Anybody Else Doing a 50G+ Skimmerless Tank?

[tablesalt]

The skimmer on my Max E-170 has broken, and I can't seem to get it out to fix it without taking out half the pumps, the Aquafuge, lighting, etc. Long story short, It's been broken for 2 months, I'm having explosive growth with my Zoanthids, the fish are healthy, and I don't think I'm going to fix it. The only maintenance I'm doing right now is carbon and bi-weekly 5 gallon water changes. I'm thinking of bumping this up to once a week. Does anybody else run a 50+ gallon tank in this way?

 

[Old Fritz]

The skimmer on my Max E-170 has broken, and I can't seem to get it out to fix it without taking out half the pumps, the Aquafuge, lighting, etc. Long story short, It's been broken for 2 months, I'm having explosive growth with my Zoanthids, the fish are healthy, and I don't think I'm going to fix it. The only maintenance I'm doing right now is carbon and bi-weekly 5 gallon water changes. I'm thinking of bumping this up to once a week. Does anybody else run a 50+ gallon tank in this way?

while I don't run a 50 gallon that way a protein skimmer isn't as necessary as some people would have you think, It helps A LOT with maintenance and keeping corals alive and well, but if you're running the tank without it for a week I wouldn't worry about it. However I would test your water just to be safe.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

First off I am a firm believer in a good skimmer. No its not needed to run a healthy reef rank. Many people have been doing for years. Its all about the water quality and stability and a skimmers is not then end all be all to keeping high qualiry water. It does help though as do many other merhods.

 

[Breadman03]

Check out the BRS/WWC video series. WWC runs one of their bigger tanks without a skimmer, I want to say their 293.

 

[Old Fritz]

Check out the BRS/WWC video series. WWC runs one of their bigger tanks without a skimmer, I want to say their 293.

The difference is water volume though. a almost 300 gallon tank has a lot more room for error vs a 50 gallon. It's why smaller tanks with corals almost necessitate a protein skimmer because of the lack of water volume.

 

[amazongb]

My tank is 118 total volume and low nutrient, 0 Nitrates, 0 phosphates.. I removed my skimmer cup a month ago and noticed everything fix healthier.. but I believe this is because of low nutrients. I have a small nano that has 8 nitrates and .25 phosphates so I will keep skimming on the nano..

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

The skimmer on my Max E-170 has broken, and I can't seem to get it out to fix it without taking out half the pumps, the Aquafuge, lighting, etc. Long story short, It's been broken for 2 months, I'm having explosive growth with my Zoanthids, the fish are healthy, and I don't think I'm going to fix it. The only maintenance I'm doing right now is carbon and bi-weekly 5 gallon water changes. I'm thinking of bumping this up to once a week. Does anybody else run a 50+ gallon tank in this way?

do you know what’s wrong with it?

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I run a 46 gal with too many fish & too biga fish I'm told unpolitely.
Haven't used a skimmer for years. GAC does the DOC removal & algae scrubber the nutrient control & oxygenation.
Skimmers remove coral food.
Keep up the GAC & if you don't grow algae buy a air pump for cheap bubbles. Not very sexy, but just as effective as a skimmer for gas exchange.