Protein Skimmer for Mini Tank.

mattstevens1

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Nov 10, 2012
553
0
31
deer park ny
So I have a "mini" tank. I started it up maybe 9 months ago and basically it crashed after a while which from what I'm thinking was due to lack of a protein skimmer since I tried taking the "cheaper" route and not using one.

Tank details:
-29 Gallon High
-Deepblue Solarmax HE lighting
- Aquaclear 110 HOB Filter with Carbon and Biomax media.

Previous Livestock

Before the tank crashed it was thriving pretty well. I had:
-2 ocellaris Clownfish
-1 Yellow Tang
-1 Green Mandarin
-1 (what i think was) Golden headed sleeper goby
-1 turbo snail
-A handful of hermit crabs
-1 cleaner shrimp
-1 sandsifting starfish (who has disappeared)
-15lbs of live rock
-crushed coral substrate.

Current Livestock
-I have one of the clownfish left. They both made it out alive and I put them into a biocube at my job and it was eaten by a maxi-mini anenome. So currently have one left
-the turbo snail and a few hermits.

Now my situation. I was going to use the Remora Aquac HOB protein skimmer. Are these good skimmers? Also I plan on adding more live rock+ trying out corals for the first time. What would be some good corals for this size tank and also would my light be good enough to grow the corals out? any information would be great :) thank you!
 

DripN.Wet

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 25, 2012
21
0
0
Bloomingdale, Ohio
I would say the lack of a protien skimmer, was not likely the reason your tank crashed. I know tons of people who run full sps reef tanks without a skimmer. Look into turning your HOB into an algea scrubber, and do 3 gallon weekly water changes in a tank that size. If that isn't too much work, then you should have it made.

Also stay away from ALL tangs in a tank that size. They just require more room than that. There are tons of other fish you could add that will stay small enough and provide alot of movement in the tank.

In place of a sandsifting starfish on crushed coral go with maybe a colored serpent starfish. They're really hardy; I think mine could survive a nuclear holocost.
 
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