Reef tank with out sump, ect.. HELP

Andrew9307 · Oct 16, 2013

I would like to know how many people have been successful doing a reef tank without a sump, wet dry ( I know wet dry shouldn't be used just an example) but running one with just power heads and a protein skimmer and a hob fuge. I want to do one in a 40 gal breeder without a sump or ect.. Any info would be helpful thank you

StevenBell · Oct 16, 2013

If I were going to run something like that with no sump or other type of filtration I would run a heavier than normal skimmer.The fuge IMO would have to be a descent size as well.Over all I would atleast have some sort of filter bad or sponge just to catch the bigger stuff.IMO

Andrew9307 · Oct 16, 2013

great thanks that's what I was thinking I am running the largest aqua c remora not sure what is called off the top of my head but I have a jbj 29 gal right now

StevenBell · Oct 16, 2013

Right on man

jonny · Oct 16, 2013

Aqua c remora is a wonderful skimmer..running one on my sumpless 55g reef. For me mechanical filtration I uh...cough cough..run a canister filter ....cough cough...with lots of activated carbon in the canister filter. Clear water, little algae..healthy fish, great coral growth.

Andrew9307 · Oct 16, 2013

jonny awesome man what lights are you running and what else do you have running on it

StevenBell · Oct 16, 2013

jonny said:
Aqua c remora is a wonderful skimmer..running one on my sumpless 55g reef. For me mechanical filtration I uh...cough cough..run a canister filter ....cough cough...with lots of activated carbon in the canister filter. Clear water, little algae..healthy fish, great coral growth.

How well has it worked out for you?

jonny · Oct 16, 2013

I have 2x 250 watt phoenix 14k metal halides, a CPR HOB "fuge" with cheato and grape caulerpa, I dose kalk in my refill water, and I just recently started dosing calcium, which was a GREAT thing to start. Only other significant thing I can think of is Apex Jr, which was also a great addition.

jonny · Oct 16, 2013

StevenBell said:
How well has it worked out for you?

Which part? Lol As a whole, the tank is doing swimmingly. (Ba dum tsss) While I will be doing a sump if I ever get around to upgrading to a larger tank, I am pretty happy being sumpless.

Andrew9307 · Oct 16, 2013

I loved having a sump on my larger tank I had just don't have the money to do a sump right now

jonny · Oct 16, 2013

I know aaalllll about not having money lol..I'm sure your tank will do fine..mine lived through me as a first tank, so anything's possible haha

teddy13 · Oct 16, 2013

i have two tanks that are run like freshwater.. they both were doing great until i had to leave town for an emergency and they were not taken care of properly while i was gone and i came home to all 5 of my tanks on deaths row with a lot of loss.

first is a 15 gallon, cannister filter, small powerhead and heater that is all..
the second is a 40g hob filter, small powerhead, and a heater as well.. i am fixing to put a cannister on it as well. but it is my zoa tank and i've had no issues.

NanaReefer · Oct 16, 2013

Been running my 26g with just a 3.3g HOB fuge & skimmer for almost 3yrs. Very successfully

I am running a Reef Octopus BH-1000

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zemuss · Oct 16, 2013

I would always run a sump. The purpose of a sump is to hide the equipment running. I never liked the HOB stuff.

_Alex_ · Oct 16, 2013

Here is a old shot of a 40b we had setup for a year with no sump. I did eventually tie a second tank to it but only to house a skimmer. Wasn't really a sump lol It's in pic 2. Johnny saw this setup a few years ago

And here's the ugly Frankenstein setup lol. Eventually all three tied together with Upipes and aqua lifters, and maxi jets. Worked fairly well lol.

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The_Stig · Oct 16, 2013

I ran a 40B for years with no sump. Just a HOB skimmer (Octo BH-100). I never had any problems.

jonny · Oct 16, 2013

_Alex_ said:
Here is a old shot of a 40b we had setup for a year with no sump. I did eventually tie a second tank to it but only to house a skimmer. Wasn't really a sump lol It's in pic 2. Johnny saw this setup a few years ago

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Sure did..and it looked pretty dang good lol