Can I go skimmerless?

[Johnnyredd]

Building a 125 reef.

It will only house a carpet nem, pair of saddlebacks, 6 line Wrasse and maybe another fish or two. Minimal fish, nothing big. As I work on sump/fuge design I have come across a few ideas and wanted to pass this along and see if anyone thought good or bad.

Make the sump a dual fuge. One side Chaeto and other macro algae. The other side Xenia. Each overflow feeds an end of the fuge. The return would be in the middle. (because I want it there if for no other reason)

If I do this do I really need a skimmer? It will already be a minimal bioload so would I starve the Xenia using a skimmer?

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

I don't think you would starve the Xenia by going with a skimmer. But I also don't think you absolutely have to have a skimmer if you don't want to. As long as you keep up with WC's, Gfo/carbon, and fuge you should be ok.

 

[Kworker]

I would get a skimmer anyway, would just make life easier.

 

[jwebber974]

I saw this video on reef2reef a couple months ago it seem's to work for him.

Mr. Saltwater Tank Tours Julian Sprung's Personal Reef Tank - YouTube

 

[Zero Nitrates]

I don't think you have to have a skimmer if you have a fuge and keep your display light cycle to 8 hours or less.

 

[Johnnyredd]

There is a thread on reef central about a xenia fuge and it mentions how the skimmer has to be limited because it competes with the xenia for nutrients.
I think this will work but its the first 3 to 6 months that worries me - the time it will take to establish my xenia and macro algae colonies.

 

[ritter6788]

I've had several skimmerless tanks and it never works out for me. Not saying it can't be done but I can't pull it off.

 

[Johnnyredd]

What were you using for filtration?

 

[JFrar]

i've been running with a really crappy protein skimmer for years...if i clean it real good it will run for 2 weeks then stop functioning properly....i clean it every 3-4 months with my fuge with cheato. but i have minimal bioload, 6 fish no longer than 1 1/4 inch. i think i feed my corals more than my fish...BUT every tank setup works differently, i've worked my way into this setup over 7 years...

Also, i might be wrong on this but i thought xenia sucked up some other nutrients besides nitrates. I was thinking about that idea and passed on it after reading up.

Good luck either way

 

[Johnnyredd]

I have not found a down side to xenia yet but as with my post here i am still lookimg. I expect to be dosing since its a reef and expect the macro algae side of the fuge to pull its weight, also. I just want the water as clean as possible as naturally as possible.

 

[Reefing Madness]

If you ran a big enough ATS (algae turf scrubber) you could run skimmerless. These pull more weight than chaeto or caulerpa.

 

[Johnnyredd]

I really have not seen an ats design that peaked my interest but i have also yet to find anything negative on a xenia and chaeto combo fuge. I may leave my little aquamedic turboflotor 500 skimmer on it. We have a lot of anthelia in the 55 with the clowns, 6 line. Crystal clear water and very minimal skimmate. That why i think the same bioload on a 125 with a two chamber fuge will be fine.

If not... Add a skimmer later.

 

[Bad Company]

My system was skimmerless for about 4 months. A 9"X9" waterfall algae scrubber kept nitrates at zero despite ten 2.5" fish. I added a skimmer to pull green tint out of the water.

 

[shred5]

What kind of carpet anemone? They are really sensitive especially gigs...
Could you sure but expect more water changes and less piece of mind.

 

[Rpujol85]

Depends. You might be fine. Although I have heard carpet nems tend to put off a lot of crap into the water column.

I have two clowns and a dottyback. I run skimmerless. Filter pad, carbon/gfo, purigen, small bag of petco zeolite, and recently a bit of chaeto.

I am able to keep acros wit this setup. FWIW

 

[SantaMonica]

Since the tank will be new, you have the advantage of doing it easily. The animals will be used to low nutrients and high food particles from day one.

 

[Carlson Moncrief]

Everything will do a lot better if you do. Looking at all of the nasty skim mate mine pulls out every day makes me wonder how bad of shape I would be in without it

 

[Johnnyredd]

My skimmer has been off for two weeks. I have noticed an accelerated growth rate of the anethelia and GSP after about 3 days. Water is crystal clear and tested great last Sunday.

 

[Carlson Moncrief]

My skimmer has been off for two weeks. I have noticed an accelerated growth rate of the anethelia and GSP after about 3 days. Water is crystal clear and tested great last Sunday.

You havee a better system than me.

 

[Carlson Moncrief]

I have heard that gsp does better without skimmers too.