Skimerless 50 gallon Specs & Pics
- Thread starter Carrera76
- Start date
Slice of Ocean
New member
Your tank looks great.
specialreef
New member
Good looking tank.
Gdevine
Premium Member
I run a 65g Ecosystem method (which originally was not designed for the use of skimmer) and added one 6 months ago - a monster that could handle a tank 3 times my size
Result...
A ton of gross crap being exported from the tank each and every day.
Corals and inverts thriving!
Even Ling now sells and advises the use of a skimmer with the Ecosystem method.
My tank thrives and I clean the gross stuff out every-other day!
Can not image it anyother way.
Result...
A ton of gross crap being exported from the tank each and every day.
Corals and inverts thriving!
Even Ling now sells and advises the use of a skimmer with the Ecosystem method.
My tank thrives and I clean the gross stuff out every-other day!
Can not image it anyother way.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
:lolspin:
(I dont really think you need a skimmer, but that crab was talkin to me... I had to)
Gdevine
Premium Member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11153413#post11153413 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
:lolspin:
(I dont really think you need a skimmer, but that crab was talkin to me... I had to)
LOL!
All it takes to see the results is to run a skimmer on a non skimmer tank for 1 day and see the what it produces.
Yes..you can be successful without a skimmer... if you do ALL the other things right.
But the bigger question is WHY?
If you're in the hobby and you want to do the right thing (stats on my side) why create a ceasepool if you don't have to?
You know buddy, different things work for different people. I just don't get it why some people are not willing to accept that a tank can be done without using a skimmer.
All the corals have been doing great, most of them where very small when purchased and have grown a lot. I have never lost a coral, fish or invertebrate. I think at the beginning of this thread I stated that I was not looking to start a discussion on whether not having a skimmer is a good idea or not. Just wanted to share some pics with everybody......
You keep doing what works for you and I'll do the same.
Cheers
Buddy, I have seen some reef tanks with all the expensive toys and high tech hardware and still look like crap. There is no guarantee that just because you have a skimmer your tank is going to look great.
This has been working so far for me. The tank is packed with tiny creatures and I think they thrive because there is no skimmer. If you read this whole thread you will learn that I do weekly water changes and this has been working for me. This tank has been algae free since day one and everything is doing well.
Cheers
Gdevine
Premium Member
Ya know buddy... as I stated ... it can be done without a skimmer... that's why I originally went with an Ecosystem method when I first started.
Then I added a skimmer later on and saw the results first hand...
It's simple ... proof is in the pudding ... (or is that skimmate?)
Then I added a skimmer later on and saw the results first hand...
It's simple ... proof is in the pudding ... (or is that skimmate?)
well, like I said before buddy..different things work for different people. You keep doing what works for you and I'll do the same.
By the way am not against using a skimmer but personally don't need it at this point. If I noticed that there was the need for a skimmer I would get one for sure. However right now my tank is doing great and in way better shape than some that have all the epxensive toys and high tech equipment.
Good luck
dwd5813
New member
okay, i typed this already, but it disappeared.... odd. oh well, maybe i just hit the reset button...
anyway, first off carrera, congratulations on a nice healthy system and i applaud your attention to your tank and your willingness to play a bit outside the "norm." Can you describe your refugium a bit more in depth? specifically, is your macro just floating in there? is there any substrate? where is the carbon pad situated? I'm engaged in a battle with my bank account at the moment which hopefully will result in my ability to finish setting up my 40 breeder sometime before the end of the year, which i plan on running in a similar fashion to your system. what if anything would you change about your current system, and why? thanks!
anyway, first off carrera, congratulations on a nice healthy system and i applaud your attention to your tank and your willingness to play a bit outside the "norm." Can you describe your refugium a bit more in depth? specifically, is your macro just floating in there? is there any substrate? where is the carbon pad situated? I'm engaged in a battle with my bank account at the moment which hopefully will result in my ability to finish setting up my 40 breeder sometime before the end of the year, which i plan on running in a similar fashion to your system. what if anything would you change about your current system, and why? thanks!
Frick-n-Frags
New member
nice tank. you do you!
and don't get heated up about some people. you have results to back you up.
and don't get heated up about some people. you have results to back you up.
Froggy
Reef "Hobbyist"...right!?
Carrera, beautiful tank.
Nice job on creating an environment that is allowing the inhabitants to thrive. Just look at the extension on your LPS. Especially those neon green Caulastrea. They are inflated HUGE.
Everything looks very very healthy and I am sure your tank has a nice amount of natural zooplankton without the skimmer.
There is certainly many ways to run a successful tank. Skimmer, no skimmer, subtrate, no substrate, fuge, no fuge...the list goes on.
Do you plan on adding anything else as a center piece to the tank ? That plate coral sure was an eye catcher. Sorry to hear you had to get rid of it. It's size is just an example of the success you are having though. Congrats on that.
I feel one of the main benefits of a skimmer is it's ability to oxygenate the water. Do you have any concerns with that in your tank ? Without the tumbling water to a sump and no skimmer, do you address this with a lot of turbulance at the waters surface?
I for one feel there are many ways to run a successful tank and would never push my personal ideas on others as "the right" way to skin a cat. It is obvious you are having a lot of success with your methods. Keep up the good work and please keep everyone updated with the development of your tank.
Joe
Nice job on creating an environment that is allowing the inhabitants to thrive. Just look at the extension on your LPS. Especially those neon green Caulastrea. They are inflated HUGE.
Everything looks very very healthy and I am sure your tank has a nice amount of natural zooplankton without the skimmer.
There is certainly many ways to run a successful tank. Skimmer, no skimmer, subtrate, no substrate, fuge, no fuge...the list goes on.
Do you plan on adding anything else as a center piece to the tank ? That plate coral sure was an eye catcher. Sorry to hear you had to get rid of it. It's size is just an example of the success you are having though. Congrats on that.
I feel one of the main benefits of a skimmer is it's ability to oxygenate the water. Do you have any concerns with that in your tank ? Without the tumbling water to a sump and no skimmer, do you address this with a lot of turbulance at the waters surface?
I for one feel there are many ways to run a successful tank and would never push my personal ideas on others as "the right" way to skin a cat. It is obvious you are having a lot of success with your methods. Keep up the good work and please keep everyone updated with the development of your tank.
Joe
Hi dwd5813
First of all , thanks for your positive comments
. Am now going to answer your question....What would I do different...hmmmm let's see. There are not many things that I would do different because this tank has been very easy to take care of. I must tell you that I do weekly water changes , feed very little and try not to overstock. There is also a good clean up crew that keeps the sand bed and rocks clean. I only add Kent Liquid reactor once in a while and rarely feed the corals.The first thing I would do would be to avoid trying to save money by purchasing cheap lighting, cheap powerheads and in gerneral cheap equipment. Try to buy the best you can afford whether it is a light fixture , powerheads, heater...etc. At the beginning I started with a Power Compact light fixture but was not happy with it so I replaced it for a Metal Halide fixture. Since I have this Metal Haldie Fixture the corals have grown faster , look healthier and their colors are a lot more intense.
Another thing that I would do different is avoiding really fine sand because sometimes the fish create sand storms when they stir the sand.
I now know that a Coral Beauty should be the last fish to be introduced into a tank because if he is one of the first ones to go in then he will harrass any other fish that you purchase after him.
Couple weeks ago I purchased a Midas Blenny which is one of my favourite fish. It took me a year to find one, it was bright orange, very goodlooking fish. Well, the Coral Beauty harrass this guy so much that the poor fish ended up jumping out of the tank while I was at school
.Now you asked about the AC 110 Refugium....this was set up only a week ago. There is no sand in it, just a bit of rubble and the macroalgae floats in there. The carbon pad is on the right side of the AC 110 refugium. I glued a piece of plastic (with holes)to hold the filter pad. Here is a link that will show what my refugium looks like...this is not my thread but mine looks exactly the same.
AC 110 turned into a refugium Thread
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=679159
I can take some pics of the refugium later if you want...:rollface:
