How do you run skimmerless?

[Eienna]

My skimmer pump just gave out. Since we don't have the money to replace it, I need to know how to run my 150g reef without one. I know it's been done.

 

[Darryl]

water changes good mechanical and charcoal

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Diy algae scrubber an option?

 

[ludnix]

I would reduce feeding if possible. Most fish don't much unless they are particularly difficult fish like juveniles, special diet, recent additions, etc. The skimmer does a lot of the work to keep the nutrients balanced, you lost a big form of export so you need to reduce nutrients going in until you find a solution to help remove them.

You just need to replace the pump right? I would definitely save any reef budget for that, skimmers make reef tanks a lot easier IMO. In the mean time reduced nutrient input might keep things steady until you can.

 

[Eienna]

I won't have any reef budget for a while...we have to fix or replace mom's car, they increased the rent even though they haven't fixed even one of several problems, and the power bill is rather high, mostly from running the a/c which only works intermittently. It's all so frustrating.

I was thinking maybe chemipure blue and possibly Dr Tim's Waste-away...I once got my 50g with only an hob down to 0 nitrate with the Waste-away. I do fear that the amount I'd have to buy would be too expensive... maybe if I just got a little at a time?

I have a good deal of hair algae growing (just checked today and the nitrate was WAAAAY too high, so I did a massive water change) so getting it to grow on some kind of media to kind of DIY a scrubber should be easy enough.

I had some used miracle mud in the sump and it turned out not to be one of my better ideas. I suspect that was the source of my nitrate spike, so I removed it along with the water change.

Frankly I'm exhausted. The things I do for these animals XD

Thankfully the tank only has four small fish in it right now. Hopefully the denitrifying bacteria can catch up with them. I intend to make that happen before I add any more.

I will have to feed less often...

 

[ludnix]

Chemipure Blue might be a good option if it's available. Maybe portioning it out will help in the mean time. Water changes are always good, though you have to keep doing them to get all those nitrates out, hopefully you're already set with enough salt until you have some more reef budget.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

At one point, I had 14 tanks going, so they all couldn't have skimmers. I actually don't have any running at all, right now.

 

[Eienna]

At one point, I had 14 tanks going, so they all couldn't have skimmers. I actually don't have any running at all, right now.

Encouraging

 

[Eienna]

Chemipure Blue might be a good option if it's available. Maybe portioning it out will help in the mean time. Water changes are always good, though you have to keep doing them to get all those nitrates out, hopefully you're already set with enough salt until you have some more reef budget.

I believe I have at least 100 gallons' worth.

 

[Eienna]

I think I'll keep vinegar dosing, too.

 

[go_bucky]

Hi Einna,
I tried to go skimmerless, running a 60 gallon deep sand bed fuge stocked with macro algae and sea grass with a 150 gallon display for the past 10 months. I recently got a skimmer (a Father's day gift). In the past two weeks I've seen declines in hair algae and the best water clarity I've ever had (maybe a coincidence, probably not though). I've also started dosing. Its my understanding that when dosing vodka or vinegar (or any of the organic carbon sources), a skimmer is an important if not necessary component to export the bacteria that bloom and consume the nitrates and phosphates -- you might want to get a few opinions on that. Also, large water changes were not enough for my system and were expensive (between salt and di resin it came to around $0.45 per gallon) -- you might end up paying that future skimmer pump money for salt in short order. Just a couple things to consider and good luck.

 

[oodan]

Drop your lights for a few days then cut your light time short for a few days after that it will kill any present growth to slow might help get a Handel on it

 

[ludnix]

Hi Einna,
I tried to go skimmerless, running a 60 gallon deep sand bed fuge stocked with macro algae and sea grass with a 150 gallon display for the past 10 months. I recently got a skimmer (a Father's day gift). In the past two weeks I've seen declines in hair algae and the best water clarity I've ever had (maybe a coincidence, probably not though). I've also started dosing. Its my understanding that when dosing vodka or vinegar (or any of the organic carbon sources), a skimmer is an important if not necessary component to export the bacteria that bloom and consume the nitrates and phosphates -- you might want to get a few opinions on that. Also, large water changes were not enough for my system and were expensive (between salt and di resin it came to around $0.45 per gallon) -- you might end up paying that future skimmer pump money for salt in short order. Just a couple things to consider and good luck.

I agree, I would not continue any carbon source dosing without a skimmer. You can definitely keep your tank going without a skimmer Einna, but I would still try and get it fixed as soon as you can. I would only run skimmerless on a higher nutrient system or in a situation where I literally cannot fit one. My 120g tank had a big skimmer and I could feed corals and fish frequently without any issues. I'm not running a 14g biocube that had been skimmerless most of it's running time and the ability to feed is greatly diminished. I feed about once a week to every 2 weeks now to keep nutrients in check, even with twice weekly waterchanges. That said, I think things are doing really well. It's totally do-able so don't get discouraged, but again if I could get a decent skimmer for this tank I would do it in a heart beat.

 

[becks]

No skimmer, I use ats, purigen and a block of marinepure in my sump. 150G

 

[WilRams]

No skimmer on my 50g IM Lagoon. It does well though since it's only Zoas, acans and shrooms. I can get away with not having prestine water. What I do have is MarinePure spheres, chemipure blue and water changes. I have a ghost skimmer but it's honestly crap. I would like to run a skimmer but not really any good ones that will fit the AIO chambers...

 

[Eienna]

I think the reason I couldn't fix it was that I missed a part. I found one in the sump today that may very well be that part. I'm exhausted today so I just put the parts in a baggie for now, but I'll try tomorrow.

After the huge water change the corals are looking happier, but my nitrate is still off the charts. I think I need to go ahead and use some denitrating resin or whatever until it comes down, at least into a readable range.

 

[fab]

Let us know how your repair turns out.
Good luck,
fab

 

[Eienna]

Let us know how your repair turns out.
Good luck,
fab

Thanks. I will.

 

[Russ265]

im skimmerless on my 265.
throw more rock in the fuge if you have nitrates.

i do change out carbon from my reactor every wc though.

tbh. i wouldnt run skimmerless without activated carbon.

my .02

 

[1fishjones]

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