No Skimmer Nano Reefs

revhtree · Feb 24, 2021

How many of you nano keepers don’t run a skimmer?

What things do you do to keep nutrients down?

Also let’s see a photo of your no skimmer nano!

s0mthinG · Feb 24, 2021

I dont have a skimmer on my Lifegard 14.28 gal AIO. I just make sure my overflow does the surface skimming for me on top of running a bonded filter pad, Chemi-pure blue/elite and monitoring feeding while doing a 20-30 % wc every 1-2 weeks. Cheers!

SCK1027 · Feb 24, 2021

Two of my nanos are the Biocube 14 and IM Lagoon 25. Both with no skimmers.

I'm actually trying to feed more as the Nitrate level is less than 5 and phosphates comes out 0 with Salifert every week

Have a filter pad that I replace every 3-4 days and have been doing routine water changes every week, which I think is helping keep nutrients down.

As mentioned the recent BRS video on nutrients and socks/filter rolls, I think replacing them often offsets the need of skimmers in my nano tanks!

s0mthinG · Feb 24, 2021

SCK1027 said:
I'm actually trying to feed more as the Nitrate level is less than 5 and phosphates comes out 0 with Salifert every week
Have a filter pad that I replace every 3-4 days and have been doing routine water changes every week, which I think is helping keep nutrients down.

Do you think you could slow the rate at which you change your filter pads to increase nitrate/ phosphate? Like leaving it in there for an extra day or 2? (ie changing them 1x /wk) This would let you keep feeding the same amount but not have to do much else.

Tamberav · Feb 24, 2021

revhtree said:
How many of you nano keepers don’t run a skimmer?

What things do you do to keep nutrients down?

No skimmer or filtration. Just live rock and water changes.

Healthy growing coral will use up nutrients. No need to complicate it.

Imaexpat2 · Feb 24, 2021

I got 4 Nanos from 5.5 gallons to 20 gallons...no skimmers on any of them. I just do weekly water changes and feed very sparingly. For fish I only have a couple of pairs of Banggia's, a pair for each 20 gallon tank. My tanks are heavy on coral, mainly LPS/SPS.

Mawlbec · Feb 24, 2021

I've been running for six months one skimmer on a 20g and do not run one on a 10g. I'd say it is not necessary however....if you happen to be plagued with low pH like me, the 20g running the skimmer hooked up to a CO2 exchange has been a great call.

SCK1027 · Feb 24, 2021

s0mthinG said:
Do you think you could slow the rate at which you change your filter pads to increase nitrate/ phosphate? Like leaving it in there for an extra day or 2? (ie changing them 1x /wk) This would let you keep feeding the same amount but not have to do much else.

Yeah I tried that. It did work with nutrients.

But the problem was that as the filter pads remained longer, it would clog and move less water to the return chamber. So the ATO would kick off to balance. In the end, the salinity decreased a little and because the top off is Kalk, there were swings in Alk.

Then when I change the pads, it would take a day without top off to get to the original point and thus more swings haha

Nano sapiens · Feb 24, 2021

revhtree said:
How many of you nano keepers don’t run a skimmer?

What things do you do to keep nutrients down?

I think you'll find that the majority of small nano reefers don't use a skimmer. Besides the fact that small skimmers tend to be noisy, are not all that effective and take up valuable space, there is really little need for one since frequent water changes with these small water volumes is easy and effective.

IME, no real need for chemical or mechanical filtration, either, especially once the system is mature and stable. Weekly gravel vacuuming and an occasional blasting of detritus from under the rocks (then caught in a temporarily installed filter sock which is then rinsed and stored) has worked quite well for over 12 years now on my 12g.

IMO, these little systems tend to be 'at their best when they use the least'

reefiniteasy · Feb 24, 2021

I ran a skimmer for over a year in my BioCube 16. Had to run it in the display as it didn’t fit in the back. It fell, took a couple corals with it and it’s been out for almost two months now. I use ClearFX Pro and Purigen to export nutrients. I also do weekly water changes. I have no problem keeping .01-.03 PO4 and 2-5ppm NO3.

Eagle_Steve · Feb 24, 2021

No skimmer on the home for unwanted creatures 2.5. Feed mysis and benepets daily (very small amount) and change 1/2 gallon of water a week. No3 is 2-5 and po4 is .03-.05. Only a single snail and 0 algae issues.

revhtree · Feb 24, 2021

Thanks everyone!

I’ll be posting my new nano here in a few days or so!

jaganshi066 · Feb 24, 2021

revhtree said:
How many of you nano keepers don’t run a skimmer?

What things do you do to keep nutrients down?

What’s really considered a nano?

Brit’s Fish · Feb 24, 2021

Eagle_Steve said:
No skimmer on the home for unwanted creatures 2.5. Feed mysis and benepets daily (very small amount) and change 1/2 gallon of water a week. No3 is 2-5 and po4 is .03-.05. Only a single snail and 0 algae issues.

What a good idea! I have a few unwanted creatures but I don’t have the heart to kill all of them. I have one rock just like yours with a little aiptasia “garden”. Starting to wonder if I should just name all of them!
what tank are you using for this?

Peace River · Feb 24, 2021

Water changes replace a skimmer for my 10g nano.

Mawlbec · Feb 24, 2021

Eagle_Steve said:
No skimmer on the home for unwanted creatures 2.5. Feed mysis and benepets daily (very small amount) and change 1/2 gallon of water a week. No3 is 2-5 and po4 is .03-.05. Only a single snail and 0 algae issues.

Straight out of Tim Burton and I love it.

Eagle_Steve · Feb 25, 2021

Brit’s Fish said:
What a good idea! I have a few unwanted creatures but I don’t have the heart to kill all of them. I have one rock just like yours with a little aiptasia “garden”. Starting to wonder if I should just name all of them!
what tank are you using for this?

A little 2.5 gallon tank, small HOB filter and a 50w heater. Lighting is a kessil a80 I had lying around. It has aip, majano, and a few hermit nems in it.