Fairly new to the hobby and my tank has been running for about a month now and it’s truly my favorite hobby, but I don’t know how long I’ll last simply because of protein skimmers. That is the only thing that I have regrets about starting this hobby up. I have a Aquamaxx HOB 1.5 skimmer and it’s been a nightmare ever since setting it up. I set it up just like the factory said so. Allowing the “break in” process and it doesn’t nothing but leak out of the top of the collection cup. I’ve left the O-ring on the bottom just like it says and it’s like a volcano every single time. Bought a fluval sea protein skimmer to see if it will replace my aquamaxx and that doesn’t work as well. Maybe it’s me, but I literally did everything the factory says to do. I’d be real upset if a protein skimmer took me out of this hobby entirely, but it’s getting pretty close to be that.