I have a 12 gallon saltwater tank, do I need a protein skimmer, and if so why?

Answer 1

It's not 100% necessary to have one, especially if all you plan to keep are fish. Skimmers work with your filter to remove organic wastes from fish poo, dead organisms, and excess food from the tank before it contributes to the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in your water. Since saltwater fish are sensitive to water quality, you'll have to keep up with regular water changes though, if you don't use one.

Invertebrates are even more sensitive, so if you're planning a reef tank, it's even more strongly suggested that you use a skimmer. It is possible to have a reef tank without a skimmer, but in a smaller tank, the water quality can change rapidly, so having a skimmer gives you a little more of a safety buffer if you need to delay a water change.

What you need to do is weight the cost and aesthetics of the skimmer against your committment for tank maintenance.

Rather than just give our views of protein skimmers, I'm going to direct you to two websites where you can get other information on how/why they're used and you can decide for yourself if you want to get one:

Answer 2

You dont Have to, but then you do. Protein skimmers take all the bacteria and all that stuff of the top of your water and in it. Your fish live alot longer, and makes your tanks healthier, WAY healthier. So i would defiantly get one. Good luck! P.s. if you concerned about money its about 30$ for one. not too bad! Good luck! :)

Answer 3

it is better to have one if you can find a quality skimmer, nano-reefs.com should be ablre to help weith that. thewy help by removing small particles in the water, that can decom[pose and cause high nitrates. look for some pictures of what a protein skimmer removes and you'll see why you want one, nasty nasty stuff.