New Tank - protein skimmer

[Long]

I started a new square tank last week 50gal. w/ sump. Crush coral sat in a bucket with my old

water for 1 month. I have about 60lb rock, 1/2 of it live. I am using RO water w/ instant ocean

salt 6L 24WT5HO system. Tank has 4 small zoas frag,purple digi,bubble tip en. and 3 chromis.

(the cure stuff came from my current 90gal reef)

QUESTION:

1) With weekly 5gal water changes, can I postpone the protein skimmer for a couple of months?

(budget constraint-trying to build up my fish budget again)

2) Has anyone out there ran a reef tank w/o protein skimmer for a couple of months w/ success?

If so, what did you--I hope not daily water changes.

thanks

long

[NonSequitur]

You might be better off finding a cheap used skimmer, then upgrading later.. I remember seeing a post yesterday in the for sale section with a red sea berlin skimmer for something like $25.. reviews on that model are hit or miss, but I really like mine.

[diabeetus]

you know... protein skimmers didnt always exist

i think you will be fine without one for a bit, especially with weekly water changes.

[Will]

you know... protein skimmers didnt always exist

i think you will be fine without one for a bit, especially with weekly water changes.

+1

just keep your stocking low and feeding low and use alot of carbon/chemipure/purigen

[+mcallahan]

Hmmm...I gotta break the trend here.

This line:

"Crush coral sat in a bucket with my old water for 1 month"

could be bad...real bad. Who knows what kind of stuff died and became funk in that bucket during that month. Now its in your tank decaying and there is no protein skimmer to pull it out. Water changes will help yes, but nothing like a skimmer running 24x7.

I recently helped a member who was trying to do what you were doing - run skimmer less in a reef tank. When I tested his water, his nitrates were up around 80 and he couldn't keep coral alive. New fish would get ick quickly in his tank.

Even tho you are carrying a light bioload, a protein skimmer would still be a must on my list. I wouldn't start a tank w/out one.

Spend $50 and get yourself a decent skimmer. You can upgrade it down the line when you get your budget built up and can drop some coin at the tank

[+bigsby]

+1 Mcallahan.

There is going to be a lot of dead stuff in that crushed coral. If you DIDN"T throw that in your tank with all the decay it will contain I would say that you would probably be alright for a month or two considering you kept your bioload low.

[+dapettit]

I'm also concerned about the nem in such a new tank. . . unless I miss read the post.

[caferacermike]

you know... protein skimmers didnt always exist

i think you will be fine without one for a bit, especially with weekly water changes.

I gotta disagree with the first part, sorry hate to do it. Sure protein skimmers didn't always exist, but then again neither did reef tanks. Sure folks have been keeping saltwater fish for decades, centuries maybe if they lived by the oceans, but every source I've read from have stated that skimmers and halides are what changed everything. Corals could rarely be kept alive before these 2 items came along. There were some softies here and there but not the success we see today.

I'd say that with weekly water changes you could manage for awhile. But why? You are going to be spending $60 or more on a bucket of salt that will need replacing with the more frequent water changes. For $100 or less you can generally buy a used skimmer or for a few bucks more a new skimmer. The prices have fallen and the quality has risen. I'm trying to say that if you are "budgeting" it might be best to look at the whole picture. That water changes aren't free either. So with some good planning you might break even by purchasing a skimmer and being able to go longer between water changes.

[+mcallahan]

you know... protein skimmers didnt always exist

i think you will be fine without one for a bit, especially with weekly water changes.

I gotta disagree with the first part, sorry hate to do it. Sure protein skimmers didn't always exist, but then again neither did reef tanks. Sure folks have been keeping saltwater fish for decades, centuries maybe if they lived by the oceans, but every source I've read from have stated that skimmers and halides are what changed everything. Corals could rarely be kept alive before these 2 items came along. There were some softies here and there but not the success we see today.

I'd say that with weekly water changes you could manage for awhile. But why? You are going to be spending $60 or more on a bucket of salt that will need replacing with the more frequent water changes. For $100 or less you can generally buy a used skimmer or for a few bucks more a new skimmer. The prices have fallen and the quality has risen. I'm trying to say that if you are "budgeting" it might be best to look at the whole picture. That water changes aren't free either. So with some good planning you might break even by purchasing a skimmer and being able to go longer between water changes.

+1 on these points. I had a saltwater tank back in 1988 and protein skimmer were just coming out. They were around $3000 and the only people had really had them were city/state aquariums. Did my fish live? Yes, but was anyone keeping any corals? No.

And mike's right..salt isn't free and neither is RO water. Sure spending $60 on a bucket of salt every 5-6 months seems free, but its not. In your case, you could probably stretch that bucket out to a year if you had a skimmer.

Its worth the little bit of money they cost.

[Long]

Thanks all.

I am on the hunt for a used inexpensive protein skimmer then <60$ next month. It never stop $$$

with a new tank. Will do a water change this weekend to get rid of some of the old water and get my water

tested. The bubble tip en is currently fully expanded. I will keep an eye on him, if stress he will go back into

the 90 gal.

[offroadodge]

wow u were like 9yrs old when u had ur 1st saltwater tank? How did u afford that? I have to agree with having a SKIMMER...Its a must, I can give you and example: I set up my wife biocube w/o a skimmer, a few corals-dead rock-regular sand(not live)- 2 (small) clowns-2 snails-3 crabs, all was good for about a week and a half then WOW...Nitrate, Nitrites, and Ammonia went threw the roof (this isnt my 1st rodeo with a tank). Wife freaked out thinkn its gonna kill the clowns, i said chill it'll be fine. Installed a PROTEIN SKIMMER and within 2 days the levels were back under control. Defntly a must have!!!

[innate1]

What skimmer did you get for the cube? I have one cycling at the office.

[+dapettit]

you know... protein skimmers didnt always exist

i think you will be fine without one for a bit, especially with weekly water changes.

I gotta disagree with the first part, sorry hate to do it. Sure protein skimmers didn't always exist, but then again neither did reef tanks. Sure folks have been keeping saltwater fish for decades, centuries maybe if they lived by the oceans, but every source I've read from have stated that skimmers and halides are what changed everything. Corals could rarely be kept alive before these 2 items came along. There were some softies here and there but not the success we see today.

I'd say that with weekly water changes you could manage for awhile. But why? You are going to be spending $60 or more on a bucket of salt that will need replacing with the more frequent water changes. For $100 or less you can generally buy a used skimmer or for a few bucks more a new skimmer. The prices have fallen and the quality has risen. I'm trying to say that if you are "budgeting" it might be best to look at the whole picture. That water changes aren't free either. So with some good planning you might break even by purchasing a skimmer and being able to go longer between water changes.

Well put Mike.