Do I need a skimmer on a softie tank?

[gflat65]

Been running a 75 gallon softie/LPS tank for 4 years with no skimmer and minimal water changes. Certainly won't hurt, but not a must have. I run a huge skimmer on my main system (~800 gallons with an MRC MR4), but rarely clean it more often than once a month (should clean weekly), and water changes maybe once every two or three months. No one that's seem my tanks can argue with the results.

In this hobby, there are very few absolutes (despite so many only speaking such-not necessarily talking about this thread, but in general on forums and in most LFS' I've frequented). What works for some does work for others. Take in the advice of many and see what fits into your lifestyle and what you're willing to do. I'm generally lazy but get results I'm happy with (but know when I can be lazy and when I need to get off my butt and spend more time from years of experimentation).

 

[CaptiveReef]

Post some pics.

Post some pics.

Been running a 75 gallon softie/LPS tank for 4 years with no skimmer and minimal water changes. Certainly won't hurt, but not a must have. I run a huge skimmer on my main system (~800 gallons with an MRC MR4), but rarely clean it more often than once a month (should clean weekly), and water changes maybe once every two or three months. No one that's seem my tanks can argue with the results.

In this hobby, there are very few absolutes (despite so many only speaking such-not necessarily talking about this thread, but in general on forums and in most LFS' I've frequented). What works for some does work for others. Take in the advice of many and see what fits into your lifestyle and what you're willing to do. I'm generally lazy but get results I'm happy with (but know when I can be lazy and when I need to get off my butt and spend more time from years of experimentation).

Can you post some recent pics of your tanks. :thumbsup:

 

[gflat65]

This is my 280. I'll have to take some of my wife's 75...

 

[gflat65]

Decided to turn the lights back on, scrap the glass and get some shots of the 75. Cut out about 60% of the softies four months ago to make room for more. It's been inheriting overflow frags of various types since (moving more from a softie tank to a mixed softie/LPS and the occasional SPS).

 

[CaptiveReef]

Nice Pic's

Nice Pic's

Nice pics, what is your maintenance schedule, water changes (how much water) how often, do you use 2 part calcium buffer or calcium reactor.
Here is a video of my tank with my skimmer I designed, tank is 120 gallons.

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[CaptiveReef]

Low fish load

Low fish load

gflat65 I did notice one thing about your tanks, you have a very little bio load (meaning amount of fish in your tanks). That could be the reason why your tanks are doing well with no skimmer, your soft corals are providing a lot of filtration. Having a large fish load means definite skimming, I have a large fish & invert load and I feed the tank a plankton suspension once a week with frozen brine shrimp and plankton once a day with flakes.

CaptiveReef:fish1:

 

[gflat65]

I generally do water changes about once every two months or so on the main system. I clean the skimmer maybe once a month in the main system (should do it weekly, but...). I do run a calcium reactor, as I'm too lazy to keep up with two part. The 75 hasn't had a water change in nearly a year. It's due one. It's got a relatively low bioload. Only a pair of occelaris clowns, a yellow bristletooth tang (not sure of the species, but its bright yellow-haven't been able to find a pic of one this yellow-it is pretty young, though, so it may change), a purple fire fish, spotted mandarin, and a tangaroa goby.

The main system, however has a good many fish. The 280 is tied to a 130 frag tank (bare bottom and only eggcrate-clean it about once every three months since removing the frags and eggcrate is such a process, usually when detritus builds up to a point I can't stand any longer). It's also tied to my seahorse tank (65gal), which is heavily feed. They all feed into a common sump/fuge area (through the wall). Within the system, I've got a large Tomini Tang, large Purple Tang, 7" male ornate leopard wrasse (M. ornatus), 6+" supermale yellow patch fairy (C. lyukyuensis), smaller female yellow patch (~4"), ~3" C. rubriventralis, pair of maroons (tank raised-about five years old now), yellow watchman goby (he's getting up there in age, too-I've had him 5 years and the guy before me had him for about 6), Fusi goby (have had him for about 8 years now), pair of Banggai's (also tank raised and same age as maroons), one of their babies that's going on 3 years old, filefish (A. tomentosus), female H. erectus (she's about 6" snout to tail, 4" or so in normal form), three blue mandarins (in two different tanks), three spotted mandarins (also in two different tanks in the system), mystery wrasse, circus goby (lives in the frag tank under the egg crate-had him about 3 years now), pair of tomato clowns, pair of black occellaris clowns (all clowns so far came from Sustainable at the same frag swap), female tomato (Jaws-had her since 2000), and a gold saddled rabbitfish. Total vessel volume is around 800 gallons, but minus rock and sand, I'm sure it's a good bit less in actual water volume. I go through about 8 oz of PE mysis and 16 oz of Hikari bloodworms every two weeks (feed Dendro's and suncorals nightly).

I never said skimmers were a bad thing. The question was is one needed (read by me as 'necessary'). In a softie tank or mixed tank, my opinion is no. As I stated, they don't hurt, but you don't have to have one... I run carbon 24/7 for water clarity on all tanks, but have run a number of tanks over the last 15 years with no skimmer and have been happy with the results. The corals from the 75 were growing out of the 75 until I pruned them heavily several months ago...

 

[gflat65]

Nice looking tank, BTW. I've been considering a Sohal or Naso, but am not sure I want to upset the balance. The purple and Tomini get along great, but have tried to kill the last three tangs i've tried to add. Any issues with the Angel nipping on anything?

 

[CaptiveReef]

Thanks

Thanks

Nice looking tank, BTW. I've been considering a Sohal or Naso, but am not sure I want to upset the balance. The purple and Tomini get along great, but have tried to kill the last three tangs i've tried to add. Any issues with the Angel nipping on anything?

The Angel is good, but has to be fed everyday otherwise he nips at the zoo's and some soft corals. The Clown Tang is very aggressive and the Angel & the Large Heniochus butterfly keep him in check. Tangs are a shot in the dark, you have to add odd numbers when schooling them.
I am eventually going with a 400 gallon tank, I want to have schools of fish, and a large wide aquascape.
I'll keep you posted on that build.

CaptiveReef :thumbsup: