Running for 2yrs w/o skimmer

so any suggestions for a good nano skimmer for a Red Sea Max 130 - 34g? I've seen a couple people mention a Tunze Nano Skimmer 9002. Any others to consider/look at?

 

Sounds to me like you are the exception and not so much the rule. Going 2 years and never suffering a loss is amazing (a crab and snail just don’t count in my book – though in my 180 if a snail bit the dust I certainly wouldn’t know about it)

You also seem to have had tremendous luck considering the assortment of fish you were able to keep in combination.

To answer your question – yes, skimmers are important and the more bio load the more the importance becomes a necessity.

 

Red Slime – yes, your Dissolved Organic Compounds are contributing to the algae, but more so your high nitrates are – and a skimmer is not about to resolve the nitrates.

Can you test for phosphates? This is the other big contributor for red slime – generally from using tap water and not RO/DI. Do you use RO/DI ?

 

This is not totally true, A skimmer will remove organic waste before it gets broken down by your bio filter, which we all know the end result of that is nitrates. So by removing it before it gets broken down it will keep nitrates lower.

 

LOL - ok, but you are splitting hairs with me now ;D but your right.

 

I've read up on the red algae and most agree that phosfates are a big contributor... I have been purchasing RO Salt Water from my local pet store for years. However, several months back I switched to a different store... I'm now convinced that they either use tap water and try to sell it off as RO or they have an RO only system with no DI. Either way, I'm pissed.

I just had aqua systems install an RO system for me and I ordered an add-on DI filter online. I'm going to start mixing my own water as soon as the DI filter comes in.