LPS Lovers, do you run a skimmer?
- Thread starter heuerfan
- Start date
E-A-G-L-E-S
New member
i would think that since it seems you aren't over skimming that they do appreciate the small amount of crud that it pulls out of water.(they like pretty clean water-not SPS clean-but definitely cleaner than a softy tank)
--JMO
--JMO
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Re: LPS Lovers, do you run a skimmer?
get a better skimmer and run it 24/7heuerfan said:
MiddletonMark
Premium Member
I agree.
Whether a L or S, stony corals all do much better in the general absence of P + N. Actual food is quite good for either, but I can't think of a reason why you'd want elevated nutrients in the water for either - given both are calcifying.
Direct feeding may be more needed with more flesh ... but IMO, skim like a banshee for either.
Whether a L or S, stony corals all do much better in the general absence of P + N. Actual food is quite good for either, but I can't think of a reason why you'd want elevated nutrients in the water for either - given both are calcifying.
Direct feeding may be more needed with more flesh ... but IMO, skim like a banshee for either.
justincognito
New member
I don't use skimmers in my tanks. I perfer refugiums. WIth proper flow and proportions refugiums will process all your nutrients and turn it into plankton to feed your corals
MAny corals that are only now being able to be kept in captivity were dying because they were starving. Skimmers take out plankton and other minute organic nutrients your coral or inverts could use.
MAny corals that are only now being able to be kept in captivity were dying because they were starving. Skimmers take out plankton and other minute organic nutrients your coral or inverts could use.Amphiprionocellaris
New member
Purely out of curiosity, does your filtration system make your water seem yellow. That's one of the "negatives" of refugia-only filtration that I've heard, but I've never actually seen a tank that appeared yellow. I also prefer refugia (to me there is nothing more fascinating than the thought of having an almost totally natural system), but I also run a skimmer because it came with the tankjustincognito said:I don't use skimmers in my tanks. I perfer refugiums. WIth proper flow and proportions refugiums will process all your nutrients and turn it into plankton to feed your corals
.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Amphiprionocellaris-
do a search on
algae scrubber
adey
smithsonian reef aquarium
pittsburgh zoo reef aquarium
Over the years, I've seen many reef aquariums (public and private) employing algae scrubbers with no skimming. Over time, these systems have a very poor track record for keeping corals (of all types) alive and thriving.
"Yellow" water can be easily corrected by using GAC (granular activated carbon).
do a search on
algae scrubber
adey
smithsonian reef aquarium
pittsburgh zoo reef aquarium
Over the years, I've seen many reef aquariums (public and private) employing algae scrubbers with no skimming. Over time, these systems have a very poor track record for keeping corals (of all types) alive and thriving.
"Yellow" water can be easily corrected by using GAC (granular activated carbon).
Are there any articles on reguim only vs skiimed systems out there? It would be nice to convert my whole sump to a refugium but it would make my nervous to pull the skimmer. Of cource my skimmer was down for a few weeks at one time and the wife thought the tank looked better.
Amphiprionocellaris
New member
Gary Majchrzak said:
I am actually pretty familiar with algal turf scrubbers; I have and cherish my Reef Aquarium Volumes 1 and 2 (Volume 3 coming out next month; YES!). However, I took it (using only that book) that the main problem was in maintaining SPS. Softies and LPS from comparitavely nutrient rich areas did well in such situations (given that the leachates were removed by carbon rather than allowing to accumulate).
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
It's my experience that softies and LPS (as well as SPS, fishes and anemones) all do much better in a (relatively) cleaner, well oxygenated environment.
It's also my experience that good skimming can export nutrients much better/faster than any algae in a turf scrubber.
Feed your LPS good foods and skim the system like mad.
Here's a related thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=525697
It's also my experience that good skimming can export nutrients much better/faster than any algae in a turf scrubber.
Feed your LPS good foods and skim the system like mad.
Here's a related thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=525697
justincognito
New member
As far as yellow water, the water is crystal clear. I may run carbon for a week or two a couple times a year but thats it.
I think proper proportions and flow are critical if refugium are the only filter. I know a gentleman who has a 110 gallon tank heavily stocked with big fish he feeds a lot. He took off his skimmer because his tank was nitrogen limited. He also has 4,000 pgh going through the refugium.
I do very well with Goniopora and i have SPS in all these tanks with zero nitrate and little or no nuisance algae. I think i do so well with them because there is more of the proper food available to them. And the water is clean
I think proper proportions and flow are critical if refugium are the only filter. I know a gentleman who has a 110 gallon tank heavily stocked with big fish he feeds a lot. He took off his skimmer because his tank was nitrogen limited. He also has 4,000 pgh going through the refugium.
I do very well with Goniopora and i have SPS in all these tanks with zero nitrate and little or no nuisance algae. I think i do so well with them because there is more of the proper food available to them. And the water is clean
justincognito
New member
There is more than one way to skin a cat. I work a lot with Goniopora so i need lots of plankton. Most SPS eat similar foods so they end up doing well.
If you like skimming and it works for you use it. I and many other people perfer refugiums and they work for us. I crappy skimmer will get you crappy results, as will a crappy refugium.
I find many people who have problems with refugiums have two problems, not enough light and/or not enough flow.
If you like skimming and it works for you use it. I and many other people perfer refugiums and they work for us. I crappy skimmer will get you crappy results, as will a crappy refugium.
I find many people who have problems with refugiums have two problems, not enough light and/or not enough flow.
justincognito
New member
Put low flow through a skimmer with big bubbles and you will get a tank that looks like hell. Nothing beats goods design.
I actually stopped skimming 6 months ago and have noticed a total explosion in LPS growth, not to mention coralline. I don't have any detectable phophates nor do I have any nasty algae outbreaks. I switched salts as well. So far, the skimmer is sitting empty.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
IME coralline grows much quicker in areas of well oxygenated water that's moving briskly- like the water found around powerheads and skimmer discharges. Coralline always encrusts most heavily around the area of skimmer discharges! Coralline will even grow inside a skimmer if the unit receives a little bit of light.
Running a skimmer can prevent nuisance algae from receiving the nutrients it requires to outcompete coralline algae.
I can feed LPS more (high quality) foods if I'm runnning a skimmer.
The same can be said of my anemones and most everything else in the aquarium.
Maybe your switch in salts is interfering with the conclusions you've reached on skimmers, R33f3r.
Dan Thrash
New member
i just put my first LPS in my nanocube w/o skimmer...a red open brain. so we'll see how it does. i just have to do water changes every week and change out the filter floss i put in there. i have no nussiance algae (i think the chaeto in back helps with that). i was told too, that LPS will tolerate less than perfectly clean water...unlike SPS.
RandyO
Active member
I run a skimmer 24/7, and I keep mostly LPS corals. I do think some LPS corals can do poorly is a super clean system, like a cooked rock, starboard, ozone, giant skimmer, filterbagged, heavy carbon use tank. But most people with this kind of sterile tank are keeping sps.
Having some oraganics in the tank can be beneficial, but as Gary said, it's best to feed your corals high quality foods often, and keep that skimmer running full time to reduce nuisance algae outbreaks.
Having some oraganics in the tank can be beneficial, but as Gary said, it's best to feed your corals high quality foods often, and keep that skimmer running full time to reduce nuisance algae outbreaks.
