Tank Equipment

[OCCFan023]

I have a few years to go before i can get my 100-150 gallon tank, and hopefully do my first saltware tank. I had a question about some things so I can go in with some knowledge.

One is a Protein Skimmer what does this object do.

Two a UV Steralizer what does this do.

Three a chiller, what does this do.

sorry for the begginer questions,if you could help me out id appreciate it.

 

[1979camaro]

1) Protein Skimmer: filtering device which removes disolved organics from saltwater using fine air bubbles. basically, helps keep nitrates really low cause above 10 is really bad in a reef.

2) UV Sterelizer: imo, this is an unnecessary device. The idea is that by running the water through some UV rays it will kill algae spores, bacteria, etc...personally i dont think its necessary

3) Chiller: refrigerator for you tank...it is plumbed inline to the sump and cools the water during those hot summer months...generally if you live in cooler climates or have central air its not an issue

hope that helps

best advice would be a couple books: Paletta's New Marine Aquarium and Fenner's Concientious Marine Aquarist are both good reads

 

[wayne]

1. Protein skimmer - mixes air bubbles and water together in a tall plastic tube. Dissolved organics form a scummy foam at the top and can be collected. Get rids of organics before they enter the nitrogen cycle, reducing the load on your biofiltration.
2. U.V. - UV light is toxic. A UV pumps water though a tube at a rate where it is exposed to toxic UV light for long rnough to kill everything.

 

[Purple]

UV kills bacteria - (if you have a troublesome flesh wound, sunlight will help a lot)

never understood why people put UV in a tank that relies on bacteria to keep it healthy - but in the SW world, many things are a mystery to me......

 

[wayne]

People hope that all the ich parasites will form an orderly queue and go into the UV one be one rather than dispersing amongst the tank......

 

[OCCFan023]

so the only necassary item i mentiond is the Protein Skimmer for your basic fish and maby some live rock, and coral for a marine tank.

 

[1979camaro]

i would say the skimmer is the only necessary item on your list, but there are many other necessary items...LR is among them, coral is definitely not...

like i say, read the books and you will understand this better

 

[fishandchips]

i had a purple tang that got white spot and died in my tank. and i belive that my uv stopped the rest of my fish getting whitespot. but it totlly up to you if u want to get one. but i whould say that if you got say...£150 worth of fish in your tank and you get an outbreak of whitespot having a £75 uv that might stop it spreading is a small price to pay

 

[1979camaro]

I guess that is a matter of perspective...IMO with proper quarantine and maintenance it is pretty unlikely that you are going to have a bout of marine ich, and even if you do you should be able to move the infected fish back into QT to treat it and prevent the rest of the tank from becoming infected. Differrent strokes I suppose...to me it is not worth the expense. I would spend the 75pounds ($150 for us yanks ) on a better skimmer, improved lighting, some nice coral frags, or something along those lines.

As you say though, to each his (or her) own