Do You Really Need a Skimmer?
- Nov 08, 2021
- Anshika Mishra
- 200 0 0
In this article, we will be looking at how protein skimmer help removes the need for half of your water changes by reducing all that dirty water into one little concentrated cup.
So, what does a protein skimmer do? How to pick up the right one then tune it to your tank?
Skimmer
At its core, a skimmer is just a cool way of removing the fish waste from the tank with near-zero effort—the skimmer work by whisking tank water and turning it into foam. The fish waste and uneaten foods help create a stable thick foam inside the skimmer, which flows up in the neck to collect in the cup, effectively removing it from the tank.
More or less, everything that a skimmer removes means fewer water changes, and typing cup is a lot easier than water changes. So, even if called an option piece of gear, you can see why it is also one of the most popular filtration pieces in the tank, either as a start-up or one of the first upgrades.
Which skimmer to choose?
For a 40-gallon tank, here are the top three protein skimmer options
- Reef Octopus Classic 100 Hang-in back protein skimmers
- Reef Octopus Classic 1000 Hang-in back protein skimmers
- Tunze Comline Doc Skimmer 9400 DC
By far, the reef octopus classic options are the most popular hang-on skimmers reefers pick up. The 100 and 1000 are pretty similar options, and at first glance, it is hard to see the difference.
The 100 has a pump that hangs into the tank and is a bit cheaper. Putting the pump directly into the tank makes running it easier, but it is also not the most attractive thing in the tank. In contrast, the classic 1000 uses a siphon design that allows the pump to be mounted externally.
Only the pipes in the tank look cleaner but cost a few bucks more. So, the difference in the price is just for a cleaner look inside the tank.
For a 40-gallon tank, it might not be as high performance as the Reef Octopus hs, and you can go for the Tunze 9004 DC for these reasons. Most important is the form factor. It is a tiny box that looks a lot like a typical overflow and blends in with the back of the tank. You can barely see it is in the tank, and the DC motor is very quiet.
Additionally, 9004 DC is also 100% inside the tank's walls, meaning plug it in, and it just works. No worries about Siphon breaks or overflows. The DC also makes it easier to ramp the pump up and down to tune the airflow to the organic load in the tank with a simple knob.
We can tune in the skimmer easily, and the magnet support make it easier to position anywhere you want in the tank. It is also easy to remove as one piece and bring the entire thing to the sink for cleaning. It is just a slick, low-profile skimmer.
However, any of the two options we talked about here will work. So, pick the one that speaks to you. The difference will not be dramatic in terms of the success rate with your tank.
Conclusion
Okay, so the skimmer is running; they will not pull much of anything out because you don't have any fish yet. So, it is time to cycle the tank, meaning the fishes are coming down; you need to make the tank safer for them. So, check out our fish and tank care articles, and give your wet pets the best aquarium life possible!
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