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| Posted | To use a Protien Skimmers or not? |
| 03-06-2006 20:45 by Mark J |
OK heres a question to start a riot I'm going to go into a fish only marine system should I use a protien skimmer or not bother, I have read on countless websites info that you ned one and you don't so whats the answer? |
| 03-06-2006 21:24 by Willuk |
You would defo need one in my opinion....  |
| 03-06-2006 21:47 by Michael C |
Yes you need one, fish only system so i would imagine you are going for preditors ? ( lions, large angels, puffer, triggers ? ) all fish that need rich foods ( cockle etc ). All the *** in the water will pollute it therefore a skimmer will help remove it.
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| 04-06-2006 01:06 by deejdave |
I would say definately yes, it tends to be reefs with lots of live rock that can cope without. Big external, big skimmer and you are away...  |
| 04-06-2006 03:10 by Mark J |
OK now my plans are to put an emperor angle in with a coral beauty and a shoal of chromis or damsels in for movement clean up crew and a load of live rock with an external filter running a UV steriliser. you guys still recommend the skimmer? the tank is only a 50 gallon |
| 04-06-2006 08:39 by yanton |
I have ran fish only and invert marine systems without skimmers with no problems whatsoever.
instead, i did a 20% weekly water change. everything thrived, no problems. |
| 04-06-2006 09:24 by Mark J |
isn't that what people did before protine skimmers? |
| 04-06-2006 09:29 by yanton |
Exactly. you still have to remove the excess wastes though, by the water changes. this is good though as it introduces new salt micro minerals back into the system.
i found that feathers and other filter feeders performed better in non-skimmer setups, probably as there was food in the water (which a skimmmer would strip out). in the inverts system, i also had some sponges (red balls) which are natures filters. |
| 04-06-2006 09:32 by Mark J |
how much water evap did you suffer from thogh or were you able to keep it quite closed?
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| 04-06-2006 09:51 by yanton |
no particular issues with water evap - no more than any other setup.
i did have an emporer angel, got it as a 2 inch juvenile, and grew it into a 10" adult - no skimmer. |
| 04-06-2006 10:10 by Michael C |
50 gallon is not big enough for an emperor angel, i wouldn't put one in anything less than 150 gallon. |
| 04-06-2006 11:55 by Mark J |
Fair point Michael but I do want a real nice specimen fish in there what would you suggest?  |
| 04-06-2006 17:31 by Michael C |
Your struggling really, I have kept moorish idols before ( with out problems ) how about that ? |
| 04-06-2006 19:25 by Mark J |
Now are you talking about true Idols or whimplefish? Either way that does sound interesting and would look nice.my little boy will be so happy to have a "Gill" in the tank |
| 04-06-2006 19:46 by Michael C |
The proper one, dont bother with the wimple ( ugly comapred to the proper one. Where abouts are you ?
I know a good shop who has morrish in on a regular basis ( good feeding ones too ) |
| 04-06-2006 20:05 by Mark J |
I'm in Letchworth, North Herts. now i have read that Idols dont last long in captivity is that right? |
| 04-06-2006 20:34 by Michael C |
both me and my dad have kept them for around 7 years, my dad has one thats around 6 now, it eats anything. Its true they don't accept frozen food first time you just have to take time. Its not the fish its the collection process. There really just a Tang...
You will be fine as long as you keep nori in the tank 24 hours to start with then start with frozen food with garlic. Ask the FS to feed it before you buy. Pay a deposit and leave it for 2 weeks, again pop down at feeding time to make sure then take it home. It will definitly stop feeding when you move it, give it 3 to 5 days and it will feed again. If you but one or thinking of one give me a shout i will always help. Great fish you'll be fine.  |
| 04-06-2006 21:49 by sprayer1 |
hi,Damsels tend to turn into little sods as they get older,the Coral Beauty will proberly get slaped up a bit,if you do go for Damsels try the yellow tail.yellow Tang is the best,dont mix them. |
| 05-06-2006 07:50 by Mark J |
Thanks Sprayer1 the damsels have ben praying on my mind since the begining of this so i might go for the old faitfull green chromis instead. I am definatly interested in the Idols though. And really do want a shoal of fish in there for intesting movment. Micheal where about in the UK are you? |
| 05-06-2006 22:29 by sprayer1 |
10,15 years ago any one ask me about looking after marine,i'd say walk away,dont bother,to demanding.That includes me,but all the new data ect,ect and gizmos,have made it so easy now,in fact i find it more easy than keeping large african cichlids.My tips for the beginer 1.LOADS OF SPARE CASH.2.GOOD RO-WATER.3.CORRECT AMOUNT OF LIVE ROCK AND LIVE SAND PER GALLANAGE OF WATER [regardles of fish only or not]4.PROTINE SKIMMER.5.PHOSPHATE REMOVER.6.MECANICAL FILTER CHANGED WEEKLY.along these lines you wont go wrong, |
| 06-06-2006 11:42 by Alan |
Hang on sprayer were talking green chromis here the most peaceful of the damsel lot the yellow tailed ones are little devils. You are also forgetting that Coral beauty's can handle themselves quite amicably.
Due to the tank size you will be restricted with the ultimate size of fish you want. Fish to consider are dwarf angels Small tangs such as the yellow tang Possibly a dwarf lionfish but not with the chromis. With a tank this size you would get more options if you went for a reef the only way to avoid the skimmer would be to use a miracle mud set up or a DSB. If your reason to avoid it is budget consider an airdriven internal skimmer or the new tmc v2skim these can be used as a hang on skimmer. |
| 06-06-2006 15:00 by Mark J |
The tank is 48x15x21 off the top of my head, i dont have it drilled so a Sump is not an option for me and im not sure whether the glass is tempered or not. I want to get away from having my tank open on top so it will need a lid as a result using T5s and I dont want to suffer from loads of water evap.
The DSB? How and what benefits other than no skimmer? |
| 06-06-2006 15:26 by Alan |
DSB or Deep sand bed do a search on google for Deep sand bed or DSB and have a look around there is a fantastic article on DSB's knocking about it will explain far better then I can off the top of my head either way it is a bed of sand of specific sizes at a depth of at least 4 inches must be carefully matured and burrowing critters need to be introduced no hermits with this set up the aim is for the sand bed to become colonised by burrowing animals such as worms so the bed will get turned over fairly regularly this forms a bulk part of the tanks filtration and is anaerobic enough to remove nitrate with out producing sulphur dioxide I use one but in a sump a miracle mud set up though would be my first choice for going skimmer less though. You don't need a drilled tank to have a sump either you can use an overflow box. |
| 06-06-2006 20:48 by sprayer1 |
ALAN,read whats here,MARK said Chromis and or Damsels,i can only think he means the blue Damsel as most new folk do? |
| 07-06-2006 12:01 by Mark J |
I was originally going to have lyretail anthias to give me a nice colour in the tank but its too small I want to have a contrast of colour but if I get a real interesting specimen fish (or 2) I don’t want to make it look too busy and clash species from totally different areas of the world or distract from the “main attraction”. I really don’t want to get any corals as I do not want to have to fork out on chillers and all the gumpff that goes with it. And any way what’s wrong with chromis or damsels I quite like the humbug or dominos |
| 07-06-2006 12:58 by Alan |
Green chromis are not overly aggressive dominos and humbugs are the devil with fins and they are at their worst at night. As far as habits go they are fairly similar tyo rift valley cichlids with attitude they will bash any fish it feels is in its territory that includes each other often it is necessary to keep larger specimens 1 to a tank as they will beat the hell out of each other until one remains. Also Anthias are definately not a beginner fish and would fair far better in a reef as they are planktivores and need to trickle feed all day.
Green chromis are the best option as they are hardy and relatively peaceful. They are a turqoise colour best to keep at least 6 to keep the skirmishes between them under control. |
| 09-06-2006 15:43 by Mark J |
Should I be looking at T5s or T8s for a fish only system?? |
| 12-06-2006 09:21 by Alan |
T8's there is no need for the T5's or halides with fish only. |
| 14-06-2006 10:43 by Mark J |
***!  Too late I just brought 4 T5 compacts with the tubes |
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