Skimmer or no Skimmer??

[Fishn28]

Ive had a 75 gallon mixed reef for most 2 years now and have always had a hard time keeping my nutrients in balance. Sadly I do not have a sump for this tank, instead I use a canister filter often with phosguard and purigen. This leads to a major fluctuation of nutrients and occasionally strips the tank of any nutrients at all like phosphate and nitrate leading to Dinos. My question is whether to not I should get a HOB skimmer to replace the roles of phosguard and purigen? It is to my understanding the skimmer will not necessarily reduce the levels Phosphate and nitrate but will keep them from ballooning up and crashing back down, more of a steady number.

What do you think?
any good suggestions on HOB skimmers if that is the way to go?

 

[Biokabe]

We'll assume I inserted the obligatory, "You should get a sump," and then you replied with the obligatory explanation of why that's not feasible.

With that out of the way: skimmers are honestly pretty useful, and if you have a way to add one it would probably be a benefit to your tank. Having said that - if you do add one, make sure you have some way to automatically drain the skimmate into a larger container than the collection cup. There are certain things that can make a skimmer go absolutely crazy, and they can go from empty to overflowing in literally seconds. In a sump, all that happens is the foam bubbles up into your sump. In a HOB that all ends up on the floor, so if you have a larger container that gives you time to intervene and shut down the skimmer before that happens.

A skimmer won't directly pull nitrates out of your water, what it will do is pull out the DOC that decay down into nitrates. For that matter, they'll pull anything polarized out of the water, and there are times when you really want to get those polar molecules out. They act as a kind of soapless soap. On top of that, they're fantastic for aerating the water, which helps in many direct and indirect ways.

I can't help as far as specific models go. I know that Reef Octopus makes some HOB models, and I've been satisfied with my traditional Reef Octopus so I might start there.

 

[Fishn28]

We'll assume I inserted the obligatory, "You should get a sump," and then you replied with the obligatory explanation of why that's not feasible.

With that out of the way: skimmers are honestly pretty useful, and if you have a way to add one it would probably be a benefit to your tank. Having said that - if you do add one, make sure you have some way to automatically drain the skimmate into a larger container than the collection cup. There are certain things that can make a skimmer go absolutely crazy, and they can go from empty to overflowing in literally seconds. In a sump, all that happens is the foam bubbles up into your sump. In a HOB that all ends up on the floor, so if you have a larger container that gives you time to intervene and shut down the skimmer before that happens.

A skimmer won't directly pull nitrates out of your water, what it will do is pull out the DOC that decay down into nitrates. For that matter, they'll pull anything polarized out of the water, and there are times when you really want to get those polar molecules out. They act as a kind of soapless soap. On top of that, they're fantastic for aerating the water, which helps in many direct and indirect ways.

I can't help as far as specific models go. I know that Reef Octopus makes some HOB models, and I've been satisfied with my traditional Reef Octopus so I might start there.

thanks for the advice, I might have to weigh my options and consider a new tank with a sump but that's a hefty price tag

 

[Biokabe]

thanks for the advice, I might have to weigh my options and consider a new tank with a sump but that's a hefty price tag

Don't rush out and get a new tank just because you want to add a skimmer. As someone who's in the middle of paying that price tag, it's every bit as hefty as you think it is. A nice HOB with an external skimmate collector (could just be a 5 gallon bucket and a drain line off of the collection cup) is much cheaper than a new tank.

 

[Subsea]

Ive had a 75 gallon mixed reef for most 2 years now and have always had a hard time keeping my nutrients in balance. Sadly I do not have a sump for this tank, instead I use a canister filter often with phosguard and purigen. This leads to a major fluctuation of nutrients and occasionally strips the tank of any nutrients at all like phosphate and nitrate leading to Dinos. My question is whether to not I should get a HOB skimmer to replace the roles of phosguard and purigen? It is to my understanding the skimmer will not necessarily reduce the levels Phosphate and nitrate but will keep them from ballooning up and crashing back down, more of a steady number.

What do you think?
any good suggestions on HOB skimmers if that is the way to go?

Instead of stripping nutrients from the water, consider that your corals and bacteria are the consumers & stabilizers of nutrients thru recycling. I run heavy filter feeders, using Ornamental & cryptic sponges to assist with recycling nutrients.

I have canister filters with reef rubble that I have not opened in several years.

 

[exnisstech]

Maybe lay off the phosguard or reduce the amount you are using so PO4 doesn't bottom out? I have tanks with and without skimmers.

 

[GarrettDie4U]

Instead of stripping nutrients from the water, consider that your corals and bacteria are the consumers & stabilizers of nutrients thru recycling. I run heavy filter feeders, using Ornamental & cryptic sponges to assist with recycling nutrients.

I have canister filters with reef rubble that I have not opened in several years.

wow image the things living in them canisters . You probably have the cure for cancer in there . i would not open them either lol