Miniwhinny Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Finishing my move down from my 29 to a 20H today and I have a question. I've always run my tank with a skimmer (AquaC remora) but I'm thinking -just because of where I want to put my 20 - of running this tank skimmerless...oh it's scarey. I feel like I'm skydiving without a spare chute lol. I'm religious about water changes (5 gallons a week) I know this is an age old question but are any of you nano folks running skimmerless and how's things going? I skim wet and when I look at what I'm pulling out I can't imagine leaving that in...maybe I just answered my own question DOH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finch6013 Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 talk to undertaker about it. I think he goes skimmerless on a 110. I think if you are going to keep softies and not too many fish with good water keeping then its fine. But if you are going to have sps and fish I would use a skimmer. I went skimmerless on my 34 solana with sps only and fish, and when I got a skimmer my coral colors got better. and I was doing a minimum 5g a week WC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Regular WC's will help a lot. Don't think I could make that kinda jump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theJenchild Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 I run my 40 skimmerless, and always have. I'm going on 2 years with no problems at all. I have softies, LPS, a clam, and a few fish......and *looks for exits* I am TERRIBLE about water changes. I haven't done one in almost 4 months. Granted, I think the clam in there helps alot with nutrient export since its kinda big, but I don't have any issues and everything looks happy/healthy and is growing. I do intend on doing a water change shortly, but I haven't yet. I don't feed much, and I do watch the bioload pretty carefully. I'd say the only challenge is that I tend to have more algae than other tanks with the same specs, and its harder to keep a clean up crew alive. Now that may be my lack of water changes that hurts the CUC, but I think that the nitrates are likely a little higher in my tank than in others and I've heard that that shortens the life of snails. If you want to run skimmerless, I don't see any issues with it. I simply didn't have the money after I set this sucker up to buy one and I had run without a skimmer on my cube. That said, someday in the relatively near future, I intend to find/run a backpack type skimmer on this tank so that I can add some more fish to add color and movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 Thanks guys. It's hard not to use one after using one for so long but I just set the tank up without it (scary) There are only 2 fish (Jigsaws) and I do a 30% water change a week. I don't have any SPS so I think I'll be okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 With that kind of bioload a 10-15% water change should be just fine running no skimmer. A 30% water change should allow for a few more fish in there as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 Thanks garrettm85. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 I have no skimmer on my 34g planted tank, and haven't done a water change since may. I only did one then because I moved apartment, before that it had been at least 6 months. Being that the tank is a planted tank, you can get away with a bit more IMO, you actually need nutrients. I ran many soft coral tanks without skimmers for 5 or 6 years. The water changes will help. I did still have some algae issues. I do run a skimmer on my reef tank now. JME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Couldn't do it lol. It's on there. I just kept thinking about the black tea that I pull every week with it and my poor critters having to live in that. I figured if I have it sitting here I may as well use it. Thank for all the input though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 The skimmerless reef aquarium concept is an interesting one. Check out what Steve Tyree has to say on the subject. http://www.dynamicecomorphology.com/ Click the Environmental Gradient button for more on his skimmerless system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Yeah, but I don't have a sump and there's no way with my flow or aquascaping that I have any cryptic areas that can house enough filter feeders to filter my tank. Nutrient export has to be done by water changes - and a skimmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 The skimmerless reef aquarium concept is an interesting one. Check out what Steve Tyree has to say on the subject. http://www.dynamicecomorphology.com/ Click the Environmental Gradient button for more on his skimmerless system. Personally I prefer Leng Sy's approach, but maybe just because I used it with succsess, and maybe because I know Leng. here is a video link http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/media.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Personally I prefer Leng Sy's approach, but maybe just because I used it with succsess, and maybe because I know Leng. here is a video link http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/media.html He sent me his free DVD on Miracle Mud systems. I really would like to give it a try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 ok... same DVD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Personally I prefer Leng Sy's approach, but maybe just because I used it with succsess, and maybe because I know Leng. here is a video link http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/media.html Thats cool! Do you still use that method? How long dose the mud last before needing replaced or more added? Did you do water changes? what do they recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 Thats cool! Do you still use that method? How long dose the mud last before needing replaced or more added? Did you do water changes? what do they recommend? Did you follow the links? All the questions are anwsered, except one, I have used it, I do not now. I would again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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