Protein skimmer vs denitrifiers

[ShooterRick]

Yep I am a newbie but let me get a handle on protein skimmers vs. denitrifiers.

The purpose of a protein skimmer is to remove free organics to lessen or avoid amonia, nitrites, and the end game is to reach 0 nitrates correct?

The purpose of a denitrifier is to also reach 0 nitrates also, correct?

If both are true then what does one system provide that the other will not?

Help an old man understand this so I do not make a mistake with future reef tank.

Thanks

[Reefing Madness]

Yep I am a newbie but let me get a handle on protein skimmers vs. denitrifiers.

The purpose of a protein skimmer is to remove free organics to lessen or avoid amonia, nitrites, and the end game is to reach 0 nitrates correct?

The purpose of a denitrifier is to also reach 0 nitrates also, correct?

If both are true then what does one system provide that the other will not?

Help an old man understand this so I do not make a mistake with future reef tank.

Thanks

Skimmer removes the organics that turn into Trates. Denitrator removes only trates. It has a very large coil in it, that by the time the water goes all the way through it, the O2 is gone, thus the bacteria now growing eats out the trates. But only the trates. Without the skimmer to remove organics to reduce this issue, you would have alot more in the water column. And a denitrator operates at a drip pace, its not a constant big flow per say. Now if you had a Algae Scrubber, now thats a different story altogether. You would not need either with a big enough one.
What Is Protein Skimming, and How Does It Work
What Is a Coil Denitrator, and How Does It Work to Eliminate Nitrate in Saltwater Aquariums?
http://www.aquaristsonline.com/blog/...ur-denitrator/
Algae Scrubbers • View topic - ALGAE SCRUBBER FAQ (August 2010)