would I be able to get rid of my skimmer

[mockranouse]

I've been working on finally getting a sump set up on my 45 gallon over the past couple weeks to get my skimmer and heater out of the tank and I currently have a hang on back skimmer that I've been using for almost a year now. I've been browsing the forums over the past few days and I've come across a lot of threads about people going skimmerless with no problems even with large tanks. My question is do you guys think it would be a problem if I ditched the skimmer and just started running carbon in my sump? does anyone here not run a skimmer on larger tanks?

 

[mr86mister]

This will be a good topic and discussion. IMO, if you decide to get without a skimmer. Make sure you are doing weekly water changes religiously. Maybe even twice a week. I would recommend against it but I have seen it done with out.

 

[mockranouse]

I am already doing weekly water changes religiously and I think it will be much easier to keep up with them with a sump that's easier to access then my main tank

 

[tent boy]

I think there is a Lfs that just does water changes.

 

[pascal32]

Hopefully some more seasoned folks will chime in.

Skimmers remove DOC (Dissolved Organic Compounds) which result from the breakdown of food, fish poo, and things of the sort. I believe excess of these can fuel algae blooms and affect water quality. Carbon (if I remember correctly) can remove some DOC, though I believe a skimmer is more effective and also has the advantage of removing thing BEFORE breakdown like phosphate and proteins. at the same time a skimmer aerates the water.

I'm no expert by any means, though I wouldn't be surprised to see a correlation between low low-load (amount of fish) and success without a skimmer over a larger period of time.

You could likely make up for this with increased water changes.

like i said we should wait for the more seasoned folks to chime in

 

[acdraindrps]

Hopefully some more seasoned folks will chime in.

Skimmers remove DOC (Dissolved Organic Compounds) which result from the breakdown of food, fish poo, and things of the sort. I believe excess of these can fuel algae blooms and affect water quality. Carbon (if I remember correctly) can remove some DOC, though I believe a skimmer is more effective and also has the advantage of removing thing BEFORE breakdown like phosphate and proteins. at the same time a skimmer aerates the water.

I'm no expert by any means, though I wouldn't be surprised to see a correlation between low low-load (amount of fish) and success without a skimmer over a larger period of time.

You could likely make up for this with increased water changes.

like i said we should wait for the more seasoned folks to chime in

A skimmer also oxygenates your tank, and helps adjust pH.

 

[tmz]

Activated carbon is probably more effective in removing organics particularly dissolved organics than skimming but skimming may export organics without an affinity for carbon including larger chains,bacteria, etc.

Skimming is very effective at aeration( gas exchange) and can help reduce CO2 in the tankwater.It also adds oxygen from the air which is particularly important during non photosynthetic periods.

Some corals like higher organics( TOC) ,xenia, capnella, etc) ; some do not and will perish when they are high. I skim my sps doninant system heavily. I also run a 65 g with just mushrooms ,leathers, xenia with virtually no skimming and it does ok .Although even with activated carbon and gfo nutrient levels are relatively high.

 

[laxing22]

Every week I empty a cup of nasty from my skimmer. Just seeing what it takes out tells me I need a skimmer. I also run carbon.

 

[jacksonpt]

I'll throw in my $.02... but I'm far from a model reefer, so don't automatically assume my experience/advice is golden.

I ran skimmerless for about 6 years. IME, the key to being successful is an ultralight bioload... go light on the fish and super light on the feedings.

I never ran GFO on any of my skimmerless systems, but carbon definitely helped.

 

[truebeliever71]

Have you considered switching out your skimmer for algae scrubber? I've been doing some reading on them and am considering experimenting with one myself. There's a very informative thread on filter forum.

 

[tmz]

The algae scrubber will add organics not export them. It will process out some nitrate and phosphate as any algae growth will and produce organics via photosynthesis. Skimmers and algae scrubbers perform significantly different functions. Lots of uniformed Turf scrubber zealots some with a a commercial interest overstate the case for algae turf scrubbers ,no skimmer, no waterchanges, fixes you coffee in the morning and so on. An ATS is not bad addition to a system but won't replace other elements.

 

[tmz]

Here is a current thread on skimmerless vs skimmer:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2018134