skimmerless reef?

[donfishy76]

Yeah I said it! LOL Just to get you to read this here, ...

ok, so here goes, I am setting up a reef tank with only corals READ HERE---> NO FISH! and wonder if I really need a skimmer, ... ?

While adding no fish food, no waste from fish, no substrate for leeching capabilities, what is the need for a skimmer? Trust me, I have one and do plan to use it, but just curious about the logic, ...

with a refugium and some cooked live rock for filtration, adding the skimmer seems almost useless to me,

anyone give me your opinions!

[thereefmaster]

hmmm.... maybe. I have seen people run skimmerless with a mixed reef b4 so I know it is possible but you would need to keep up on the w/c's that is for sure. hmm maybe some one else will chime in.

hth

nate

[rustybucket145]

What will you be growing in the tank?

[donfishy76]

mainly sps along with some lps

Xenia and GSP along the bottom i think

[Jeremy Blaze]

I got fish in mine and do not have a skimmer.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/clownj1988/leftside02.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/clownj1988/Middlereef.jpg

So, I'd have to say, no you don't have to have a skimmer.

[Alaskan Reefer]

The only thing you'd skim is what you're trying to keep in that kind of tank -- plankton, oyster eggs, etc. Rocks will be cooked so the only detritus / protein additions will be food and whatever the snails put out. Your fuge with macro in it will handle any small amounts of nutrients produced by feeding or snail poo.

As long as the water is rich in oxygen (surface disturbance, spilling into the sump, whatever) I'd say no on the skimmer...

[marinelife]

I removed my skimmer from my SPS reef so far no problems

[mr pink floyd]

i have a skimmerless right now, but im gettin one soon

[Agu]

I have a ten gallon soft coral tank with two clownfish that's been skimmerless for over three years. I even feed heavily :D .


However, I'm consistant about maintenence and do regular water changes.

[Aquabucket]

Skimmerless is the way to go with your set-up IMO.

Keep up with activated carbon, add some chaetomorpha for phosphate export and you are good to go.

Even though you emphasized NO FISH ~ I would also add an algae grazing fish or 2 just to create a natural balance.

[starseed]

I was skimmerless for 3 years with fish.

I had to go BB to completely control Nitrates and Phosphates though.

Water Changes are number 1 - small and frequent worked best for me.

My Phosphates and Nitrates are near 0 and have been for a year.

I just added a skimmer today, so I'm currious what will happen.

[donfishy76]

I always have enough salt to do water changes when needed, probably once every week or two, so I may not add one to the system.

[jiggy]

u need fish to feed the sps

[donfishy76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6900764#post6900764 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jiggy
u need fish to feed the sps

really?!? i wasn't waare the sps corals ate fish :rollface:

[donfishy76]

any other thoughts?

[jimbo045]

I really like the Skimmers. I gave up on that wet-dry thing, and mainly use a skimmer. JD

[steve the plumb]

You will still have to feed the corals at least 3 times a wek.If you monitor the amount of food and you have a clean up crew.A tang to eat some alge,goby to clean the sand you should be fine.If you set up the correct ecosystem it should be able to run without skimming.