Skimmer versus Refugium on Nano Tank

[jhutto]

Question for the wise ones...

I am setting up a 25 gallon Nano tank to replace the 11 gallon Nano I currently have ad set up for over three years. I have a Nano Aqua C skimmer that I have been using along with a Hagen hang on back for some flow and to use for carbon and a small amount of GFO for phosphates. Question is... would you keep the skimmer (as its does a fine job) or replace the skimmer with a hang on back refugium ( it would have to be the small one). Pros and cons of each?

If I had my choice it would be both, but there is not enough room on the back for both. I know what both do, but just looking as what adds the most value to the overall tank health i.e., taking the protein out with skimmer or the value of the refugium with critters, macro algae etc.

Your thoughts?

Joe

 

[triggerhappy8]

Bang for your buck, you can't beat a skimmer in a nano. Fuges are nice but I would stick with the Aqua C.

 

[dakota9]

Skimmer definately.......

 

[seedless reefer]

I feel like the skimmer will pull more gunk out of your water than the biological filtration of a small hob fuge.

But the question needs to be asked...will there be anything in your nano that needs food from a fuge?

 

[linda lee]

I think a lot depends on what you're housing in your nano. If you're putting livestock in there that benefits greatly from live food, then the 'fuge is the way to go. It's easy enough to do WC's on a nano if you omit a skimmer.

 

[jhutto]

Was not planning on anything that must have pods like a mandrin or special fish requiring those. Would not think that a small fuge would produce a significant pods for those that require pods as its primary source of food for a tank that small. I was thinking of the refugium as a just "pod adder" in addition to the nutrient export with macro algae and extra filtration keeping nitrates down and providing cleaner water.

Joe

 

[seedless reefer]

I say drill the nano and put a 125 under it then you can have them both!

 

[jhutto]

Like that....I could put in in the bedroom to feed that bookshelf nano. I would not be real popular on the home front.

 

[mustangcaleb]

heres a success story on both, the guy is running a cpr hob fuge/skimmer...

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=332787">http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=332787</a>

and heres his entire build, i think he mentioned keeping a clam under the 4.36 pc upgrade, and he has a mandarin in it...

[IMG]http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=334110">http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=334110</a>

 

[ryanh487]

a decent skimmer will pull waste out of the water before it gets to a form usable by the refugium.

so if you're getting good skimmate, keep the skimmer. if the skimmer isn't doing anything and you don't want to spend money on a better one, do the refugium.