Filtering a macroalgae tank

[velvetelvis]

I have a 50G cube that is set up as a Florida biotope for molly miller blennies. I'm keeping C. sertularioides in the DT as part of the biotope. I have two questions:

Up until this point, I was running a lighted fuge with chaeto. I'm thinking now that this will be too much competition for nutrient uptake--and I'd also like to be able to "unplug" a little bit and have one less electrical component running. Considering how rapidly caulerpa grows, do you think I can unplug the fuge and give away the chaeto?

Besides the caulerpa, I'm also keeping zoanthids and rock anemones (no persnickety SPS). Is it better to go skimmerless in a macroalgae setup? The skimmer still pulls crud out of the water, so I'm not sure this is a good idea. On the other hand, if the lack of a protein skimmer would be compensated by the nutrient uptake of the caulerpa--and if it means more pods and critters for my fish to hunt--I'd consider retiring that as well.

Thanks!

 

[joekidwell]

If it were me id sell the chaeto, turn off the light, keep the skimmer since you do have coral in there and use a macro fertilizer ...check out this thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2138064

 

[Cirenus]

+ 1 sell the chaeto maybe keep the light incase u decide to get another fuge at some point. Keep your skimmer!

 

[dputt88]

keep your skimmer, its pulling organic nutrients from your water, and the plants are only using available inorganic compounds. the organics will eventually breakdown but its better to just pull them out and then dose inorganic nutrients if needed.

 

[velvetelvis]

Thanks for the advice, everybody. I unplugged (but will keep) the fuge light and unloaded the chaeto. There's still a lot of rock and rubble in the fuge, so it should still provide a good shelter for pods.

Is nutrient dosing always necessary? I feed the fish and inverts daily; will that provide enough? I'm still a beginner at keeping macro systems. Thanks!

 

[tektite]

You'll have to measure the phosphate and nitrate, sometimes fish feeding is enough to keep them up sometimes not. I usually end up having to dose some nutrients every now and then. I haven't had a skimmer in my macroalgae tank since I started it years ago, no problems there.