29 gal tank - skimmer needed?
- Thread starter HuBu
- Start date
it would'nt hurt to have one(skimmer) i would even say any kind!
i run a penguin on my mini bow cause it was free! i will go to a 150 auqaclear and some power heads soon. but its not "ideal" to run a nitrate factory!
but on a tank that size maybe a ten gallon sump and a air stone skimmer or backpack would be great. plus you would have a little more water to keep it in check!
i run a penguin on my mini bow cause it was free! i will go to a 150 auqaclear and some power heads soon. but its not "ideal" to run a nitrate factory!
but on a tank that size maybe a ten gallon sump and a air stone skimmer or backpack would be great. plus you would have a little more water to keep it in check!
The Aquaclear and other small HOB filters can have a use in a reef. They provide water movement, give you a place to drop in carbon or PO4 removers, if needed, a place to hide the heater, and with the media stripped out can act as a small refugium. Just depends on how you are going to use them. On my 10, I use a Skilter (although I wouldn't recommend it on anything else) and this is exactly what I use mine for, provides a nice place to hide everything and minimal protein skimming for $30.
AquaClear's provide mechanical and biological filtration. IMO you could use just an AquaClear for your entire filtration, of course with the addition of live rock, which could also eliminate the need for any powerheads if placed in the right spot (they provide alot of water movement). If you wanted you could also add something like a CPR skimmer (prob recommended) w/a smaller AquaClear 
AquaClear's I believe are not considered "nitrate factories" like the bio-wheels due to no part of the filtration process being exposed to air.
*I just happen to like AquaClear's for anything under 30 (personal choice for skimmer useage) with nothing else but live rock for filtration. Keeps things simple and uncrowded.
AquaClear's I believe are not considered "nitrate factories" like the bio-wheels due to no part of the filtration process being exposed to air. *I just happen to like AquaClear's for anything under 30 (personal choice for skimmer useage) with nothing else but live rock for filtration. Keeps things simple and uncrowded.
INNOVATOR: I can see using the aquaclear to hide things like a heater tube or to add a carbon bag, even a bit of circulation, but you dont want any mechanical filtration in a reef tank at all. particles being trapped keeps valuable food source from the main tank and acts as an ammonia/nitrite magnet at the same time which is BAD. Also adding a bag of carbon in there may have the same detrimental(mechanical filtration) effect on a small tank. If you are looking for something small then look to a small skimmer, it will provide all you are looking for without the negatives added in.
So I think that the Aquaclear is a complete waste regardless. Because using a proper protein skimmer you can get all the same benefits minus the detractors. A protein skimmer will add circulation, can hide heater tubes, and can even house a small carbon bag. Why waste money on an aquaclear when you can put that money towards a skimmer?? Complete waste. SKBok has the right idea, he uses something that actual performs foam fractioning(not very good but it still has a benefit with no downside)for his tank. Stay away from the Aquaclear IMO. If you cant afford a good skimmer, then get a skilter at least, follow what SKBoK did.
So I think that the Aquaclear is a complete waste regardless. Because using a proper protein skimmer you can get all the same benefits minus the detractors. A protein skimmer will add circulation, can hide heater tubes, and can even house a small carbon bag. Why waste money on an aquaclear when you can put that money towards a skimmer?? Complete waste. SKBok has the right idea, he uses something that actual performs foam fractioning(not very good but it still has a benefit with no downside)for his tank. Stay away from the Aquaclear IMO. If you cant afford a good skimmer, then get a skilter at least, follow what SKBoK did.
Don't really agree with you, but like I said it's just an option. I have kept these filters on reefs up to 50g without a skimmer and never had a problem. It's all in how you establish your balance and your dedication to keep that balance. The AquaClear hardly keeps any particles trapped any more than a skimmer does because if you'll notice particles also become trapped deep within the skimmer chambers, yet still remains effective w/out ammonia, etc. Adding carbon (considered chemical filt.) is not a problem on any size tank as long as it is not overdone. I also would not consider them a complete waste for if they were no one would use them. For nano's, what I consider 29 and under, they make an excellent alternative to expensive skimmers. But, like I said it's just an option
Then might as well get a skilter instead, and its no more expensive than an aquaclear. THe Aquaclear does NOTHING for a tank. I am sure your tanks would thrive just as well if not better WITHOUT it. At least the skilter will remove DOM's from your tank. BUt I would personally just use the $20 for an extra power head or materials to build a small refugium for the back(where you can house your heater tubes etc)of the tank.
I wont even go here. But its very bad advise. :roll:
I won't get into a shouting match, I can only tell you what has worked for me and many, many others. IMO no bad advice has been given, you only say that because you don't agree with using an AquaClear, simple as that; which is fine by me Good luck to whatever method you choose as there are many ways to creating an effective environment
Good luck to whatever method you choose as there are many ways to creating an effective environment i m currently running a 10 gal right now with a 125 penguin w/ out the bio-wheel. all it has is a floss pad in it to capture loose particles or food bits. i either wash the floss pad with hot water or replace it with a new one. i have heard many things like how a skimmer would remove trace elements from the tank. but then again, i have never tried running a large tank. the 10 gal is my fish SW/reef tank. so i dont know if the skimmer is required bc of the tank's size. but now i guess its just optional.
I think that a PM hot1 skimmer or an AquaC Remora. They will skim well on a 29 gallon. I would go with the PMhot1 just for the reason that we all usually upgrade to larger tanks and a the hot1 can handle larger tanks.
I knew someone would say SKILTER.....Ha..Ha...Ha...Haaaaaaaaaaaa!!
I knew someone would say SKILTER.....Ha..Ha...Ha...Haaaaaaaaaaaa!!
Just wanted to let Bubbles know that Innovator didn't give bad advice. Alot of people use different kinds of filters for SW tanks. Reef or no reef its what people do to make things work along with their filters. One thing you can add a skimmer like Hubu asked or have a deep sand bed and adding live rock. They is nothing wrong with adding a filter that will help in the aid of water movement and filters. So Innovator anwser is not wrong or bad advice.
ANEMONEBUFF":2r8552c0 said:
Need another laugh. Seaclone. :lol:
But seriously, my reply was just to point out that HOB filters can provide a benefit to a small reef where I personally wouldn't want to employ a sump. If you noticed, I did state that I would not use a Skilter on a tank larger than a 10 and that it provides minimal protein skimming. IMHO, by far the best filtration for small tanks is frequent water changes, which I do on my 10. The Skilter gives me a safety valve if anything should go wrong. On that tank, its skimmate is just as nasty looking as anything coming out of my larger tanks.
My whole point wasnt that the aquaclear itself was bad, the idea that you can use it for extra circulation, or to hide a heater etc is fine.
But using its filter floss to trap food and other particles is a BAD idea. It just promotes decay and ammonia and takes out valuable food source for the tank. A skimmer does not promote ammonia and helps circulation, and provides a buffer to a tank, for a small tank its especailly helpful, especially for bioload. A tradition filter does no such thing. Hence my feelings of bad advise. But notice that I didnt say the skilter was bad advise, as poor as it may be, it still does something beneficial without the potential bad side effects. If your going to use treadition filter floss on a small tank, then hell why dont we all use filter floss on our large tanks too then? :roll:
But using its filter floss to trap food and other particles is a BAD idea. It just promotes decay and ammonia and takes out valuable food source for the tank. A skimmer does not promote ammonia and helps circulation, and provides a buffer to a tank, for a small tank its especailly helpful, especially for bioload. A tradition filter does no such thing. Hence my feelings of bad advise. But notice that I didnt say the skilter was bad advise, as poor as it may be, it still does something beneficial without the potential bad side effects. If your going to use treadition filter floss on a small tank, then hell why dont we all use filter floss on our large tanks too then? :roll:
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