Holistic Reefkeeping

[jgaepi]

I'm curious how many people fall under the "holistic" or natural processes for reefkeeping. I personally would only put a filter sock/floss, refugium, bacteria and/or phyto additions, bag of carbon, and floated macro algae into this camp. I would exclude anything that is pump driven (not including a return or flow pump).

Which do you fall under?
Which do you think works better?
Has your reef tank failed using the opposite method?

Thank you. I'm curious.

 

[Nevets9333]

I use filter socks, water changes and a refugium for most of the filtration. However every other month or so I run a reactor with carbon/gfo if needed.

 

[TheHarold]

Skimmer is literally making bubbles, and using the most basic properties of particles. I would include it in a holistic approach.

I think a better way to differentiate techniques would be mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration.

 

[Peace River]

Interesting topic! Would you classify water changes as a “natural solution” or “mechanical solution”?

 

[jgaepi]

Interesting topic! Would you classify water changes as a “natural solution” or “mechanical solution”?

Natural for me. Good point. I should have added that as an option.

 

[Journeyman]

I use a protein skimmer, refugium and ats. No mechanical filtration or chemical. I haven't don't a water change since December.

I'm SPS dominant with mostly acros. Monti's grow like weeds and tend to be on the brown side. I think that's probably because of the higher nutrients. However, acros are growing well and showing color. Lps also are growing well in my tank. I have a couple of soft corals:. Kenya tree and Xenia. They don't grow as fast as montipora for me.

I dose kalk in my ato and aminos.

 

[TheHarold]

I use a protein skimmer, refugium and ats. No mechanical filtration or chemical.

A protein skimmer is mechanical...

 

[Journeyman]

A protein skimmer is mechanical...

I voted hybrid, so I think I got it right...

 

[Journeyman]

A protein skimmer is mechanical...

Ahh, I see what you mean. I said I don't use mechanical, meaning no filter socks, sponges, things that trap detritus physically. As opposed to something that just runs on a pump.

I get confused which category a protein skimmer falls into sometimes. Though technically my ats users a pump to run water over a screen...

 

[Peace River]

Natural for me. Good point. I should have added that as an option.

Filtration is an important concept to discuss and consider from multiple perspectives.

Water changes, whether it is with a hose and bucket or an automated pump driven system, is considered by some to be a type of mechanical filtration. Water changes can also reasonably considered a natural approach. Similarly, a skimmer, which mirrors the natural foam fractionation process of ocean waves, is a mechanical process (in line with @TheHarold ‘s comments). Good stuff!