Skimmerless Acropora systems?

[davemc1234]

My no3 is 1 and my po4 is 0.018 tested with a hanna and I have 9 fish but still adding

 

[sonnus]

My sump I use MM and algae

That is quite the sump! I would love to run a refugium like yours. Is that reactor above your sump for rotifers our baby brine?

 

[davemc1234]

That is quite the sump! I would love to run a refugium like yours. Is that reactor above your sump for rotifers our baby brine?

Hi that one is for baby brine but I am going to add one next to it with rotifers.

 

[sonnus]

You must have happy coral

 

[gon08]

You both are doing an impeccable job! Great growth and overall beautiful live stock in both of these systems. I simply love when people break the whole 'rule of thumb' mindset. However, I'd watch out for the tang police gon08!

Been harassed by the Tang police before.... I don't care for their opinion. I keep my fish well fed and as long as they behave normal without stress (my definition of a happy fish) then I'm good. I don't lose fish, I either move them to larger systems as they outgrow my tanks or they die of old age. I had a maroon clownfish I bought in 1992 just before hurricane Andrew and it died in 2005 when hurricane Wilma blew my greenhouse down, I don't know how much longer she would have lived but I don't know many folks who have fish more than 10 years.

 

[gon08]

It's a mystery to me then........

I would think that with the amount of crude my skimmer takes out that my tank would go down hill pretty fast with out a skimmer.

You guys are breaking the rules.......any reason why you think this is successful for you?

Of course I realize that there are no rules in this hobby because as soon as you say something can't be done, someone will do it.

With all that said though...I still would never try skimmerless.

For me it's been the use of GFO. My NO3 stays low, though I couldn't tell you how or why other than what ever natural denitrification is happening in the tank because I don't do anything to remove them. I do run a skimmer on my other tank mostly because I have an eel and it makes a mess when she is fed though the anemones love that about her.... she's a slob.:frog:

 

[davemc1234]

You must have happy coral

My corals seem to love the system ,I have good P E which tell me there is plenty of food in the system

 

[SinBin]

That is the prettiest and cleanest sump setup I have seen. Everything underneath is so neatly placed. I've never been so impressed with an underneath tank shot. Good job mate.

 

[davemc1234]

I have a good algae bed and harvest every week ,and use gfo when needed

 

[davemc1234]

That is the prettiest and cleanest sump setup I have seen. Everything underneath is so neatly placed. I've never been so impressed with an underneath tank shot. Good job mate.

Many thanks

 

[gon08]

I've been at this since the late 80's and have come to the conclusion that keeping it simple is the best thing for me. My system is bare bones. I don't even run a refugium on this tank. Although I have herbivores I feed them a sheet of Nori daily because this tank produces very little algae. I keep some hermit crabs and several astrea snails (thank God for living in Florida where I can collect my own) and even they feed on the nori when the lights go out at night.

When I tell people I don't run a skimmer they look at me like I have 2 heads. It looks I get are like I said I don't use saltwater in my reef. Then they tell me that I can get away with it for a short time but in the long run it will bite me in the but.... It's been 3 years now so maybe the long run is in like 10 years.

 

[davemc1234]

 

[davemc1234]

 

[davemc1234]

 

[MADtanks]

You guys are on it!, you must have a ton of rock in your system to help filter everything?

Well done guys, beautiful!

 

[davemc1234]

Some more of my fish

 

[davemc1234]

 

[davemc1234]

You guys are on it!, you must have a ton of rock in your system to help filter everything?

Well done guys, beautiful!

None of my rock work in the display is live it it all dry reef bones and plate rock

 

[nbgen12]

lets revive this.....

Any of you using at algae turf scrubber instead of the skimmer?

What is the PH in your tanks, and how do you manage the gas exchange? without have a skimmer or ATS, it seems to make it difficult....

I'm asking only because I threw out my old Aqua C Remora Pro and have a skimmer waiting to go in a bigger sump system, but I don't have the time to spend several days making my new sump, emptying the DT enough to slide it a few inches to make space, and then getting everything re-setup.

 

[eskymick]

Those skimmerless tanks look awesome!! It's the look I prefer. The SPS corals have a deep, rich color "¦ as compared to the pale, pastel colors of an ULNS reef. In my mind, the corals are healthier ... and have bit more reserve of energy.

I seems your "œalternative" means of nutrient export keep nutrients at a relatively low range, but not so low that the corals are "living on the edge".

Is it right to assume that you see relatively fast growth, as well?

Great job!!