Filterless Larger Reef
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MyLittleReef
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I've successfully had a nano filter less tank for over a year and it works fine - no algae issues at all. But it's limited in how it's stocked, and that may be the key. Just wonder if anyone has attempted a larger tank with natural filtration.
I had a friend who did an amazing nano that way too. and yes that is the key there. Never seen a big one done yet.
FWIW my 55DT skimmer died while I was away, I have a pretty cool 30g fuge, and nothing happened.
just had to trim the macros.
Not a 200+, but I ran a 55g for nearly 10 years back in the mid 1990's to the mid 2000's, 8 of those years with nothing but live rock and live sand after I removed the skimmer. Had easy SPS (Monti Cap), LPS (Octobubble, Blastos), Softies (Sunularia), Zoas and lots of 'Shrooms. Currently run a 12g AIO mixed reef the same way (minus the sump, of course) that's been doing fine for nearly 8 years.
I don't see why a 200+ can't be done this way. Keeping params stable and an appropriate schedule of regular detritus removal/cleaning should keep the system healthy.
I don't see why a 200+ can't be done this way. Keeping params stable and an appropriate schedule of regular detritus removal/cleaning should keep the system healthy.
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Stocking and maintenance will be the issues. We can overstock with our skimmers and filters on the system. We can add corals that otherwise do not live together because of our carbon and filter. Remove those and you can do it, but the stocking and maintenance would have to be right.
I am too lazy for that work.
Plus, I feed waaaaayyyy too much to even try a day without a skimmer. Except my picos.
I am too lazy for that work.
Plus, I feed waaaaayyyy too much to even try a day without a skimmer. Except my picos.
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True, a bit of forethought and planning regarding livestock and bioload goes a long way in having a successful 'filterless' system. It is surprising, though, what can be packed into such a system, but only when it is stable and fully matured. From my experience, it is much better to gradually add bioload to these types of 'natural' systems as opposed to the more hurried stocking that often occurs with more typical mechanical/chemical filtered systems.
Interestingly, I started 'reefing' back in the mid 1980's and always had mixed reef tanks including softies known for their toxic chemicals. I rarely used GAC or skimmers, and if I did it was only for short periods. Perhaps I've just been lucky, but over the decades I haven't had any issue that I can attribute to non-contact alleopathy (coral warfare).
I can tell you that I have had a ton of chemical warfare in the past years and in current tanks. But as Non sapiens said, slow going, planning, and maintenance could do it.
scardall
2500 Club Member
Leathers are the worse. I think the Old Berlin method was a system that did not use mechanical filtration.
Breakthecycle2
2500 Club Member
I don't understand why you would want do a large tank without a sump. What's the benefits?
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MyLittleReef
Active Member
I suppose to test what can be done, to get rid of things that may not be necessary, to limit possible malfunction/leaks from a sump... To use the live rock and live sand as THE filter for the system.
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MyLittleReef
Active Member
Yeah, I think limiting the different types of coral/anemone will keep chemical warfare to a minimum.
Leathers and gorgonias are some of the worst. Keep those out of the system. IME
Gorgs. Really? I did not know that.
I run a 210 gorgs dominated system. I have two large leathers and nothing else will live in there except anemones and mushrooms. Gorgs are fantastic at warfare. Once they begin growing, watch out. Over two years I have done experiments (not truly scientific) and found the same results each time. No sps or LPS can survive with my gorgs. I have very large ones and over 13 species. Could be only a few species that do it, but isolating that would be too much for me to care to do.
Kungpaoshizi
Valuable Member
If I had the space for it I would get a tank that large... Only run a Tunze 9001 with a carbon pad to prevent excess bubbles exiting, 2 wavepumps, and then the red sea reef care stuff..(mins auto-dosing colors; only add a drop a week or so; every other doser is hourly- 24x7) I'm a firm believer now in no mechanical filtration. It allows for food to stay in the system and be utilized as such, instead of getting caught, and decaying until I clean it out. The nopox and reef energy form a nutrient control + nitrate introduction balance. Plus the corals love the RE. Over time using this method (from a 75g to a 20g to a 40g) I've seen nothing but awesome results and I purposely buy "dying" corals from the LFS 5$ bin. A black sun coral has spawned numerous times as I have 4-5 new polyps popping up all over the tank. A crinoid which I took a chance on seems to be loving it, has a few new arms and still hides during the day. Numerous sps has stopped their necrosis and fully recovered. LPS and softies, even though running close to 0 nitrates and <.03 po4, still plump up nicely everyday. My most current "test" is a blueberry gorgonian that was just about dead at the store, brought it home and I'm seeing it slowly start to regrow it's tissue. Only other foods I feed are nutricell, reef chili, and decapped hatching brine shrimp eggs. (those are mainly for the crinoid, tank was only fed via RE before)
I realized awhile back people talk about it being so hard to just keep sps/acro's, but now after discovering how well this setup works, I have to say I have my doubts of many conventional methods. The hard part now seems to be not keeping them, but how many close-to-dead corals can I introduce that regrow. My gf has started calling me the coral whisperer.. heh (I still tell her to knock on wood whenever she says that lol)
I realized awhile back people talk about it being so hard to just keep sps/acro's, but now after discovering how well this setup works, I have to say I have my doubts of many conventional methods. The hard part now seems to be not keeping them, but how many close-to-dead corals can I introduce that regrow. My gf has started calling me the coral whisperer.. heh (I still tell her to knock on wood whenever she says that lol)
