No stinkin skimmer for me...

[MelanieF]

I've removed the skimmer from my tank and I'm not looking back.

Had a protein skimmer on my tank for the past 2 months and it seems to me that there are better ways to remove organics. The skimmer removed so many things from my tank that my 2 soft corals started to suffer and shrink away.

Went to the LFS and picked up a 5" derasa clam. Removed the skimmer. Put my hang on the back filter back on w/ activated carbon and voila all is well again. All other params were tested and I ruled out toxic attack via other corals so no need to ask me about those. They weren't "shedding" either.

Just reinforces to me that technology can be a stinger in the backside.

Anyone else run their system w/out a skimmer? Just curiosity as I know I can't be the only one w/ this theory...

 

[Anonymous]

What do you have in your tank?

 

[krullulon]

also, how recently did you remove the skimmer? if it was just a few days ago it might be too soon to tell. give it a month or two and see what happens over time... also depends on how stocked your tank is -- do you have fish witht the corals?

 

[Anonymous]

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=466649

Honesty, a seaclone is not exactly anywhere near what most would consider an "ideal" skimmer Mel... - I won't use mine on anything larger than a 10g.

Hope it works for you though.. - And hope that low lighting works ok for your softies too..

Norm

 

[Unarce]

You should be fine with a softies/clam tank. They'll actually benefit from the increase in the nutrient level. I wouldn't recommend going skimmerless if you have an average or above fishload. Here's a thread I started not too long ago. You'll find some helpful dialogue and links.

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1

 

[Juck]

7 fish including a Tang in a 72g with no sump? You're going skimmerless? Good luck to you mate

 

[DaisyPolyp]

aww, don't be so negative, there are ways to make it work. Make sure you have good supply of established macro algae (your tang will like it also) and I would recommend some mangroves.

 

[Anonymous]

reefnutz, you really think that 5" clam will be ok under this lighting?

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=468190

 

[Unarce]

Sorry, I didn't see the specs. I'll check it out. :wink:

 

[Unarce]

Definitely not under 45W of fluorescent.

Melbelle1820,

Have you made the upgrade to PC's yet? What's the detail on those?

 

[Len]

I tried going skimmerless for one year. The tank gradually got worse and worse off (yellowing of water, even with active carbon usage). Corals didn't open up as much, weren't as colorful, and did not grow as fast. I put back the skimmer and in a matter of 2-3 months, everything started to perk back up. From this experience, I would never go skimmerless again.

 

[Unarce]

You should be fine with a softies/clam tank. They'll actually benefit from the increase in the nutrient level. I wouldn't recommend going skimmerless if you have an average or above fishload. Here's a thread I started not too long ago. You'll find some helpful dialogue and links.

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1

Wrong link. Here you go:

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... kimmerless

 

[erickrebsbach]

I have a 20L and I go skimmerless: 1 clown, 1 brittle star, 1 turbo snail, 2 hermit crabs, 1 rock crab that came on rock,A gold coral banded shrimp, 1 hairy arrow crab,1 cleaner shrimp, and a bubble tip anemome and I have had no trouble, :wink: good luck

 

[Len]

I think skimmerless can work in some applications. My nano was skimmerless but I did do a lot of water changes. It's just I rather have one then go without

 

[MelanieF]

Nice feedback so far. Thanks all.

Some tidbits...

Rover,

Yellow Tang, 3 yellowtail damsels, firefish goby, neon goby, and a steintz goby. Candy coral, Alveopora (still no dying off at the base...), two colonies of green star polyps, many shrooms, colt coral (back to its 7" height, xenia, grand polyps, and many small button polyps. Also a cleaner shrimp. Around 72 lbs live rock and 120 lbs sand.

krullulon,

Removed it last week and started dosing DT's Phytoplankton today. The corals perked up within days of removing the skimmer and look even better today after the feeding. I also dose B-Ionic regularly and now w/out the skimmer it seems to have a better effect.

GratefulDiver,

That skimmer ended up removing quite a bit of brown-green waste but nonetheless it doesn't matter if it was sub-par quality or not because it still removed too much for my liking. Oh and thank you for assuming I still had the old lighting. I assure you I wouldn't add a clam without adequate lighting.

Reefnutz,

Thank you for the info and link. Due to this experience I would definately agree that a higher nutrient content can be beneficial. At this point the above fish total about 11" all together and the bioload is being handled just fine via bacteria in my live rock and sand. In the future when the Tang is full grown I may have to adjust my system but I'm prepared for that afterall we love to tweak our tanks right?

Oh and yes, I upgraded to the PCs. 4X65 watts, two actinic bulbs and two 10,000K and 3 moonlights. Still gradually increasing the schedule. Started off at 2 hours a day full lighting w/ 30 min before and after actinic and now up to 4 hours a day. Still no large algae outbreaks...

Juck, Thanks for the best wishes.

Len,

I appreciate your experience. It's amazing how every tank seems to run just fine with it's own little nuances. Some people need a plenum, some don't. Some need a glass bottom, some don't. The list goes on. I will actually age this system at about 9 months due to the fact I moved everything from my 20 gallon into this 72 gallon. The 72 gallon sat from December to February with just the sand, live rock, water and filter so everything had time to liven up and the fish were all gradual additions.

erikrebsbach,

How long has your tank been going? Sounds like a nice combination of inhabitants.

Thanks you guys and please feel free to ask more questions if need to. :wink: If there's anything I've learned in the past 4 years it's that there is no one way to do this and some books actually state "less technology, more biology" is an author's preference for replicating our reefs.

 

[erickrebsbach]

I have had my tank up for about 2yrs now and have had no problems When I first set up the tank I had a berlin air lift skimmer but it was the biggest piece of !@$%^ so I have gone for about 18 months with nothing. I think my success is due to my cleanup crew, but who knows I hope it all works out well for you... SEE YA

 

[Anonymous]

Oh and thank you for assuming I still had the old lighting.

Your welcome.

 

[SnoopDog]

I have 4 tanks that are skimmerless. I took off the skimmers in October because of difficulty getting them out and time cleaning. I will occasionally put in a filter socks but IMO not even necessary. I really do not have an algea problem and all is well. I do not even have a lit sump/refugium on any of them. I do believe in carbon usage and change it out about once a month.

 

[MelanieF]

That's some reassuring news SnoopDog. Thanks :wink:

Do you ever use media in combo w/ the carbon that removes phosphates and/or silicates? Just wondering if it's really necessary. I test my tank neurotically so I'm sure I'll notice if the Phophates jump up.

 

[Unarce]

Melbelle1820,

You're lighting should be fine for a Derasa.

I do suggest that you add a refugium for some additional biological filtration. Especially with your fishload. Scheduled carbon use is good, but the algae in a refugium will pull out a lot of what carbon can't. Some other benefits are, added water volume, haven for critter population, PH stability when reverse photoperiod is applied.

I ditched skimmers in '92 and never looked back, but still replaced it with a natural alternative. Relying on your live rock and live sand will not be enough in the long run.