Skimmer or Refugium?

[FlameangelLover]

Hello I want to upgrade my tank and I was wondering should I get a refugium or a skimmer? I do weekly water changes on my 40 gal breeder . What would you do if you were me and trying to keep stability

 

[lapin]

Skimmer . They make great ones these days in a bunch of sizes.

 

[baldyreef]

I personally run both a skimmer and a refuguim but if your only going for one or the other I have to agree on the skimmer

 

[Dom]

Hello I want to upgrade my tank and I was wondering should I get a refugium or a skimmer? I do weekly water changes on my 40 gal breeder . What would you do if you were me and trying to keep stability

The skimmer is the sewage treatment plant of your aquarium. The refugium is for nutrient export. Since they do two different things, have both.

 

[Aquadude1]

If i had to choose only one itd probably be a refugium. I would rather have a scrubber over a refugium

Your water changes can take the place of a skimmer.

 

[edsbeaker]

If I only had room for one, I would definitely get a skimmer. If phosphates get high, you can always get something like a Santa Monica surf algae scrubber that floats on the water surface or use gfo. Not much that you can do to replace the benefits of a skimmer.

 

[bobnicaragua]

Skimmer

 

[FlameangelLover]

I personally run both a skimmer and a refuguim but if your only going for one or the other I have to agree on the skimmer

Thanks i eventually want both but i have to slow roll this lol

 

[FlameangelLover]

Hello I want to upgrade my tank and I was wondering should I get a refugium or a skimmer? I do weekly water changes on my 40 gal breeder . What would you do if you were me and trying to keep stability

The skimmer is the sewage treatment plant of your aquarium. The refugium is for nutrient export. Since they do two different things, have both.

Yes I 100% want both but for right now I have to pick between the two lol

 

[FlameangelLover]

If I only had room for one, I would definitely get a skimmer. If phosphates get high, you can always get something like a Santa Monica surf algae scrubber that floats on the water surface or use gfo. Not much that you can do to replace the benefits of a skimmer.

This is what I was looking for bro. A simple answer with good reasoning skimmer it is. Also I would love it if you PMd me a pic of your tank I would love to see it

 

[FlameangelLover]

Skimmer

Thank you!

 

[Malum Argenteum]

The skimmer is the sewage treatment plant of your aquarium. The refugium is for nutrient export.

I think that might be exactly backwards.

 

[FlameangelLover]

The skimmer is the sewage treatment plant of your aquarium. The refugium is for nutrient export.

I think that might be exactly backwards.

Malum if you had to pick what should I do. Knowing what I said in the post?

 

[Malum Argenteum]

Malum if you had to pick what should I do. Knowing what I said in the post?

Could you elaborate on what 'trying to keep stability' means, exactly? I'm not sure what 'stability' is in this context; more accurately, I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish with said stability.

 

[FlameangelLover]

Malum if you had to pick what should I do. Knowing what I said in the post?

Could you elaborate on what 'trying to keep stability' means, exactly? I'm not sure what 'stability' is in this context; more accurately, I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish with said stability.

Basically I’m just trying to keep waste as low as possible I only have two fish in my 40 gal but I just ordered a 3rd (flame angel) and I would like to keep the extra waist down . I run a HOB and I currently do weekly water changes but I would prefer to change to biweekly so I’m hoping either the skimmer or refugium can help with the extra waist from the fish and longer time without water change. Nutrients I think I’m pretty fine my corals are small and don’t take up much

 

[EnterName]

I have both, but I would never go without a skimmer. I don't care much for the nutrient export, but the gas exchange is too important in a reef tank.

 

[FlameangelLover]

I have both, but I would never go without a skimmer. I don't care much for the nutrient export, but the gas exchange is too important in a reef tank.

Thank you so much! I definitely want both it’s just I can’t get both right now so I wanted to know where to start and it’s sounding like everyone is saying start with skimmer and eventually get refugium

 

[Malum Argenteum]

Basically I’m just trying to keep waste as low as possible I only have two fish in my 40 gal but I just ordered a 3rd (flame angel) and I would like to keep the extra waist down . I run a HOB and I currently do weekly water changes but I would prefer to change to biweekly so I’m hoping either the skimmer or refugium can help with the extra waist from the fish and longer time without water change. Nutrients I think I’m pretty fine my corals are small and don’t take up much

WCs are not just for nutrient export -- they're also for maintaining trace elements and alk and calcium, etc.

Also, corals don't necessarily do better when nutrient levels are lowered. Why exactly do you want to keep waste as low as possible?

What are the tank parameters, and what (if anything) do you do to maintain them beyond the mentioned weekly WCs?

 

[Malum Argenteum]

Also (and only related tangentially), do you have a QT set up for the new fish?

 

[FlameangelLover]

Also (and only related tangentially), do you have a QT set up for the new fish?

The fish is coming quarantined already