edc_aquarium
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Im currently in the process of setting up a 55 gallon reef tank with a 20 gallon sump. I would want to know if i would be able to get away with no skimmer?
Getting away with no skimmer
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DancingShark
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I am doing it with a10g. So it can be done
Mr. Joshi is doing it as well with no water changes.
What are your plans in terms of live stock.
Mr. Joshi is doing it as well with no water changes.
What are your plans in terms of live stock.
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edc_aquarium
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I plan on having one tang and a few clowns and a few other small fish
DancingShark
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Listen to what he says at the end of the video.
Stevenlburton
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I ran a29L for a year with no slimmer and no sump. I had a Fluval 201 canister filter with Seachem matrix and poly only, Current USA Orbit Marine led light and two cheap wavemakers. After a few months I added a Chaeto reactor. Purple Sea Rod Gorgonian, Kenya Tree, mushrooms and plays all did great, Pipe Organ and Candy Cane did ok but growth was slow, couldn't grow Zoas.i did do 15-20% water changes@ every two weeks. So yes, it can surely be done.
Yes, the skimmer just makes it easier to maintain good water conditions. You may need to do more water changes then if you had a skimmer, but I have had a mixed reef 55 gallon going for years without a skimmer.
trustmeimalawyer
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Is it possible, yes. Should you do it? It really depends on your situation. Is it a space issue? Finance issue? In general I’d say it’s a good thing to have but not necessary if your situation prevents that from happening. I guess I’d start by asking yourself why you want to go skimmerless?
I've run my tank for a few months without a skimmer so it's certainly possible to some extent. That said I actually think a skimmer is one the most valuable pieces of equipment. I don't run carbon or GFO, I don't have a sump or refugium. My only nutrient export is an oversized HOB skimmer and a 20% water change every 4-5 weeks. I feel like I can throw tons of food in my tank with minimal issues. So I would certainly recommend a skimmer even if it isn't strictly necessary.
Punchanello
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Most of the successful examples I have seen and read about talk about removing the skimmer from an established system. I started my 700 litre system with no skimmer mainly because I thought I'd cycle the tank then add the skimmer once I had the funds. It was a bit of a disaster.
I think the key might be a stable, bio-diverse, established system and corals that do well in moderately high nutrient environments.
I think the key might be a stable, bio-diverse, established system and corals that do well in moderately high nutrient environments.
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edc_aquarium
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Its just a space issue when i made my stand i didn't take in the skimmer height
Have problems with low nutrients in my 85L nano, so I removed the carbon and stopped doing water changes. No change. So 3 months ago I also removed the skimmer. No change either as far as I can tell. Still have low nutrients. If you've got a higher nutrient load on the tank I guess it will be more problematic.
A lot of people talk about the oxygenation benefits of the skimmer. Does anybody have any hard data on this?
A chap on UKAPS which is a UK freshwater planted tank forum tested not skimmers but airstones vs surface rippling for gas exchange and found that the rippling was massively more effective. Unfortunately he left the forum after an argument so the data is deleted but I would be interested to know if it applies to our skimmers as well.
A lot of people talk about the oxygenation benefits of the skimmer. Does anybody have any hard data on this?
A chap on UKAPS which is a UK freshwater planted tank forum tested not skimmers but airstones vs surface rippling for gas exchange and found that the rippling was massively more effective. Unfortunately he left the forum after an argument so the data is deleted but I would be interested to know if it applies to our skimmers as well.
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Waters
"...in perfect isolation, here behind my wall."
A skimmer is just another method of managing nutrients. If you aren't using a skimmer, you just need to find other methods of nutrient export. Skimmers are just one of the easier methods since they work on their own and also aerate the water.
ZoWhat
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Why not plumb in an EXTERNAL SKIMMER with a feedpump? You could put the external skimmer wherever you want.
The pump would deliver water to the skimmer. The amt of water going to skimmer would be managed/adjusted by a ballvalve inline via the PVC pipe in between the pump and skimmer. The exported water from the skimmer dumps back into the system via another set of PVC pipe.
If it were me and I didn't do a skimmer. I'd be doing 20-25% WCs weekly.
The 1-2yr longterm effect of NO3 & PO4 will saturate your porous LR. Then you got a mess on your hands.
The pump would deliver water to the skimmer. The amt of water going to skimmer would be managed/adjusted by a ballvalve inline via the PVC pipe in between the pump and skimmer. The exported water from the skimmer dumps back into the system via another set of PVC pipe.
If it were me and I didn't do a skimmer. I'd be doing 20-25% WCs weekly.
The 1-2yr longterm effect of NO3 & PO4 will saturate your porous LR. Then you got a mess on your hands.
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LittleMaui
Active Member
It might be possible to own a house without a bathroom, but you still have to remove the waste. Skimmers are a proven way to remove waste. Just open a skimmer and take a look at what it's removing!
Nutrient removal has been hit pretty hard, but remember that a skimmer also provides gas exchange and can be quite valuable in low PH situations.
Nicholas Dushynsky
Valuable Member
I only have a 24 gallon sumpless tank with a skimmer but only run it at night due to not wanting to strip all the little particulates from the water that may or may not help feed corals in my tank.I do a 10% water change every 5-6 weeks.
I also ran a 24gal jbj for 8 years with no skimmer
so I'd say it can be done, but should you? It's all down to what you really want from the tank. I admit I feel a bit safer having one in the tank even only running at night as if there is a problem or if I clean the glass off or blow the rocks off, with a flick of a switch I know my skimmer will pull some of the crud out of the water to stop it polluting the tank.
