Help- skimmer question

[andre]

Before I learned any better, I decided to go with an Eheim wet/dry canister filter with my 80 gallon bowfront tank, which limited me to a hang-on protein skimmer. I went with a Marineland Seaclone 150, which I'm discovering was not the best choice. I've had my sytem operational for 8 months, and have been doing well with plenty of soft corals and basic hard corals, as well as about a half dozen community fish.

Until recently. No matter what I try, it seems as though my skimmer won't collect much of anything, and just pours lots of tiny air bubbles into the tank.

I also seem to now have a probable parasite problem, and no quarantine tank. (From what I've read, 2 fish that have died recently probably contracted ich or a similar parasite judging by the white spots and erosions on them.)

Question 1- Can anyone recommend a good hang-on protein skimmer?
Question 2- Does anyone have any experience using some of the chemicals that are touted as being able to use in the main tank, such as Kent's Rx-P? (a concentrated pepper concoction).

It looks as though I need to invest in a quarantine tank, but could use advice on what to do about my main tank parasite problem.

My water quality has been ok, with a pH of 8.2, temp consistently 78, spec grav of 1.024, calcium 450, no nitrates or nitrites.

Thanks.

-Andre (new to MAAST)

[DeletedAccount]

Welcome, Andre!

I like the Aqua C Remora Pro HOT with the MAG 7 upgrade and extra tall collection cup.

Do you have any natural cleaners in the tank? Neon gobies? Cleaner shrimp? What kind of fish do you have and what is it that died?

[andre]

I currently have 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 brittle star, about a dozen small hermit crabs, (I also run an 18w uv sterilizer about 12hrs a day).

As for fish, I currently have 1 yellow tang, 1 flame angel, 1 firefish, 2 yellow gobies, 1 pajamafiash, and a foxface rabbitfish.

I recently lost a long-nose butterfly and a false percula clown. Both had been doing well in my system for several months.

I've been alternating feeds of frozen brine shrimp, formula 1, formula 2, as well as alternating green and red dried seaweed select.

I'm concerned that the rabbitfish is starting to develop some tiny white dots as well, although all the other fish both look and act fine.

I have several colonies of zooanthids, buttons, and mushrooms, as well as a torch coral, frogspawn, hammer coral, and bubble coral that have all been doing apparently well.

[capntom]

You might want to take a look at the Precision Marine HOT+ , everything these guys make works great, I'm gonna get one for my forty. They are tall, but thats ok with me. They also hook up to th waste collector that shuts the skimmer down if if overflows.

precisionmarine.com

i also did the Eheim/ seaclone route, and at this time i have for sale

1 Eheim 2227 wet/dry filter
1. seaclone 100, really never used, never made any foam to speak of ;)

[JimD]

PM-HOT-! is an excellent skimmer! Ive been using one on my tank for three years now. Works best with the factory pump.