Ever heard of... D&D Marine Typhoon Protein Skimmer

[FlaTidBit]

Although I am new to RF, I'm not exactly new to the world of SW tanks. However, it is amazing how things have changed since my last tank 15+ years ago. Protein skimmers were still science fiction back then and bio-balls were the way to go! Anyway, I'm wondering what the pro's here think of the D&D Marine Typhoon Hang on Tank Skimmer. You can see it here:

http://store.seacorals.net/ddmatyhaonta.html

I have a 6-month old 30-gallon tank with 2-inches of crushed coral/shell substrate sitting on an air-powered undergravel filter (I know, I know... I'm getting rid of it ), an Emperor 400 (minus the bio-wheels), and 15+/- pounds of live rock. Lighting is one 96-watt 10K daylight and one 96-watt blue actinic. In it I have a pair of true percula clowns, a grey angel, a cleaner wrasse, a golden head sleeper goby, a mandarin goby, a Diadem Dottyback, lots of hermits, and no snails (they all died... possibly nitrates?).

I also have a 5-gallon low-flow refugium that is filled with a 4-5 inch DSB, 8 red mangrove seedlings, several different types of macroalgaes, 3 hermit crabs, a sea cucumber, and I'm about to order a fauna starter kit from Inland Aquatics. The 'fuge is only a month or so old.

SG is 1.022. My ammonia and nitrites are zero, pH is 8.2, nitrates are down to 15 from 80 (thanks to the wonderful advice I found here), and my calcium is 420. All test kits are Aquarium Pharmaceuticals.

That should just about cover it all...

All opinions and direction are greatly appreciated. I've already learned so much about lowering my nitrates and what to do to rid my tank of hair algae (switched to RO/DI and doing major water changes, removed bio-wheels, feeding only every other day). I trust that you will teach me many great things about skimmers as well!

Thank you all for your help, Linda

 

[Damsel13]

Got any snails to live in the fuge?

 

[FlaTidBit]

I'm planning on getting a few cerith snails once my nitrates are a bit lower. I don't want them to suffer the same fate at all the others that I lost in my main tank. I understand they are great at mixing the sand. The fauna kit I'm ordering through Inland Aquatics has Stomatella Snails included along with the Mysis and Gammarus Shrimp, Amphipods, Copepods, Mini-brittle and Micro Stars. Is there anything else you would suggest?

 

[dhnguyen]

The typhoon is not too bad of a skimmer actually for a HOT skimmer. IF yoiu can though get an insump skimmer as it will perform better than any HOT ones.

Your bioload is a lot for a 30g and with the crushed coral substrate, I am betting your nitrate and phosphate are sky high.
Crushed corals isn't the best choice for substrate as the coarseness will act as a detritus trap. Better to switch it out to sand IMO.

 

[FlaTidBit]

Well, I need a HOT skimmer because I don't have a sump. And yes, my nitrates were high but I'm getting them lowered. I don't have a test kit for phosphates but I'm sure they are high right from the tap. I live in a town with numerous phosphate mines and lots of agriculture (fertilizer). I have switched to RO/DI water and seeing a difference not only in the tests but in lessening of the hair algae as well (Thanks to all of the advice of RF members!). I also vaccuum my substrate during my water changes to remove a lot of the detritus.

I wish I had discovered RF before setting-up this tank, I was doing things the way I did them 15 years ago. I'd have done several things differently and saved myself a lot of money and time (i.e., sand instead of crushed coral) if I had.

One more question... What is a good bio-load for this size tank?

 

[dhnguyen]

in a 30g, I wouldn't put anyhthing more than the clown pair, the sleeper goby, and maybe another fish. The mandarin you have unless it eats prepared food will likely not survive in your tank These guys typically only eat live pods. You will need a lot more live rock than the 15+ lbs if you want to keep a mandarin.

The cleaner wrasse will also likely not survive for long either unfortunately as it feeds exclusively on parasites from other fish. The grey angel (pomacanthus arcuatus) will likely grow to be too large for the tank also.

 

[FlaTidBit]

The mandarin is the main reason for setting-up the 'fuge... to culture the pods... he hangs-out right near the drain, so I assume he's learned where the food comes from. My cleaner wrasse, along with keeping the other fish "clean" (not to mention MY arm when I'm working in the tank), eats the frozen Prime Reef and Mysis Shrimp and is as fat as can be.