Is a self sustained reef tank possible?

[nanomania]

Well guys i was just thinking if its possible to make a complete self sustained reeftank with no filtration no cleaning nothing.

Example only.
1) a 100g dt with 1.5" of fine sand and 80kg of liverock or dry rock

Water flows to

2) a 20g tank with only cheato (pod culture)

Water flows to

3) a DSB 6" with mangroves and some other variety of macros. And some filter feeders.

Water flows to

4) 2 blocks of marine pure

Water flows to

5) return chamber.

Livestock:

3 to 4 tangs

A pair of clowns

2 to 3 gobies

Urchins and snails

Shrimps

4 anthias

Corals:

Soft corals and lps only. A gbta or rbta.

Extra Filteration:

A carbon reactor only.

Well what if we setup something like this, and for first 3 months only feed the pods to grow the population and help cycle the tank. The light over the main display remains shut, only the lights over cheato and mangroves stay on. Lights over cheato for 18hrs and lights over mangroves for 12hrs. Lights used would by the hydropinic lighs over the cheato, over mangroves 10000k.

Well is it possible, that fish poop and extra food, gets eaten by the pods when water passes through cheato first, then through dsb, mangroves and marine pure block which lowers no3 and then carbon jus to keep water clear and remove toxicity if any.

Process:

A) we feed fishes
B) fish poops
C) uneaten fish food and poop passes through cheato
D) pods in cheato eats the food and poop, and cheato absorbs po4 and no3
E) the extra no3 po4 and waste gets consumed by mangroves and macros and some pods and filter feeders and dsb
F) excess no3 po4 gets consumed by marine pure blocks
G) carbon pulls out yellow water and other stuff
H) water returns to the dt.

IM NOT THINKING OF SUCH A SETUP, JUST A THOUGHT I HAD IN NY MIND SO SHARED TO GET FEEDBACK FROM EXPERIENCED HOBBYIST. ALSO IF THIS IS REALLY POSSIBLE, WOULD BE GREAT. ESPECIALLY IS ALREADY DOING IT.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

I am interested in this, just gonna tag along and see what you find out!

 

[Bronc]

About 25 yrs ago I had a boss that claimed his tank was completely self sufficient. It was basically fish and macro algae. The fish ate the macro algae and the fish poop fed the macro algae. All he said he had to do was remove extra macro algae as it grew faster than the fish could eat it.

 

[Zoaeasy]

I am finally building a large system and looking at design so tagging along to see what the experts have to say.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I think the closest I've heard of a self sustained system (minimal to no water changes) was with a Natureef system.

I'd also have to believe you'd have to run carbon and add trace elements on occasion.

 

[nanomania]

I think the closest I've heard of a self sustained system (minimal to no water changes) was with a Natureef system.

I'd also have to believe you'd have to run carbon and add trace elements on occasion.

Yes, no wc. Only dosing supps for corals anf maybr once in a few months debris syphon from the bottom of cheato if any.

 

[luis carreiro]

How about the Triton System?

 

[nanomania]

How about the Triton System?

I guess that too needs mud replacement and skimmer etc.

 

[Lab_Adam]

Your top off water better be ultra pure as well as anything you dose or eventually any impurities could rise to toxic levels.

 

[nanomania]

Your top off water better be ultra pure as well as anything you dose or eventually any impurities could rise to toxic levels.

I think a good balance of fish, rocks, dsb and macro algae is required for this setup. Thats why i posted it.

 

[Lab_Adam]

Im not referring to Nitrates, I'm referring to heavy metals and any other potential contaminants that exist in just about everything building up to toxic levels.

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

I don't know if you can make a fully self sustaining tank that doesn't have a filter and won't eventually become corroded beyond repair. I see people using macro algae more and more. But even then it's not completely self sustaining.

- C. Smith

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

My real name is Self Sustained.

 

[Rob Lion]

I thought it was Mr Wibble !

 

[Cory]

If you had 1 fish in say 100 gallon tank. It could be done. But it would have to be a herbivorous fish that loves hair algae. Thats the food part.

But the one thing that wouldnt be self sufficient is alkalinty. You would have to dose this.

There was a completely sealed glass ball with little shrimps that lived inside forever.

 

[nanomania]

I don't know if you can make a fully self sustaining tank that doesn't have a filter and won't eventually become corroded beyond repair. I see people using macro algae more and more. But even then it's not completely self sustaining.

- C. Smith

True. So what if filtersocks are added? So it takes care of the extra gunk or a circulating filter (used in aquaponics) the gunk is then syphoned off once a month. I wonder why people are not using circulating filters for large reef tanks? I guess if space permits, 1 should. Or does it have any down side? Basically im talking about marine aquaponics.

 

[nanomania]

Anyone ever tried this or currently doing this?

 

[themcnertney]

I don't think this is feasible as everyone in this hobby would be doing it.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Adding filter socks defeats the purpose of it being self sustaining, but i think you can have a reef with a very minimal involvement on your part, like the glass cleaning , and detritus manintance, other things could be pretty much automated, dosing, auto water changes, temperature , light , feeding , macro algae etc.

 

[nanomania]

Adding filter socks defeats the purpose of it being self sustaining, but i think you can have a reef with a very minimal involvement on your part, like the glass cleaning , and detritus manintance, other things could be pretty much automated, dosing, auto water changes, temperature , light , feeding , macro algae etc.

Yea, what if the dt lights are on for 6hrs, and cheato light for 18hrs. And the other part with macro and mangroves with dsb and filterfeeders, the light stays on for like 12hrs. The filter socks are changed every week. Only mantanance is dosing and feeding, however both can be automted.