Skimerless 50 gallon Specs & Pics

[dwd5813]

cool. i have a small ac filter that i have been considering for this mod. i saw one done in a thread somewhere else, but that was a while back, and i couldn't remember what it looked like, so thanks for the link and you don't have to take pics you dont already have.. unless you feel like it. i hear ya on the planning and purchasing quality equipment. i have had my tank for a couple months, 25 lbs of dry rock for a month less than that, and a pair of tunze nanostreams for a couple weeks now. its going veerrrrrrrrrry slow. i just hope that my patience continues once the tank finally gets wet. i have faith in myself though. ive been waiting and reading for too long now to screw this up by rushing. I'm planning on using an aquactinics T5 fixture for my system. that and the nanostreams are basically as far as i am planning on going with equipment, save for a heater and thermometer, so the rest is up to me planning and staying involved in the maintenance (read as weekly testing and waterchanges) I really like it when I read about systems that basically run themselves, cause it seems to really be a more complete thing... at the same time, i have respect for those who achieve that through automation of all kinds of reactors and such to run their systems, but i think a tank without all that it would make me happier. my weak budget aside, even. anyway, nice setup, and thanks for sharing and giving me another example of how my plan gets accomplished!

 

[acrohead500ppm]

i have a 58 rr all sps skimmerless <<<i broke mine around christmas time last year , after having a few glasses of
crown royal i decided to clean my skimmer i dropped it and have yet to get a new one, i have had sps esp millis growing at annoyingly fast rates and have colored up very nicely BUT! i havent fed the fish in this tank for 2 1/2 years as they stay fat off fauna
here is my routine
NO FOOD added not even for the coral.
2 gal kalkwasser dripped everynight
2x~10% wc weekly (enriched w cal chloride)
carbon 2x a month for 3 day intervels
will post pics soon

 

[toonces]

Nice tank Carrera.
I don't think Gdevine was criticizing you for NOT using a skimmer. Having run a tank with a skimmer too, there's no doubt that they're useful to remove stuff from the water.

However, like you, I'm currently running skimmerless and sumpless. This certainly isn't to make some point. It's just the circumstances I'm in right now that mean I've chosen to run without for now.

I'm also running an aquaclear (the biggest one) with carbon. I have some macroalgae in the back of the tank but it's just not growing for some reason.

Water changes are definately a good idea skimmerless, and essentially perform the same function.

 

[Carrera76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11154301#post11154301 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Froggy
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

Hi Joe (Froggy)

The neon green Caulastrea inflates a lot during the day :rollface: . All the coarls seem really happy and thriving. When I first purchased the Plate Coral it was smaller and perfect size for my tank. In a few months it outgrew my atnk..I think this is a sign that the corals are doing well . Most of the corals were pretty small when I purchased them, for example the Frogspawn only had 4 heads and it now has 16 heads . I must be doing something right for them to grow that much.

By the way, I think am not going to replace the plate coral because I now get to see the shrimp and some of the fish more oftten. The plate coral had grown so much that it was difficult to see some of the livestock. The tentacles were about 8" during the day and 12" in diameter.

There is also the Aquaclear and a Biowheel Penguin filter (without the biowheel) for water surface and one of the power heads is directed towards the surface too. Everyone seems to be happy

Like you I also believe that there are many way to run a successful reef tank and I would not try to impose my ideas on anybody else. Many times I have thought about buying a Deltec MCE600 because I have heard so many positive comments about it. If someday I need a skimmer I'll buy this one....

cheers

 

[Carrera76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11155618#post11155618 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by acrohead500ppm
i have a 58 rr all sps skimmerless <<<i broke mine around christmas time last year , after having a few glasses of
crown royal i decided to clean my skimmer i dropped it and have yet to get a new one, i have had sps esp millis growing at annoyingly fast rates and have colored up very nicely BUT! i havent fed the fish in this tank for 2 1/2 years as they stay fat off fauna
here is my routine
NO FOOD added not even for the coral.
2 gal kalkwasser dripped everynight
2x~10% wc weekly (enriched w cal chloride)
carbon 2x a month for 3 day intervels
will post pics soon

Hi there

I would love to see some pics of your tank. How long has it been running for? Pics please! :rollface:

My fish are really fat as well but I don't feed a lot. Once a day every couple of days..sometimes daily. They are so fat, I guess they eat microfauna too.

 

[Carrera76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11155667#post11155667 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by toonces
Nice tank Carrera.
I don't think Gdevine was criticizing you for NOT using a skimmer. Having run a tank with a skimmer too, there's no doubt that they're useful to remove stuff from the water.

However, like you, I'm currently running skimmerless and sumpless. This certainly isn't to make some point. It's just the circumstances I'm in right now that mean I've chosen to run without for now.

I'm also running an aquaclear (the biggest one) with carbon. I have some macroalgae in the back of the tank but it's just not growing for some reason.

Water changes are definately a good idea skimmerless, and essentially perform the same function.

Hi toonces

I agree with you man...am not trying to impose my ideas on anybody or to prove a point. At first the idea was to get a skimmer but there are so many out there and never was able to choose one. Then I noticed that everything was doing well and thriving even though there was no skimmer so I decided to continue running my tank skimerless and so far it has worked really well.

Cheers
Daniel Carrera

 

[pdhenderson]

who cares......................
I believe in using a skimmer, but thats me, but I also believe in more biology less technology as has been layed out in this thread.
You can have a sucessful system without a skimmer, just have to have the rest in balance.

Keep it up, will follow this fo sho!

 

[Al]

Beautiful tank, Carrera

As it happens, I have a 50 gallon tank, also no skimmer. There is sump tank, though. It would be nice to do without the added complexity and noise of the overflow/sump/return pump/return, but past experience tells me that it is very difficult to keep the water surface clean (and the water oxygenated) without an overflow. That Aquaclear of yours, does the water splashing back in from it do the same job?

 

[Carrera76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11170750#post11170750 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Al
Beautiful tank, Carrera

As it happens, I have a 50 gallon tank, also no skimmer. There is sump tank, though. It would be nice to do without the added complexity and noise of the overflow/sump/return pump/return, but past experience tells me that it is very difficult to keep the water surface clean (and the water oxygenated) without an overflow. That Aquaclear of yours, does the water splashing back in from it do the same job?

Hi Al

I have never measured how much oxigen there is in the water but I suppose there is enough because all the corals have been doing very well. I think that the flow from the aquaclear helps and there is aslo one pwerhead that is directed to the surface.

Any pics of your tank?
Cheers
Daniel

 

[gomex72]

Wow great looking tank, I would think that may be you would do more water changes, but 10% water changes and no skimmer makes your tank even more amazing

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

however you slice it, if nutrients out=nutrients in, then you should be good to go.

One question: does your water seem more viscous(for lack of a better word)

 

[Al]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11171988#post11171988 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Carrera76
Hi Al
Any pics of your tank?

I was thinking of getting a digital camera this weekend. It will have to be cheap, though, as I already have one money absorbing hobby. If anyone has any advice on this?

 

[goldmaniac]

Again, Great looking tank -

and another question:

you seem to attribute at least part of your success to weekly water changes.

What kind of salt to you use?

I'm currently using Red Sea, and I'm looking around... Red Sea is 90% natural, dehydrated ocean saltwater, and I thought that'd be best, but maybe not.

thanks,

G.

 

[Carrera76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11172392#post11172392 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gomex72
Wow great looking tank, I would think that may be you would do more water changes, but 10% water changes and no skimmer makes your tank even more amazing

Hi gomex72

I have been doing 10% weekly water changes and so far this has been working for me. The only additive that I use once in a while is Kent Liquid Reactor and feed DT's Phytoplankton once a week or every two weeks.

All my corals weere tiny frags that I purchased from other reefers and as you can see they have been growing pretty well :rollface: .
This tank has been skimerless since day one and algae free since day one. It never went through the typical nasty algae stage that most reef tanks go through when newly set up.

Cheers
daniel

 

[Carrera76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11173233#post11173233 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goldmaniac
Again, Great looking tank -

and another question:

you seem to attribute at least part of your success to weekly water changes.

What kind of salt to you use?

I'm currently using Red Sea, and I'm looking around... Red Sea is 90% natural, dehydrated ocean saltwater, and I thought that'd be best, but maybe not.

thanks,

G.

Hi goldmaniac

You are right! I think that 10% weekly water changes are a big part of my success with this reef tank. The salt that I use is Instant Ocean. Am not too crazy about this salt because Calcium and Alkalinity always seem to be low. I have been wanting to switch to Tropic Marin as I have heard very good things about it. Next time I have to buy salt I'll buy Tropic Marine for sure. All the trace elements are suppose to be in balance so there is no need to add anything.

I have never tried Red Sea Salt so I can't give you my opinion on it. I have been in this hobby only for over a year. This is my first salt water reef tank so am still learning a lot of things everyday.

Cheers
Daniel

 

[goldmaniac]

thanks!
I can't complain about Red Sea. it mixes well and everything seems to be within normal parameters. I just wanted to try something new, as I'm getting into corals now and I'm always monkeying around with new trials.

Thanks -

 

[michaeltwana]

Amen to what you are doing. Check out my thread on my 40 breeder skimmerless for two years.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1242561

 

[jaydub74]

Carrera76 how many GPH are you turning over?

 

[Carrera76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11174749#post11174749 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by michaeltwana
Amen to what you are doing. Check out my thread on my 40 breeder skimmerless for two years.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1242561

Hi michaeltwana

I just looked at your pics and your tank is looking great! I noticed that you have been running this set up skimerless for 2 years...very very nice.

How many fish do you have in there? How often do you do water changes? How much do you feed?

Cheers
Daniel

 

[Carrera76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11175022#post11175022 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jaydub74
Carrera76 how many GPH are you turning over?

Hi jaydub74

There is only one Koralia #2 (600GPH), Aquaclear 110 set at highest flow (500GPH) and finally a Penguin 200 Filter (200GPH) that's only use to add more flow.

Penguin 200 Filter 200 GPH
Aquaclear 110 500 GPH
Koralia #2 600 GPH
Total = 1300 GPH

Lately I have been thinking about adding another powerhead, either Koralia #1 (400 GPH) or another Koralia # 2 (600 GPH). Most likely it will be a Koralia # 1 because not long ago I had a Koralia # 3 and it was too much flow for the corals. They didn't look happy at all so ended up removing the Koralia #3.

Cheers