can i get by without a skimmer in my 15g nano?

[Jason7504]

I just got a 15g nano today but the skimmer that i got doesn't fit well in it. Its a pacific coast nano that doesn't include a skimmer originally but the guy i bought it from put a oceanic skimmer in it since the skimmers by pacific coast don't fit. Do i really need to use a skimmer in such a small tank?

if i decide to do NPS or something similar, i will probably need a skimmer huh?

[The Grim Reefer]

I just got a 15g nano today but the skimmer that i got doesn't fit well in it. Its a pacific coast nano that doesn't include a skimmer originally but the guy i bought it from put a oceanic skimmer in it since the skimmers by pacific coast don't fit. Do i really need to use a skimmer in such a small tank?

if i decide to do NPS or something similar, i will probably need a skimmer huh?

If you do weekly water changes and be very careful in your feeding habits you should be fine as long as you have the correct amount of rock and a appropriate bio load. You should hit the nano forum in the special interest section of RC.

[Daimyo68]

If you do weekly water changes and be very careful in your feeding habits you should be fine as long as you have the correct amount of rock and a appropriate bio load. You should hit the nano forum in the special interest section of RC.

+1 on that. Weekly water changes and proper habits will be all you need.
Definitely hit the nano forums http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=75 for tons of info to get your cube running with minimum maintenance.

[Johnny C]

Yes, you can get away without one by following the methods above.

However, if you do decide to invest in one, buy the Tunze Nano 9002; GREAT skimmer. :)

[fox2589]

+1 on not needing one with good husbandry..tunze seems like a good idea to(but may not be tooo consistent on such a small tank)-drew

[ecureefer]

I dont have one on my 12 nano and i have a heavy bioload which im embarresed to post but my water conditions are great im guessin due the small refugium in the back compartments

[cet98]

If you do weekly water changes and be very careful in your feeding habits you should be fine as long as you have the correct amount of rock and a appropriate bio load. You should hit the nano forum in the special interest section of RC. +2 :)
water changes, water changes, water changes...every week!!!
ran my 14gal nano for almost a year without a skimmer and then added a Sapphire Aquatics nano skimmer :D

[redfishsc]

Agreed with the above. I ran a 10g for about 6 months and grew SPS VERY well in it (granted they now grow much faster in my 45g system but that's mostly due to water stability, not pollution control).

The 10g never once registered any nitrate b/c I had a 4-gallon refugium on it that stayed lit constantly. Pest algae was very limited also.


IMO the key here will be to use as big of a refugium as you can, and light it as bright as you can. A 26W CF light can go a long way to lighting macroalgae very well.