[Fishfirst]

protein skimmers are like ocean surf, they create bubbles that seperate and take out the gunck in your water. Refuigums are tanks that you take water in from the main tank and have multiple places for nitrates to be absorbed. Like a deep sand bed, live rock, macro algae, and saltwater plants. Then the water is pumped back into your aquarium... look at liveaquaria.com for refuigums, skimmers, and urchins... google aqua c remora and you'll find one of the better skimmers out there, but most will do on a tank like yours.