Skimmer question

[THISISANAME]

Do I really need a skimmer for an octo tank? I have had very bad luck with skimmers in the past... and I have basically been running a reef tank for about 5 years with much success. I'm sure more frequent water changes are expected with an octo tank. Do any of you run without a skimmer?

 

[shipposhack]

Things are a lot harder without a skimmer. For a short answer, no, you cannot run an octopus tank without a protein skimmer. They have a massive bioload and are messy eaters that leave rotting food in the tank. Also if your octopus ever inks you really need a skimmer to clean the water. If you get a high quality skimmer you shouldn't have problems. More frequent water changes won't really make up for not having a skimmer.

 

[DWhatley]

I run a skimmer but the one for my 45 octo tank doesn't do much. I use Poly-Filters in all my tanks (brand, not type). They were originally designed for drinking water filtration and remove much of the protien before the water gets to the skimmer (I also run charcoal after the Poly-Filters). The good thing about these filters is that they change color as they collect debris and don't release garbage back into the water. The bad thing is that they are expensive and can't be cleaned and reused.

 

[Nancy]

Have a look at this thread at the top of the Tank Talk forum
Which protein skimmer do you have, and do you recommend it?

It's called What protein skimmer do you have.... and people post about which brand they have purchased and how satisfied they are with it.

An octopus produces three times the waste as a fish of comparable size, and they also ink. You'll be very glad you have a skimmer.

Nancy

 

[AquaForce]

skimmers are crucial in most marine settings.... especially with cephs.....what types of skimmers have you run in the past out of curiosity?