Anyone have a nanotechnology setup without a skimmer?

[1sttimer]

I've setup a small 33 gallon tank for my GSP.
SG is at 1.023. It's a FOWLR for now.
Would like to add some soft corals. Mainly zoas for now hopefully my puffer will leave them alone.)
For filtration I have 2 ac 50 with sponge purigen and poly filter. I do 20% water changes once a week.
Basically I'm just curious to see if anyone has had aNY issues with a similar set up.

 

[minus9]

22g nano full of sps without a skimmer here. Weekly water changes and a small refugium with chaeto. I use some poly filter in the overflow to catch detritus, which gets changed twice a week. I've only used carbon once (after treating the tank with flatworm exit). I used a small airstone skimmer while I was on vacation for 9 days, only to find that it stripped out too many nutrients.
Stability is the key, especially in nano's. Temp and salinity swings are far more stressful than elevated nutrients.

 

[1sttimer]

How come you change the poly filter twice a week?
What color does it get?

 

[minus9]

Here's a semi recent pic.

 

[minus9]

Sorry, auto correct, poly fiber. Instead of rinsing and reusing, I just throw it away and replace with a new piece. The pieces are 2" x 6", so they're pretty small.

 

[1sttimer]

Nice setup

 

[1sttimer]

I might switch the purigen for chemipure blue

 

[1sttimer]

I meant nano tank in the title. Don't know how nano technology got there lol.

 

[Betaktical]

Tank looks awesome!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[minus9]

I wouldn't go crazy with chemical filtration, especially on small tanks. I find it does more harm than good. Just make sure to use ro/di water for top off and water changes. 20% changes are good, I do 20% - 25% w/c weekly. Use a quality salt mix, nothing with elevated alkalinity (something close to NSW levels), that way your levels don't swing too much. Good luck!

 

[ali1]

Agreed. Water changes is your best friend for small tanks. Skimmers are optional and questionable to their efficiency

 

[ali1]

Here's a semi recent pic.

Beautiful and simple

 

[minus9]

Thanks! I've always kept small tanks, but that's changing soon.

 

[1sttimer]

I use instant ocean salt. The ro filter I have in my kitchen has an alkaline filter which adds back certain minerals.
Is that Ok?

 

[minus9]

Personally, I would invest in a ro/di system. Or purchase ro water from your LFS (or grocery store). You're asking for trouble if you use tap water, even filtered water (which doesn't remove the harmful chemicals/nutrients). If you're serious about this hobby and plan on keeping a reef tank long term, a ro/di system is worth its weight in gold. IO is fine, but you'll find that you'll have to dose to keep parameters in check and make up for the lack of minerals and trace elements.

 

[1sttimer]

Well for now it's a FOWLR and I'm entertaining the thought of adding some zoas.

 

[Fiver]

I have a 33 long with no skimmer or mechanical filtration for 13 months. I just use a wavemaker, live rock and water changes. It's gone pretty well so far. My first coral was a monitpora that has grown a lot in one year. I keep a few simple corals -- toadstool, galaxea. I had two small zoa frags that died, but I think a gorilla crab snipped them off. I've had a gorgonian from the start that is doing great. A kind soul have me two SPS corals. One died and one is doing OK.

 

[1sttimer]

What do you use as filter media?