Become a Sponsor Our Sponsors
| Become a Sponsor Our Sponsors |
|
Welcome to the Reef Sanctuary forums. We're a beginner-friendly Reef Aquarium community featuring saltwater fish tank discussion, reef aquarium supply reviews, free photo gallery and more! You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to many of our features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! Want to check the place out first? Take a look at our Beginner's Guide for a quick tour of all the features we have to offer the marine aquarium hobbyist. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact support. |
| |||||||
| Home | Forums | Photo Gallery | Chat | Product Reviews | Live Coral Frags | Register | Search | Today's Posts | Mark Forums Read |
| Just starting out (SW Beginners) New to the salt water hobby? Post your questions here. |
 |
| | LinkBack | Thread Tools |
02-07-2004, 03:35 PM
| #1 (permalink) |
| Plate Coral  |  protein skimmers i'm new to this site and to the marine aquarium hobby. i havent yet started the tank, though i just want to plan how to set it up. my first of probably many questions to come is... what exactly does a protein skimmer do? i'm setting up the Rainbow Lifegard 'filters' containing the heater module, chemical module, mechanical module, ultraviolet sterilizer, fluidized bed filter and a pump (or 2). do i need a skimmer? what would it's purpose be? i was thinking of Red Sea Prizm Skimmer, any thoughts on that (opinions)?? thanks, David Liles 
__________________ David Liles |
|  |
| ReefSanctuary Sponsor |
| |
|
02-07-2004, 05:53 PM
| #2 (permalink) | |
| WOLVERINE~   |
__________________ ~Welcome to my nightmare~ I think you're gonna like it I think you're gonna feel you belong. A walk to vacation, A necessary sedation, You wanna feel at home cause' you belong. *Disclaimer* i say this as my best advice to a beginner. do not,,,and i repeat,,,,,DO NOT look at my tank as an example....i have a well practised eye, decades of experience, and a trunkload of failures to allow me to force the issue and get away with things most cannot~ Quote:
| |
|
| |
|
02-07-2004, 06:24 PM
| #3 (permalink) |
| Achilles Tang   | Wits attachment will explain what a skimmer does, but do you need one? Depends on what you are trying to keep. If you intend to keep coral/Live rock/Live sand then I would recommend a skimmer. You could probably get away without one on a fish only tank however a less complex setup for a fish only would be the use of Live rock and a skimmer. The modules in the filter you described above could be minimized. If you went with a skimmer and live rock, you would NEED a heater, and perhaps a UV if you want. The live rock would accomplish your biological filtration and the skimmer would help you on the mechanical side. There really isnt a "right way" to do things, just some are more successfulthan others or require less maintenance. Good luck!
__________________ John Tank: 29g glass Pumps: Mag5.0 return - (3) rio 100 PHs Lighting: (1) 150w XM 10K/(2) 30W actinics Equipment: Aqua C Urchin skimmer- CPR Fuge, Titanium Heater -Red Sea wavemaster Pro Tank: 210g 1/2" Acrylic, dual overflows, 75g glass sump w/ 20g fuge. Pumps: Mag24 return - (2) MAG24s running 2 closed loop systems. Lighting: (3) 400w XM 10K/(2) Custom Sealife 96w PC - 25w dimmable incandescent Moonlight Equipment: Aqua C EV180 skimmer - CR500 calc reactor - Titanium Heater - AquaLogic single Stage Temp Controller - Aquanetics 1/5Hp Chiller - Neptune sys aquacontroller |
|
| |
| ReefSanctuary Sponsor |
| |
