Skimmerless

Soltaker · 08-09-2004, 04:26 PM

Is there an equasion, or general rule of thumb when determining exactly how much live rock is needed if I was thinking about setting up a system w/o a skimmer?

Graham · 08-09-2004, 04:34 PM

I think you should look into other methods of nutrient export rather than increasing live rock. Live rock may allow more pods and such, but unless you export them, you don't really make up for anything. In fact, I'd actually use as much or maybe even less rock. More rock equals more nooks and crannies to get clogged with the particles the skimmer isn't removing. Having lots of flow can help with this, though. Since skimmers are solely an export mechanism, you'll want to find other ways to export nutrients out of the system. This basically leaves you with algae and other biomass growth and its subsequent removal as your main methods of export. You can also look to carbon and probably a phosphate-removing media to help with organics and phosphate respectively.

A DSB is another tool, but not one of export. It will allow things to sink for a time, making them unavailable to algae and bacteria, etc...Their usefulness and lifespan are both limited, though.

Just wondering...why skimmerless? What are your goals?

David Grigor · 08-09-2004, 04:57 PM

I went skimmerless on a 190g tank for about 18months. Most nutrient export was from macro algae and water changes. I worked well for quite some time however, if something happens to the macro algae or gets smoothered out etc. you can have real trouble on your hands. I was caught without a skimmer and when the macro algae crash I was really stuck. I can't recall loosing many corals but the tank looked like crap for a long time until got nutrient back under control.

Since then, I would never be without a skimmer unless the tank was a real small volumne that could be controlled solely by water changes.......

Soltaker · 08-09-2004, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Just wondering...why skimmerless? What are your goals?

Let me add to this....I was should have been a bit more specific. Sorry...

Let's say I was to have a dedicated prop system consisting of roughly 200+ gallons of overall water. This would include the prop tanks themselves, a large fuge (100gal), live rock area of the sump, the sump itself, ect.. Being just a prop, I was thinking that by trying to go with a more natural filtration, I would save the initial cost of a skimmer, plus the monthly cost of having to power a pump. Because there would not be any fish, I am thinking that the LR should be able to take care of what little waste there would be in the water. Is this correct, or am I WAAAY off?

Thanks,

Mike

Graham · 08-09-2004, 07:32 PM

I see. I think it would work swell.
If there aren't any fish and you don't really feed the tank, water changes should be all you need (as long as there is no appreciable die-off). Once you start adding food, you'll have to consider options for nutrient removal. I wouldn't even worry about having all that much rock if it's just going to house corals and maybe some critters (in which case, you'll probably have to feed a little). If you keep the bottom bare, it will be real easy to vacuum detritus and water changes will be that much more effective.

Soltaker · 08-09-2004, 08:05 PM

Sounds better than I had initially thought.

I would definately keep it bare bottom for this set-up.

Thanks

Jeremiah · 08-09-2004, 10:26 PM

I would think that with a 200+ gallon system with mulitple tanks and fuge, and most likely lots of lights, that reletively speaking a skimmer wouldn't be that much more money.

Just my $.02
Jeremiah

FastFish720 · 08-10-2004, 08:26 AM

Personally it should all work rather slick, but do you have plans to heavily feed the corals in the prop tank?

Soltaker · 08-11-2004, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremiah

I would think that with a 200+ gallon system with mulitple tanks and fuge, and most likely lots of lights, that reletively speaking a skimmer wouldn't be that much more money.

Just my $.02
Jeremiah

I do agree. But with this type of set-up I would probably be running an 400W Iwasaki over each prop tank. Plus having a large pump feeding the tanks. I am more concerned with power consumption, or at least trying to make the monthly bill a little less painful

Quote:

Originally Posted by FastFish720

Personally it should all work rather slick, but do you have plans to heavily feed the corals in the prop tank?

I don't imagine having to "heavily feed" the system. I guess it would ultimately depend on how many frags I have in the tanks, and how many total tanks I have as part of this system.