skimmer question

[brady816]

I have a 55 gal saltwater tank it has been running for 2 weeks now. I have 20 pounds of live rock and crushed coral. My question is how soon do i need to get the skimmer? And would it be ok with getting one from petsmart or pet co? I was at inland aquatics they were selling a cpr bak pak for 189.00. The one from pet co was 60.00. Im going to have a fuzzy dwarf lion and thats it.

Thanks alot

 

[mmkeeper]

What other filtration will you use?

 

[brady816]

i am using a emperor 400 with the bio wheel filtration system

 

[Herefishyfishy]

While we are talking about skimmer quality...

Before I joined this site, ordered a sedra 350 pump as an upgrade on my Berlin Classic which they rate from 65-250 gallons. 250 gallons??? Had it on my 90 gal for years, and it did nothing except clog up it's tiny venturi.

Wellllllllll, put the sedra on it and look at all the bubbles! Unfortunately, most of them into the aquarium and no foam collected. Overpowered it. One here made a comment about polishing a &%#@ and it's still a....

I would prefer to call it painting lipstick on a pig. It is now an overpowered underworking 25 gal skimmer that is going into the garbage can. I refuse to offer it as a freebee on craigs, better to pay to dispose of one's own garbage.

Love the new pump, will add it to my many many Iwaki and genX pumps. Now I will be buying a nice ASM, Aqua C, Euro reef, or maybe a Kent. No more garbage, not worth the time and money.

My bubble algae are not going to be happy campers as this septic tank turns into a pristine reef:lol:

Thanks to all here for a great site that is a blast to read. Been raising marine fish since 1972 back when you had to be a chemist. Built a "reef in 1990 or so when wet dry filters were first invented. Self taught and out of the loop for decades. Nice to see all the amazing info at ones fingertips and friendly enthusiasts eager to share. Rustybell was the referrer, thanks again to all

Tank Diver Mike
Old salt who is not too old to learn

p.s. Rusty, found some more base rock, including a piece of live from my tank if you want it NC.

 

[mavgi]

the emperor 400 will make in the future proble with nitrate so i suggest to take the bio wheel out.at $189 you can buy a better skimmer then the cpr bak pak and if you want it (the same you can pay less in the big auction site) i think if you don't have a sump or want to add one go on the aqua c remora you can buy new with free shipping at the big auction site at $164 . the coralife needle wheel skimmer (hang on ) good to and if you can afford so the deltec hang on will be very good.

you can look at other forum to like here and get a very good deal on used skimmer that someone want to sell.

 

[brady816]

so the bio wheel will cause me all kinds of problems then. so the skimmer will do the work of the bio wheel right?? im very new to the saltwater world. had a fresh water for 4 years..

 

[mavgi]

the skimmer will not solve the problem with the nitrate it will reduce that but not solve that . you can take out the bio wheel and put inside the emperor small piece of rock and i will suggest to put on that active carbon in a mash filter like that you will be run better filtration.

 

[brady816]

the people at inland aquatics told me get a aqua c remora pro or a coral life super skimmer or the cpr bak pak. im very new to this. is there anything to keep the nitrate down with the bio wheel??

 

[brady816]

i can put the carbon in the 2 holders that come with the filter. i still have the carbon from the freshwater will that work???

 

[mavgi]

take them out you don't need them let the filter run water direct to the tank without the wheel. take out the filtration you have ther put some small piece of live rock inside and i don't know what type of carbon you have but it's not expensive you can buy small box of active carbon with a filter mash and put it in , don't forget to rinse water on that before you put it in.to keep nitrate down do not feed a lot the fish try one at a day and not a lot , make every week water change about 10-15% (hope you use ro/di water). i don't know if you have power head and what size it's the tank ( i know it 55 but not the size) it will be good idea to add 2 ph to get more circulation and try to add one of those skimmer or the coral life or the aqua c (the aqua c will be easy for you because you will no need to adjust it ) but both good and have good feedback to.

 

[mavgi]

you know i am sorry i just put my attention now that your tank it's new and it's normal during the cycle to have high nitrate .first i suggest before you doing something try to take out the fish and put it in establish tank because you can lost the fish (ask maybe the lfs to keep it or to return it) you need to cycle the tank and it's can take about 4-6 weeks after that you can put there small hardy fish like clown now it's to soon and the fish you have can die because your tank in cycle and you have high nitrate and i am sure high ammonia to and those parameter if the high they will kill the fish. about the crash coral try to change them because it is a large substrate that traps the fish waste and uneaten food that has to be vacuumed before it creates nitrates, which it will anyway. Crushed coral does not provide a very good biological zone, and many tanks are setup with CC from the get go through lack of knowledge or because it is the only substrate that an lfs sells and tells you that it is all you need, using a selling point of CC has buffering power. So many of us have been there and had high nitrates to

 

[patmayo]

Nitrate is not a worry if you are not going to have a reef tank. If all you are going to have is fish and not corals the you can manage nitrates by water changes. Nitrate does not bother fish too much.

However if you are gong to have corals you will need to manage the nitrates as close to zero as possible.

I would cycle the tank first before you put fish in the tank. Was the rock cured or uncured? That will make a big difference in how you cycle your tank.

Regards,

Pat