Life without a skimmer?

[Logzor]

Stinks! Algae goes nuts without a sump or skimmer, being out of town I cant keep it on!

Although, it is amazing how well things do, it is just that the algae goes crazy. I have dictyota

 

[demonsp]

You turn sump off whene you leave. Whats left for water movement?
You have no skimmer,but do you have fish?

 

[downhillbiker]

nice tomini tang. i have one and love the fish, what do you think of yours?

 

[Logzor]

I have no sump, actually. My hob skimmer is such a pain that I would never have the people watching my tank keep it tuned it. Ide end up with a flooded apartment.

I have one tomini tang, two clowns, 1 diamond goby, and 5 chromis.

Water movement is from 1-K4 and 2-K3's.

 

[Logzor]

I love my Tomini Tang. They are very active and resilient. He can be a bully, though.

I am in the process of upgrading to a 90 gallon, going to buy one asap. That way I have a sump and more room now that the tang is growing up.

 

[demonsp]

My skimmer has a drain hole.Does yours? Also im guessing the benifit you get from the skimmer breaking the water surface tension helps,perhaps a HOB media filter to replace this loss may help.

 

[Logzor]

It does have a drain hole, I have it so it drips down into a 5 gal. bucket.

I have not considered any other type of filter. I am saving up for a 90 gallon fully plumbed, not to mention ill be back home in 6 weeks to take care of the tank.

The problem is that the neck gets clogged and needs cleaned frequently. If this is not done and not tuned down it will overskimmer out 5+ gallons.

I am working in Cleveland (live in cincy) so I am not there to watch the skimmer. I just have my roommate add food and chemicals.

 

[Aquarist007]

its probably the algae that is controlling the nitrates and phosphates in your tank by consuming them--its like having an in tank refugium

 

[Logzor]

This is true!

Notice the huge balls of chaeto I have stuffed in to help out and hopefully steal some nutrients from the dictyota (that stuff is a pain).

 

[hawkeyes]

wow! that's one amazing looking tank. i for one love the way the chaeto looks in the main tank. i think it adds some natural authenticity to have some algae growth.

 

[Aquarist007]

remember you have to harvest the chaeto regularily to get rid of the phosphates and nitrates they have consumed

 

[Robgixxer]

still looks good considering........ nice tank.

 

[Logzor]

Thanks for the complements.

Yeah I like the algae to a degree, it just becomes a problem when it grows around corals.

The chaeto grows pretty fast, ill probably have to remove some this weekend.

 

[Peter Eichler]

In my experience it is VERY difficult to starve out Dictyota by keeping nutrients low. Do you have any emerald crabs, I've seen some of them mow through it pretty well and it may be worth a shot. Keep in mind that they are hit and miss much like with bubble algae.

 

[Logzor]

I have one emerald crab. I would need an army of them to do anything.

I do have a dolabella sea hare, though. It seems to eat it sometimes.

 

[sk8rreefgeek]

That's an awesome 55. I wouldve guessed 125.
I'm in the same boat, probably gonna drop around $300 for an overflow,sump,skimmer soon...

 

[Logzor]

Thanks! Actually someone tried to talk me into buying their used 120, my apartment isnt ready for that yet!

I cant wait to have a fully plumbed system with reactors and stuff...

When I transfer I have another problem, dealing with dictyota. I really do not want to risk spreading into a newly set up 90 gallon.

What should I do with the 55 gallon? I am buying a new light so this system will be the same except that many of the corals and fish will be moved over. Some sort of frag tank for lps and soft corals?

I am going to try to get it under as much control as possible before the swap. I will not be able to use any of my old rocks. Many of the rocks have some nice life on them so I do not want to cook them.

I will be ordering all fresh live rock and then corals once it is stable. I fear that even if I scrap much of the algae off the corals it will still transfer over, should I risk it?

 

[pete 43]

I would try just risking it.The new live rock will probably start a new cycle,and you might stress out your corals/fish.
I was in the same boat as well,a 55gal without a skimmer,and had the same problem.I bought a seaclone 90 and it DID improve my nuisance algae down to almost nothing.
The seaclone sprung a leak so I've been skimmerless for almost a year with no problems.The only difference is I have a sump with nothing but liverock and filter floss.
Great looking set up by the way!
So long,Pete

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12485613#post12485613 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Logzor
Thanks! Actually someone tried to talk me into buying their used 120, my apartment isnt ready for that yet!

I cant wait to have a fully plumbed system with reactors and stuff...

When I transfer I have another problem, dealing with dictyota. I really do not want to risk spreading into a newly set up 90 gallon.

What should I do with the 55 gallon? I am buying a new light so this system will be the same except that many of the corals and fish will be moved over. Some sort of frag tank for lps and soft corals?

I am going to try to get it under as much control as possible before the swap. I will not be able to use any of my old rocks. Many of the rocks have some nice life on them so I do not want to cook them.

I will be ordering all fresh live rock and then corals once it is stable. I fear that even if I scrap much of the algae off the corals it will still transfer over, should I risk it?

the 55 would make a great refugium--you already have a good start on the algae