FOWLR question

[TheRealChrisBrown]

I am visiting my Mom for Turkey day and she keeps a FOWLR system going all by herself at 80 years old! She has a Red Sea Max 250 (~65 gallons I believe), and the skimmer has been frustrating to say the least. I always get it up and running for her while I am here, and it stays in tune for a day or so. Seems like fluctuating water levels wreaks havoc on this stock skimmer. She currently has 2 maroon clowns, foxface, coral beauty, dragon wrasse, and a yellow tang.

I was curious if FOWLR operators run a skimmer? If you don't run one do you oxygenate the water in a different way? Any maintenance tips, things you do differently with no skimmer?

 

[zombie]

Why not get her a nice ATO for Christmas to get the fluctuating water levels in check?

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

I considered that, would help when she heads out of town as well. On other forums I've read that this skimmer is just fussy in general, seems like it would relieve some of her stress if she could just forget about it (which is what happens for the 50 other weeks a year that I am not visiting her)

 

[zombie]

It ends up being kind of a trade off. The skimmer takes out enough dissolved organics that running skimmer less would require larger or more frequent water changes. I would assume dumping a skimmer is easier than a WC for an 80 year old, so perhaps a less finicky skimmer like a reef Octopus might be better than no skimmer at all

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

HOB?

 

[zombie]

They make HOB and in sump and both are very good for the price.