Who has the largest tank without a fuge, sump, or skimmer?

[Aquabucket]

I don't know how much better it can get than that! Nice tank!

So far my skimmerless/sumpless 30G is coming along nicely. Nitrates have been zero for months now. I have been doing a one gallon water change whenever detritus build-up is detectable. I simply syphon the gunk out and that's it.

Here is a more recent pic:

 

[onefin]

I use to have a 55 gallon with no skimmer or sump.

 

[johara]

Aquabucket - Thanks! Your tank is looking great. Is it bare bottom or sand?

Onefin - Did you have problems skimmerless or just decide to try a skimmer on a different tank?

 

[Aquabucket]

Thanks johara!

Its a 4-1/2" DSB framed in by a 4" wide peice of white acrylic so you don't see the sides of the nasty looking part of the DSB.

I use airline tubing to syphon the detritus without removing the sand. I pinch the tube when moving around to the dead spots. I can easily remove all the gunk in my tank without filling up a gallon jug.

I also gently stir up the surface of the bed daily and baste my LR often.

 

[johara]

Very clean looking and sounds like good maintenance procedures to keep it that way!

 

[Sting]

My 37G doesn't have a sump or a refugium, and didn't have a skimmer for the longest time. I bought an Aqua C Remora Pro Skimmer for my tank about 6 months ago and it has been the best thing I have ever done for my tank. I didn't realize how much I really needed it in the beginning, when I didn't have one, but seeing all the waste it pulls out each day makes me so grateful that I made the purchase. I will never have a tank without a skimmer again. As for a sump or refugium, I honestly don't have enough space, or I'd do it. A HOB refugium might be in future plans, but not for now. If you'd like to see pics of what my tank was like, please visit my gallery (or I can post them if your lazy...just ask ) but also remember my tank was wiped out by Frances, so it looks totally different now- a 100% revamped tank, with a 100% improvement, even though it's still cycling lol.

 

[NorthernCF]

Sumps go a long way for controling heat and getting the heaters out of the display... and HOB skimmers are not cool IMO.