Surface skimmer does not mean Protein skimmer. you still need a protein skimmer.
Please, please do some research:
http://www.peteducation.com/category.cfm?c=16+2249
Read most if not all of those articles, it will help ALOT. and look into some books and other material.
Your ability to stay into marine fish keeping depends on your willingness to look in a book. I'm not saying you can't ask a question, we will be glad to help, but don't try to get into saltwater fish keeping without doing some independent research. I hope you don't take this offensively, but everyone had to do it. I read and searched for months before i even knew about MFK and i still only had a dim idea on what I was doing by the time i set up my first tank.
You're always more than welcome to ask for advice or help, and when you do we will be there, but it's always a good idea to do a lot of research before starting into saltwater. There are plenty of books and articles online that will familiarize you with the systems needed to run a saltwater tank. Again, please don't take offense to this.
As for that filter, I would stick with what you got. The skimmer referred to in that filter is a Surface Skimmer. Surface Skimmers are basically what are in pools, they allow surface water to drop down into the filter intake thus cleaning the surface of unwanted floating matter like uneaten food and oils. The kind of Skimmer you want is a Protein Skimmer. Protein Skimmers use a vortex of micro bubbles to remove unwanted ammonia before they can turn toxic to tank life. The micro bubbles float to a collection cup at the top of the skimmer where they pop leaving behind the ammonia to be removed during maintenance.
Here you go: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=3578+4392
Protein skimmers.
Hope this helps clarify.
Please, please do some research:
http://www.peteducation.com/category.cfm?c=16+2249
Read most if not all of those articles, it will help ALOT. and look into some books and other material.
Your ability to stay into marine fish keeping depends on your willingness to look in a book. I'm not saying you can't ask a question, we will be glad to help, but don't try to get into saltwater fish keeping without doing some independent research. I hope you don't take this offensively, but everyone had to do it. I read and searched for months before i even knew about MFK and i still only had a dim idea on what I was doing by the time i set up my first tank.
You're always more than welcome to ask for advice or help, and when you do we will be there, but it's always a good idea to do a lot of research before starting into saltwater. There are plenty of books and articles online that will familiarize you with the systems needed to run a saltwater tank. Again, please don't take offense to this.
As for that filter, I would stick with what you got. The skimmer referred to in that filter is a Surface Skimmer. Surface Skimmers are basically what are in pools, they allow surface water to drop down into the filter intake thus cleaning the surface of unwanted floating matter like uneaten food and oils. The kind of Skimmer you want is a Protein Skimmer. Protein Skimmers use a vortex of micro bubbles to remove unwanted ammonia before they can turn toxic to tank life. The micro bubbles float to a collection cup at the top of the skimmer where they pop leaving behind the ammonia to be removed during maintenance.
Here you go: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=3578+4392
Protein skimmers.
Hope this helps clarify.
