Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've been running a mixed reef for about a year now, and I'm debating whether a protein skimmer is really necessary. My LPS and softies seem fine, but I'm worried about long-term health. Tank's a 40-gallon with two clowns, a cleaner shrimp, and weekly 10% water changes. Anyone skip the skimmer and still see good growth?

Skimmers are kinda overhyped unless you're pushing SPS heavy. I ran a 30-gallon without one for ages, just kept up with water changes and ran chemipure. My Zoas and Hammers did great. But if you're gonna add more fish or skip water changes, it's sketchy.

A skimmer helps with dissolved organics, especially if you're feeding heavily. What's your nitrate level? If it's staying under 10 ppm, you might not need one. But if you start seeing algae or slow growth, it's worth considering.

I ditched my skimmer last year, no regrets. Just gotta stay on top of maintenance. My Duncan's and GSP are spreading like crazy. But I only have a pair of gobies, so bioload's low.

hutkeeper wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 4:44 pm I ditched my skimmer last year, no regrets. Just gotta stay on top of maintenance. My Duncan's and GSP are spreading like crazy. But I only have a pair of gobies, so bioload's low.

Same here. Skimmers are noisy anyway. If you're chill with weekly water changes, you're golden.

My buddy's tank crashed after his skimmer broke. He had a ton of fish though. If you're gonna add more livestock, maybe play it safe.

I've always used one, but my tank's packed. Softies don't care much, but my Acros would throw a fit without it. Depends what you're aiming for.

Skimmers are like insurance, bruh. You don't need it till you *really* need it. My Torches started receding when I slacked on water changes. Now I run a skim and dose carbon. Zero issues.

For a mixed reef, it's not strictly necessary if you're diligent. But if you're adding SPS or more fish, the extra filtration helps. What's your current stocking plan?