless you have zero fish.

I like the sanders skimmer suggestion. I wish I never got rid of my sander old sander.

[RichConley]

Originally posted by 8BALL_99
For such a small tank just doing water changes every other week should be all you need. Its not much trouble to change a few gallons.

I really disagree with this. Small tanks need skimmers more than big tanks do. WHen something dies in a small tank, it can kill the tank rather quickly if theres nothing to remove the waste. In a big tank, thats not an issue.

Plus, your tank will never be as clean doing water changes as it will be with a skimmer.

[afelder]

The Bermuda Aquatics hang on skimmer works very well. The deltec is known for being touchy.

[RichConley]

Originally posted by Bebo77
if you dont get the deltec dont bother with another... most skimmers for small tanks are POS and not worth anything...

Thats not really any different with the deltec.

[luke33]

How about a tunze 9002

[Wryknow]

Yeah, I recommend looking at one of the Tunze classic skimmers that actually sit on top of the waterline in your tank. They are good little skimmers for aquariums that do not have a sump.

IMHO, the Aqua-C is a decent hang-on skimmer too if you get the Mag 3 pump upgrade and the overflow box ( I had one on my old 30 gallon tank for a couple of years,) but lots of folks will diasagree on this.

[manderx]

they aren't very trendy or hip anymore but i like the bakpak. you can pick one up used for 25-50 bucks often. also gives a nice place for a heater and bag of carbon/purigen/GFO.

would be worth trying a meshmod to.

[GSMguy]

a mag 3 in a 20g = heat problems.

[8BALL_99]

We have a couple local reefers in our club that have Small tanks like this.. All of them just do water changes every week or every other week and all there levels are spot on.. Infact one has several Sps corals in her 15.. I ran a 29 for well over a year just doing water changes..

I guess to each his own but I still say doing a small water change once a week will do more then a small skimmer. Sure if you did both great.. But if you were to decide between changing 3 gallons in a 20 every week compared to running a small skimmer and doing the standard 10% a month. I think its no contest..

[RichConley]

Originally posted by 8BALL_99
We have a couple local reefers in our club that have Small tanks like this.. All of them just do water changes every week or every other week and all there levels are spot on.. Infact one has several Sps corals in her 15.. I ran a 29 for well over a year just doing water changes..

I guess to each his own but I still say doing a small water change once a week will do more then a small skimmer. Sure if you did both great.. But if you were to decide between changing 3 gallons in a 20 every week compared to running a small skimmer and doing the standard 10% a month. I think its no contest..

What are the bioloads though?

Just doing water changes can not keep your tank as clean as running a skimmer.

[michaelaz]

No bioloads per se,no fish,snails,shrimp,nada just the secretions of the cuttings.

[8BALL_99]

Rich most small skimmer don't work well. I also dont agree if you did 10% a week I think the tank would be just as clean if not better then with a small skimmer. The tanks I was talking about only have a few fish.. But I mean they are 15 and 20s.. They shouldn't have more then a Few fish reguardless.. Not to mention this is for a frag tank with no bioload.. Why on earth would he waste his money on a nano skimmer when water changes will be more then enough for his tank..

My 29 had a large mantis in it.. See my avaitor .. I fed him every day a small peice of shrimp and about once every other week get got a feeder fish or a crawfish.. The tank kept 0 No3 and Po3 doing nothing but a 10 WC everyother week.. I did have Sand and 2 small peices of LR though

[hahnmeister]

or... go over to nano-reef.com if you can do a little DIY action:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/inde...&#entry1269277