Do I Need My PF If I Have A Protein Skimmer?

surfer0063 · 06/08/2008, 09:24 AM

I have a 38 gal tank with 4 fish and maybe 40 lbs of live rock. I am getting the sea clone 100 (or 150 if the store has it). I know its not the best skimmer, but from the reviews, it seems like a good skimmer for my money. Now, do I still NEED my bio-wheel PF and if so, what benefit would I get by keeping it?

GSMguy · 06/08/2008, 09:30 AM

save the money for the seaclown and just do water changes religiously it will work better

OnlyCrimson · 06/08/2008, 09:31 AM

I would higly advise against buying that skimmer. It is not even decent for the money. Look out for a high quality used skimmer. You can keep the other filter going provided you clean it frequently.

d4a2n0k · 06/08/2008, 09:33 AM

Please re-think your Sea Clone, they are almost useless. What is your budget? You dont not have to spend a grand to get a great skimmer but the Sea Clone is a piece of junk IMO.

If your bio-wheel filter is the one with two bio-wheels, take one out and let it run two weeks then take the other out. This is assuming you have 1-2 lb of live rock per gallon. You can still use it to run carbon etc if you want to. If you have enough live rock, that and flow are all you need.

Slayer311 · 06/08/2008, 10:58 AM

I'll pipe in and say don't waste your money on a seaclone either, they aren't even that cheap. I have one and they are a CONSTANT headache of fine tuning and cleaning. Whats it going to cost you? around 100 bucks? For that you can get on ebay and find a coralife super skimmer 65, 76$ +35$ shipping from the right place and have 100x the skimmer imho.

RyanMKintz · 06/08/2008, 11:53 AM

The only way I would run a seaclone would be if someone gave me one. I tried to sell my old one for 20 bucks and no one would buy it so I kept it for an extra powerhead.

tpenn187 · 06/08/2008, 12:04 PM

yea i agree with the sea clown, but they do work good for scrap acrylic, i still need some misc parts, ryan you still have the inner tube from your old sea clone? the 65 would most likely work, but i would consider a super skimmer 125 i see them on sale in the used forums all the time for about 100-150 shipped. much better set up just keep your eyes open for the right deal.

surfer0063 · 06/08/2008, 12:41 PM

ok, just brought home my Coralife Super Skimmer 65 and hooked it up. Its working alright, I guess. This is my first skimmer and it was a pain to get it to work right. Anyway, d4a2n0k, you are saying that if I remove my bio wheels... my carbon, protein skimmer, and live rock will work fine?

surfer0063 · 06/08/2008, 12:51 PM

Also, if anybody has a Coralife super skimmer, there are still micro-bubbles coming through that filter, is this normal? my tank is filled with them. I am a pretty patient person, but for somethings like this skimmer, its so frustrating, im thinking about taking it back and trying something else for around the same price. any advice?

McCrary · 06/08/2008, 12:59 PM

I don't know how good it is, but Octopus makes a HOB skimmer for like $120, so that might be an option. Others might have experience with this skimmer and you could get their opinion on whether it is worth the money.

xJake · 06/08/2008, 01:07 PM

I'd look into getting an odyssea or jebo skimmer if you don't want to spend a lot of money. They're great skimmers for what they cost, they can run HOB like the seaclone and they skim a lot more than the seaclone. Seaclones work ok, but they're really not worth it if you want something that doesn't need constant tinkering.
You can see more on the odyssea skimmers here:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=1

As for your original question... As long as you have enough live rock (about 1lb per gallon) with enough flow (about 30x tank volume per hour) then you don't really need your biowheel filter with the skimmer.

d4a2n0k · 06/08/2008, 01:21 PM

surfer0063-Exactly. You dont need power filters. You dont need the carbon either unless you have yellow or smelly water. It can be run only when you need to.

surfer0063 · 06/08/2008, 01:26 PM

Nice. Thanks for the help

RyanMKintz · 06/08/2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tpenn187
yea i agree with the sea clown, but they do work good for scrap acrylic, i still need some misc parts, ryan you still have the inner tube from your old sea clone? the 65 would most likely work, but i would consider a super skimmer 125 i see them on sale in the used forums all the time for about 100-150 shipped. much better set up just keep your eyes open for the right deal.

Sitting down in my fish junk I still have a seaclone 100 fully assembled ready to run. With nothing broke.

surfer0063 · 06/08/2008, 02:15 PM

Nice. Thanks for the help

06/08/2008, 09:24 AM	#1
surfer0063 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 79	Do I Need My PF If I Have A Protein Skimmer? I have a 38 gal tank with 4 fish and maybe 40 lbs of live rock. I am getting the sea clone 100 (or 150 if the store has it). I know its not the best skimmer, but from the reviews, it seems like a good skimmer for my money. Now, do I still NEED my bio-wheel PF and if so, what benefit would I get by keeping it? __________________ I'm That Guy Bring a man to a fish store, he looks at fish for a couple minutes. Teach a man to marine keep, he looks at fish for a life time.

06/08/2008, 09:30 AM	#2
GSMguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northern New Mexico Posts: 17,420	save the money for the seaclown and just do water changes religiously it will work better __________________ Nick. Conehead. Shallow Reef club. Current Tank Info: 48"x27"x14" Envision Acrylic rimless, 6x39w ATi Sunpower, Custom ATB Deluxe Skimmer, 4x tunze nano stream,ATB flowstar 1500, ACJR, Tunze osmolator.

06/08/2008, 11:53 AM	#6
RyanMKintz Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Akron Posts: 217	The only way I would run a seaclone would be if someone gave me one. I tried to sell my old one for 20 bucks and no one would buy it so I kept it for an extra powerhead. __________________ up up down down left right left right A B A B select start Current Tank Info: 72 bowfront 20 gallon refugium MSX160 Skimmer t5 lighting powered by icecap 660 90 lbs live rock

06/08/2008, 12:41 PM	#8
surfer0063 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 79	ok, just brought home my Coralife Super Skimmer 65 and hooked it up. Its working alright, I guess. This is my first skimmer and it was a pain to get it to work right. Anyway, d4a2n0k, you are saying that if I remove my bio wheels... my carbon, protein skimmer, and live rock will work fine? __________________ I'm That Guy Bring a man to a fish store, he looks at fish for a couple minutes. Teach a man to marine keep, he looks at fish for a life time. Last edited by surfer0063; 06/08/2008 at 12:53 PM.

06/08/2008, 12:51 PM	#9
surfer0063 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 79	Also, if anybody has a Coralife super skimmer, there are still micro-bubbles coming through that filter, is this normal? my tank is filled with them. I am a pretty patient person, but for somethings like this skimmer, its so frustrating, im thinking about taking it back and trying something else for around the same price. any advice? __________________ I'm That Guy Bring a man to a fish store, he looks at fish for a couple minutes. Teach a man to marine keep, he looks at fish for a life time.

06/08/2008, 09:31 AM	#3
OnlyCrimson Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Royal Oak,Michigan Posts: 863	I would higly advise against buying that skimmer. It is not even decent for the money. Look out for a high quality used skimmer. You can keep the other filter going provided you clean it frequently.

06/08/2008, 09:33 AM	#4
d4a2n0k Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,485	Please re-think your Sea Clone, they are almost useless. What is your budget? You dont not have to spend a grand to get a great skimmer but the Sea Clone is a piece of junk IMO. If your bio-wheel filter is the one with two bio-wheels, take one out and let it run two weeks then take the other out. This is assuming you have 1-2 lb of live rock per gallon. You can still use it to run carbon etc if you want to. If you have enough live rock, that and flow are all you need.

06/08/2008, 10:58 AM	#5
Slayer311 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 201	I'll pipe in and say don't waste your money on a seaclone either, they aren't even that cheap. I have one and they are a CONSTANT headache of fine tuning and cleaning. Whats it going to cost you? around 100 bucks? For that you can get on ebay and find a coralife super skimmer 65, 76$ +35$ shipping from the right place and have 100x the skimmer imho.

06/08/2008, 12:04 PM	#7
tpenn187 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: central illinois Posts: 630	yea i agree with the sea clown, but they do work good for scrap acrylic, i still need some misc parts, ryan you still have the inner tube from your old sea clone? the 65 would most likely work, but i would consider a super skimmer 125 i see them on sale in the used forums all the time for about 100-150 shipped. much better set up just keep your eyes open for the right deal.

06/08/2008, 12:59 PM	#10
McCrary Can't Stop Time Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,079	I don't know how good it is, but Octopus makes a HOB skimmer for like $120, so that might be an option. Others might have experience with this skimmer and you could get their opinion on whether it is worth the money. __________________ Matt Patience is the best remedy for every trouble. Titus Maccius Plautus (254 BC - 184 BC), Rudens

06/08/2008, 01:07 PM	#11
xJake Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,385	I'd look into getting an odyssea or jebo skimmer if you don't want to spend a lot of money. They're great skimmers for what they cost, they can run HOB like the seaclone and they skim a lot more than the seaclone. Seaclones work ok, but they're really not worth it if you want something that doesn't need constant tinkering. You can see more on the odyssea skimmers here: http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=1 As for your original question... As long as you have enough live rock (about 1lb per gallon) with enough flow (about 30x tank volume per hour) then you don't really need your biowheel filter with the skimmer.

06/08/2008, 01:21 PM	#12
d4a2n0k Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,485	surfer0063-Exactly. You dont need power filters. You dont need the carbon either unless you have yellow or smelly water. It can be run only when you need to.

06/08/2008, 01:26 PM	#13
surfer0063 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 79	Nice. Thanks for the help __________________ I'm That Guy Bring a man to a fish store, he looks at fish for a couple minutes. Teach a man to marine keep, he looks at fish for a life time.

06/08/2008, 02:15 PM	#15
surfer0063 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 79	Nice. Thanks for the help __________________ I'm That Guy Bring a man to a fish store, he looks at fish for a couple minutes. Teach a man to marine keep, he looks at fish for a life time.