[NanoReefer1]

I was thinking that maybe I could purchase a skimmer for my nano that I wouldnt run all the time, but to help aid in the times that I have lots of algae problems or anything like that.

Any opinions? Basically I would use it to try, and clear hair algae etc... or just to clean the water once or twice a week running it every once in awhile.

Is it a bad idea to just have a skimmer on hand?

[Reefland]

There are a few options for nano's. First, I think it would be a good idea to run the skimmer full time even in a small tank. Check out Marine Depot (or others) for the Tunze nano skimmer, or for a cheaper alternative the Fission nano skimmer.

[NanoReefer1]

Originally Posted by Reefland

There are a few options for nano's. First, I think it would be a good idea to run the skimmer full time even in a small tank. Check out Marine Depot (or others) for the Tunze nano skimmer, or for a cheaper alternative the Fission nano skimmer.

I have done quite a bit of research of skimmers for nano use, and from what I have found their are 2 differents schools of thought on this.

1) Skimmer is always a necessary piece of equipment no matter the tank size. If a nano people believe dosing will be necessary.
2) You can make due without a skimmer with a nano, and it will probably be better but it takes more upkeep through water changes.

Now the only problem I have with running it 24/7 is I do not want to dose because of the possibility of overdosing, and having a toxic end result.

Idk... That is why I am asking opinions...

Thanks!

[NanoReefer1]

The skimmer that I was thinking about getting was the Coralife Super Skimmer 65. It seems I can get it about anywhere for $100 and that seems reasonable.

Would this work for my setup?

[Reefland]

If you can get it configured on your tank it will definitely work. And the debate of skimmers removing beneficial elements from your tank isn't a problem IMO. It shouldn't remove anything that you need to replace.
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[NanoReefer1]

I went to the LFS today, and talked quite a long time about skimming on a 10gal nano. As far as the dudes at the LFS are concerned one says that you can never have enough skimming while another guy is COMPLETELY against it and thinks that a skimmer is overkill period.

Now throughout the conversation with the second guy we went through many different alts to skimming like different filtration schemes, hand grooming(Hair algae etc...), and living ways to take care of the whole nitrogen cycle. I was lost at the point that I was told he vacuums his sandbed because of having to get all of the little food, and destritis particles out. Now I know ALOT of people are overwhelming against this as well as I, and I know for a fact that anerobic bacteria are harmed in this process the second dude seemed to think that it was ok, and had good experience with it in the past. Now to each their own, and this guy was very intellegent in his experiences, and in the past with helping my fiancee learn from the questions she had asked so...other than me disagreeing with what this guy believed he really is good at what he does.

Ok shoo... What the second guy thought of skimming on a 10gal nano was that it was too much, and that it would take out necessary zooplankton, and other planktons from the tank, take away beneficial oils etc... etc...

So what was really odd is I was going in to buy a skimmer, and got talked out of it buy the LFS. This proves to me that I have a GREAT LFS that wont just sell me stuff but actually cares about my setup, and my experience but at the same time.........

Is a skimmer really as bad as he made it sound on a 10gal nano? Considering I want the cleanest possible tank, and I have heard that alot of people dont do SPS or LPS without skimmers.

[NanoReefer1]

I keep finding all these instances of others running skimmerless because of the reasons he listed...

Pretty confused...

[ab420]

I had a 10 gallon at first, and then moved up to a 20 gallon, and I did not run a skimmer on either, and everything went wonderfully. If you don't like water changes, or have a busy schedule, it may be worth it to get a small skimmer. I'm not really sure what would work well on a tank that small, since I did not use one. Now I have a 38 gallon tank and I run a D&D Typhoon skimmer on it, but I don't run it all the time. I was cleaning it one day, and let it soak for 6-8 hours in vinegar / water, and when I went to hook it back up, the corals looked better than they ever had before, so I left it off. The corals really seemed to appreciate it, but I still run it here and there to clean up some extra gunk out of the tank.

[dendro982]

There is the hand on the back of tank skimmer, Rio Nano skimmer ($30) and Via Aqua similar complex with UV ($86).
Rio Nano skimmer is lauder, then other skimmers, especially the first month and after cleaning, and I didn't found way to quiet them. Seems, that collection cap works as a drum, transforming vibration into the sound. But it skims well.

Tunze Nano DOC skimmer 9002 is in tank, so it will take a place of the two vieo cassettes or so. If possible, better to use the surface skimmer plus in-tank filter addition, that is mounted near it. Together, this will be quite costly, as Remora hang-on skimmer, that, as I had read, is more powerful and good skimming.

Is skimmer necessary or not:
If you don't feed your tank several times a day in big amounts, the you, likely, can do well without the skimmer. If you have hair algae on more than 1-2 rocks, them may be reaquascaping with lifting rock and easying flow at the bottom and placing 2 powerheads alternately on timer may help. More frequent changing of the mechanical filter media during the first month may help too.
Could be also accumulation of the detritus in the shallow sand, that requires sand vacuuming.

[ReeferSD]

I dont know if this helps or not. I have a nano with no skimmer, lots of live rock and just do frequent water changes. I have had it for a while now and constantly frag polyps and mushrooms off because they grow out of control. I have never seen so much coralline growth and coral growth. I dont see the same results in the bigger tank as fast. So from my experiance going skimmer free is not a bad idea. Just change the water frequently, i do it twice a month about 30 percent. Couldnt ask for an easier tank to keep. Nano's rock.

[Live Rock Ricky]

i am lost about one thing.... a skimmer would reduce the amount of hair algae?

[ab420]

Originally Posted by Live Rock Ricky

i am lost about one thing.... a skimmer would reduce the amount of hair algae?

Yea, the skimmer captures floating junk and dissolved organics and removes them from the water, thus lowering the nutrients in the water. The lower nutrients means less algae