do u really need 1?

Mrmofo

do u really need a protein skimmer? i got some thing in my cannister filter which the LFS said does the exact same thing and its in a bag but u have to replace it every 6 months.i have a 55g which im attempting to turn into a reef with some shallow corals which dont need to much lightning

Age of Aquariums

I would get one, my LFS's info has been flawed before. The best kind of filter I've have for my reef tank is a sump. (wet/dry) I've had 4 different sumps, all had built in protein skimmers, but I do know that some sumps don't have them.[info][/info]

Gump

Short answer yes. There are a few cases where you wouldnt need one but in a tank bigger than 20-30 gallons i would say yes. Plus look at it this way, why spend hundreds of dollars on your rock, coral, fish and get a cheep filter? You will be amazed with how much your skimmer removes.

caferacermike

Long answer, no you don't need one. They make maintenance much easier.

Better question, Do you want one? Yes.

Is your LFS making up stories? Yes. They are saying you have a product like a phosphate remover. Will it work for 6 months? Nope.

How they can compare a canister filter to a skimmer is beyond my comprehension. Think of this, a skimmer REMOVES waste forever, a canister TRAPS waste that later can break down and liquify polluting the tank if not cleaned bi-weekly. Don't trust that LFS.

tommy3492

No, but it helps a bunch !!!