I am always interested to learn what non traditional or even downright heretical reefkeeping practices folks pursue. As many here already know, I am often trying to determine the minimum of equipment that may be required to maintain an awesome reef. In speaking with Jackson (Jacksonpt) yesterday, I came to learn that he keeps his beautiful 30 gallon mixed reef with no skimmer (albeit withj a small bioload). I myself maintain a 30 gallon reef at my work office with only a small hob skimmer and a hob mechanical filter. It has less nuisance algae than my 125 gallon display with a sump and G-3 skimmer. I also maintain a very packed 75 gallon mixed reef with no sump, a hob skimmer and a Fluval canister filter. I use no calcium reactors and all top offs are manual. I get crazy growth on all systems. This does not mean that I recommend these practices for others but they have worked beautifully for me for the last 5 years. I am curious to see what other "violations of reefkeeping law" folks havew been pursuing.
unorthadox reefkeeping practices
- Thread starter drbronx
- Start date
fordguy1992
New member
i have a 40 gal breeder tank with small hob skimmer with a small sump only with filter floss and carbon. no refug t6 lights and its my best tank for growth
oceanparadise1
In Memoriam
i never use ro/di water no algea at all and growth is amazing
Thaty's cool OP; I only recently started using ro/di. I hadn't used it for years with no problems. I'm not sure why I started. I probably caved to the pressures of conformity. Now again, having said that, most folks probably should use ro/di, depending on the nature of their water supply. My town happens to use well water that is rematrkably free of unwanted impurities/. One town over, where my office is, the water sucks. Although come to think of it, I don't use ro/di there either and my tank does great. Go figure! Keep 'em coming folks. There's got to be more "mavericks" out there (John McCain need not respond)
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oceanparadise1
In Memoriam
i dont dose anything as well
Like OP1, Other than kalkwasser which I drip from a 2 gallon WalMart plastic container, I add Randy_Holmes Farley 2-part solutions. Otherwise I don't supplement anything. I have no refugium as well.
I however, do believe in regular water changes. On my 125 I do 40 gallon changes every 3-4 weeks.
I however, do believe in regular water changes. On my 125 I do 40 gallon changes every 3-4 weeks.
jacksonpt
New member
No sump, no fuge, no skimmer. I don't dose or supplement anything. I do water changes when I think of it (or when the tank calls for it) which is about once a month or so. The only real "sophistication" with my tank is an auto top-off, which I think is worth it's weight in gold.
POSEIDOMORS
New member
i cant lie i like gadgets. but would have to say the most unorthadox thing i have is my fish bio load, about 20 fish in 160 net (tank, sump,fuge,) gallons of water.
oceanparadise1
In Memoriam
i have 2 clowns a snowflake eel a yellow tang a hippo tang a sixline and a foxface in my 75 with a 40 gallon breeder sump
GMaquarium
New member
You want unorthadox. I have dosed live phyto by the gallons, grow hard corals under 28watt bulbs, 5 and under % waterchange per week. Don't use skimmers on all my systems, the skimmers I do use are tiny underrated cheapies. Feed the corals daily with live and frozen foods.
nwrogers
Got gorgs?
FWIW Overstocking a tank is not necessarily unorthodox. In this hobby it is actually very common IMO. I am not bashing it or promoting it, I am just saying it is not necessarily unorthodox. As far as I know there is nothing unorthodox about my system at all. I use MH and VHO, a sump with a skimmer, and powerheads to create flow. That is about a standard as you can get but it works for me :fish1:
Intersting stuff GM aquarium. Sounds like you are pretty much completely off the reservation. Very cool. Can you tell us more? What sized tank were you doing this? What kind of bioload. What were those bulbs you were using? What practices/philosophies were/are responsible for your success. Inquiring minds want to know.
POSEIDOMORS
New member
+1 sounds interesting
oceanparadise1
In Memoriam
ha how about NEVER doing water changes
GMaquarium
New member
This is not just one tank. Multiple tanks/systems. Not all the tanks have alot of fish. The skimmers, I use smaller skimmers run dry and spray the necks down daily. Do weekly small water changes on all tanks. Have had very good results with going crazy with phytoplankton. Try to feed all types of corals with different types and particle foods. The low output lights I was talking about are t5 28watts 48" Great light for shallow tanks or for lps and softies.
