skimmerless tank show off thread

[Twinanoreef]

25G (96 litres), never used a skimmer

 

[nashvillian]

.

 

[eggplantparrot]

 

[Subsea]

@quirkylemon103

I have a similar high load tank 65 gal, but I do run a Reef Octo Classic 90 HOB and do water changes at 7.5% a week through an AWC and my nitrates are STILL 20 ppm. I don’t think your proposed stock list is doable without any kind of active nutrient export in the aquarium. Why so opposed to a skimmer? Mine is dead silent and super efficient.

snowflake clown
Midas blenny
Target mandarin
Orchid dottyback
Yellowtail Pygmy angel
Kole tang
Melanarus Wrasse
Lyretail anthias
Pink spotted watchman goby/tiger shrimp
Blood red/skunk cleaner shrimp

@nashvillian
Nutrient management does not have to be all about export. I prefer to nutrient recycle into desirable biomass like fish & coral.

Protein skimmers remove free swimming bacteria as a nutrient export mechanism. I prefer to nutrient recycle those bacteria into desirable invertebrate biomass and do so by multiple nutrient pathways of diverse micro fauna & fana brought in with uncured diver collected live rock from the Gulf of Mexico.

 

[fishlover1478]

@quirkylemon103

I have a similar high load tank 65 gal, but I do run a Reef Octo Classic 90 HOB and do water changes at 7.5% a week through an AWC and my nitrates are STILL 20 ppm. I don’t think your proposed stock list is doable without any kind of active nutrient export in the aquarium. Why so opposed to a skimmer? Mine is dead silent and super efficient.

snowflake clown
Midas blenny
Target mandarin
Orchid dottyback
Yellowtail Pygmy angel
Kole tang
Melanarus Wrasse
Lyretail anthias
Pink spotted watchman goby/tiger shrimp
Blood red/skunk cleaner shrimp

i am opposed to skimmers because they remove pods that i need for the mandarin and rainford goby i need as much pods as i can get

25G (96 litres), never used a skimmer

what size tank is that and how long have you had the sps

beautiful tank

 

[Subsea]

Nutrient management does not have to be all about export. I prefer to nutrient recycle into desirable biomass like fish & coral.

Protein skimmers remove free swimming bacteria as a nutrient export mechanism. I prefer to nutrient recycle those bacteria into desirable invertebrate biomass and do so by multiple nutrient pathways of diverse micro fauna & fana brought in with uncured diver collected live rock from the Gulf of Mexico.

I practice Triton Method, but don’t skim or partial water change. Once a year, I do a 100% water change over a 7 day period. Consider fragging & selling coral as nutrient export.

This 120G tank is 3 years set up. I have three main biofiltration systems: a reverse flow under gravel filter with 2” aroggonite sandbed at 8 square feet, a 40G algae refugium and a 4’ high 3” diameter macro reactor.

 

[fishlover1478]

Nutrient management does not have to be all about export. I prefer to nutrient recycle into desirable biomass like fish & coral.

Protein skimmers remove free swimming bacteria as a nutrient export mechanism. I prefer to nutrient recycle those bacteria into desirable invertebrate biomass and do so by multiple nutrient pathways of diverse micro fauna & fana brought in with uncured diver collected live rock from the Gulf of Mexico.

I practice Triton Method, but don’t skim or partial water change. Once a year, I do a 100% water change over a 7 day period. Consider fragging & selling coral as nutrient export.

This 120G tank is 3 years set up. I have three main biofiltration systems: a reverse flow under gravel filter with 2” aroggonite sandbed at 8 square feet, a 40G algae refugium and a 4’ high 3” diameter macro reactor.

how do you set up a rfug? am i pumping water in or out of the gravel bed?
and what are your opinions on live sand?

 

[shoelaceike]

 

[fishlover1478]

looks good do you have a build thread or can you post some information on the tank

 

[shoelaceike]

looks good do you have a build thread or can you post some information on the

looks good do you have a build thread or can you post some information on the tank

Thanks! Here is my build thread. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/simple-reef-tank-no-sump-no-skimmer-no-dosing.721994/

 

[Subsea]

A reverse flow undergravel filter pumps display tank water into the plenum rising up thru the substrate with oxygen rich water to perform oxidation chemistry. Detritus is an important part of the food web and detrivores are needed to start the process. For a 2” sandbed, in your tank, you will need 150-200 pounds of substrate. Get about 15 lbs of live sand from GOM 10 miles west of Tamia Bay. For maximum diversity get
50-100 lbs of uncured diver collected live rock.

Set up in two stages.
Seed nitrogen fixation bacteria to 150 lbs of dry substrate using amonia. About one week.

Add live sand and uncured live rock. Provide plenty of surface agitation with excessive circulation. Use reduced lighting for first month. Add snails as required at end of first month to graze on micro algae. Restrain from fish or aggressive herbivores until month 6. Use flake food and see what shows itself as neat hitch hikers.

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

[Premium Decorative Live Rock is our most popular rock. This rock will have thick coralline algae on it and a mixed variety of plants, animals, hard and soft corals, sponges and so much more. This type of rock has an enormous variety of animal and encrusting marine life. The shapes and sizes are extremely unique. This rock could contain multi-colored Christmas tree worms, cup and tube corals, feather dusters, gorgonians, serpulid worms and encrusting clams.
This rock is fully blanketed with colorful coralline algae's, these algae's come in multitudes of fascinating shades of purple, reds, oranges, peaches and yellows. Most rocks contain bryzoans,orange leather sponge,gracilaria algae,halimeda, sea grapes, cluster corals, and cup corals. All of our premium decorative live rocks contain seeded plant life,both macro and micro algae.All pieces are hand collected fresh from our gulf lease site by our diving staff and shipped directly to our customers.We do not use any chemicals in our process. The rocks pictured are for example only. All of our premium decorative live rock is as good or better than the rocks pictured. This is Florida Aquacultured live rock.
All of our live rock comes from our personal Federal Aquaculture Lease site located 10 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. All of our rock was planted on the ocean floor in 1994. So you can image how much marine life has grown on it in over the last 15 years. We have live rock in all different sizes and we can custom fit your order. Our premium decorative live rock starts at $5 a pound. We offer wholesale prices on larger volume orders.]

 

[ApoIsland]

120g with 40g sump. No skimmer or any other mechanical filtration.

yellow tang
blue tang
kole tang
copper banded butterfly
marine beta
royal gramma
potters wrasse
long nose hawk
banggai cardinal
fire fish
lawnmower blenny (in sump)

 

[Twinanoreef]

what size tank is that and how long have you had the sps

It is an all in one tank 60 x 40 x 40cm.
The 2 bird's nests corals have been there a bit less than a year, frags and grew up a lot. I've added 2 Acropora coral frags about 3 months ago, so far doing really well, encrusting and growing.

 

[fishlover1478]

A reverse flow undergravel filter pumps display tank water into the plenum rising up thru the substrate with oxygen rich water to perform oxidation chemistry. Detritus is an important part of the food web and detrivores are needed to start the process. For a 2” sandbed, in your tank, you will need 150-200 pounds of substrate. Get about 15 lbs of live sand from GOM 10 miles west of Tamia Bay. For maximum diversity get
50-100 lbs of uncured diver collected live rock.

Set up in two stages.
Seed nitrogen fixation bacteria to 150 lbs of dry substrate using amonia. About one week.

Add live sand and uncured live rock. Provide plenty of surface agitation with excessive circulation. Use reduced lighting for first month. Add snails as required at end of first month to graze on micro algae. Restrain from fish or aggressive herbivores until month 6. Use flake food and see what shows itself as neat hitch hikers.

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

[Premium Decorative Live Rock is our most popular rock. This rock will have thick coralline algae on it and a mixed variety of plants, animals, hard and soft corals, sponges and so much more. This type of rock has an enormous variety of animal and encrusting marine life. The shapes and sizes are extremely unique. This rock could contain multi-colored Christmas tree worms, cup and tube corals, feather dusters, gorgonians, serpulid worms and encrusting clams.
This rock is fully blanketed with colorful coralline algae's, these algae's come in multitudes of fascinating shades of purple, reds, oranges, peaches and yellows. Most rocks contain bryzoans,orange leather sponge,gracilaria algae,halimeda, sea grapes, cluster corals, and cup corals. All of our premium decorative live rocks contain seeded plant life,both macro and micro algae.All pieces are hand collected fresh from our gulf lease site by our diving staff and shipped directly to our customers.We do not use any chemicals in our process. The rocks pictured are for example only. All of our premium decorative live rock is as good or better than the rocks pictured. This is Florida Aquacultured live rock.
All of our live rock comes from our personal Federal Aquaculture Lease site located 10 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. All of our rock was planted on the ocean floor in 1994. So you can image how much marine life has grown on it in over the last 15 years. We have live rock in all different sizes and we can custom fit your order. Our premium decorative live rock starts at $5 a pound. We offer wholesale prices on larger volume orders.]

what do mean seed bacteria using ammonia? i thought that is what certain bacterias eat
[Seed nitrogen fixation bacteria to 150 lbs of dry substrate using amonia. About one week.]

i already have about 80 lbs of caribsea special grade and 10ish lbs of crushed coral and that i approximately 1.5 inches
do you think i should add more dry sand with 25-50 of live sand or should the rest be live sand

also live rock is very expensive to me is it ok if i only use 40 pounds with the rest being moaini rock that i already have?

 

[Subsea]

what do mean seed bacteria using ammonia? i thought that is what certain bacterias eat
[Seed nitrogen fixation bacteria to 150 lbs of dry substrate using amonia. About one week.]

i already have about 80 lbs of caribsea special grade and 10ish lbs of crushed coral and that i approximately 1.5 inches
do you think i should add more dry sand with 25-50 of live sand or should the rest be live sand

also live rock is very expensive to me is it ok if i only use 40 pounds with the rest being moaini rock that i already have?

Pardon the confusing wording. Bacteria are introduced from a bottle and feed ammonia to establish nitrogen cycle.

Of course use your previous substrate & rock, which will bring in nitrification bacteria so no need for bottled bacteria. Yes, live rock is expensive, so need to crowd your tank. Bryozoan limestone is dense. 40 pounds will amaze your tank with diversity.

35lbs live deco at $210 includes free standard shipping depending on where you live, overnight shipping cost more.

https://gulfliverock.com/price-list/ols/products/35-lbs-premo-deco-live-rock

15lbs of live sand at $50

 

[SMSREEF]

what sump would you recommend form 500

I got mine used for $100 and made some DIY changes to make the largest section a refugium with a higher water level.

Not sure which sumps make the best off the shelf sump for fuges, but I would make sure to have a skimmer section too just in case you end up wanting to put one in later

 

[fishlover1478]

@Subsea can you find a diagram or pictures of how a rugf is set up
how do i connect the filter to the powerhead? and should i have pieces of pvc under it to get the filter off then bottom of the tank

 

[fishlover1478]

I got mine used for $100 and made some DIY changes to make the largest section a refugium with a higher water level.

Not sure which sumps make the best off the shelf sump for fuges, but I would make sure to have a skimmer section too just in case you end up wanting to put one in later

do you mean a pre built sump that you modded or a 40 breeder or other size with glass siliconed in

 

[CommanderInReef]

24g jbj cube. just started 2.5 months ago and having great success so far

 

[Subsea]

@Subsea can you find a diagram or pictures of how a rugf is set up
how do i connect the filter to the powerhead? and should i have pieces of pvc under it to get the filter off then bottom of the tank

No diagram. Check diy forum or google it.

You are on track. Lay 1/2” pvc on its side to create void space, with eggcrate (light diffuser) on top. Make eggcrate perimeter 1” from viewing glass so when fiberglass screen is tucked in the substrate will hide eggcrate and screen mesh. Prior to screen & mesh, run 1/2” pvc thru eggcrate and end pump discharge in center of plenum. With substrate added after plumbing is installed, a positive pressure is exerted up thru substrate. Locate pump at top of tank to allow for pump maintenance. If you have the money, install a UPS with battery backup because this is the heart of biofiltration in your ecosystem. I use a 20W MaxiJet power head on this system.