Anyone doing a skimmerless SPS tank?

[LivinTheSwreefLife]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone is (successfully) keeping a skimmerless SPS tank. I have very limited room in my sump and have tried a HOB skimmer but it's not working and have been toying with the idea of doing no skimmer at all. My phosphates and nitrates are currently 0, but my tank is only a few months old.

Thoughts on this? Is it a terrible idea, or could it work with enough water changes (I do once a week)?

 

[kacrocorals581]

I have a skimmerless sps tank but I don't care about fish so I only have 3 small fish in there that feed off the pods and other stuff in the tank never have to feed them but I have a lot more pods and other life cause I don't have a huge skimmer pulling out there food I also have a 40gal fuge and algae turff scrubber and a criptic zone full of sponges and other goodies that filter the water and also can't remember the last time I changed the water so it can absolutely be done but it comes with good planning and picking correct tank inhabitants

 

[LetItReef]

We have mix reef on our standard 29g. Had a HOB skimmer for about 3 months and params are good. On my third attempt to clean it, it no longer skims. About 4 months now I do not have a HOB skimmer and params are same that we have the skimmer BUT I am on the market for a new skimmer just could not find what I want/afford this time. I do about a gallon on topoff a week and do about 5g water changes every two weeks.

 

[Pife]

I had a buddy that ran a 220 skimmerless. He did water changes and a sump full of cheato.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/11397679786_cf43402e3b_b.jpg

 

[mcarroll]

It's a great idea, but you'll have to be fairly strict about keeping the bio-load correct. The tendency is to over-stock.

 

[Pete polyp]

I have 7 fish in a 40 breeder sps tank (65 gallons total) with no skimmer, and my 29 mixed reef doesn't have a skimmer. The 40 was the first tank I have ever used a skimmer on. After dumping the skimmate back into the sump for 6 Months I just took it out and put it in my closet. I also have gone months without doing water changes on both tanks and had to dose nitrate during that time. I had cheato in the sump but it died because the tank lacked nutrients to keep it alive.

 

[scardall]

Yes you can

I haven't used a skimmer in years. I use 2 small reactors with carbon and GFO. Not saying a skimmer should not be used. But success can be had, depending on your husbandry habits etc.

 

[swk]

A very well respected sponsor here that specializes in SPS told me that he has been experimenting with skimmerless setups, namely in frag tanks and the results have been encouraging.

I think the trend has been moving away from low nutrient SPS systems so this seems like a logical next step in that train of thought.

 

[beastium]

that cryptic

 

[swk]

that cryptic

Say wha?

 

[beastium]

Say wha?

I was referring to kacrocorals system. Seems the cryptic refugium is very beneficial, and is the only thing he lists that isn't so commonly found as filtration.. except for the Lack of a skimmer

 

[LivinTheSwreefLife]

Thank you all for the responses! This has been really informative. I think I will try no skimmer and see how it goes.

 

[zesty]

I've been maintaining a tank for the past 2.5 years that is nothing more than live rock, sand, light, flow and a heater. Small sump for the heater, a small fuge and a return area, no socks. The nutrient export is me, every week a 25% water change.

It's not how I do my personal tank, but it's how he wants his tank taken care of and I cannot argue with him. His tank usually (always) looks better than mine... haha! However, I've noticed that acclimation is more important to watch on his tank vs my tank. Does this mean anything on this subject, who knows.

Here's a monti that was added as a fresh cut frag. (ahh, the blue)

Full tank shot, it is a mixed reef, but there are sps littered in there and growing!

 

[beastium]

Zesty, won't you need to supplement for ca and al K eventually

 

[Vaughn17]

I have three skimmerless tanks: a 38 g SPS, a 40 breeder mixed reef, and a 20 g QT. I use an Aqueon HOB freshwater filter on all three tanks and overstock with coral not fish. My nitrates are so low in the 38 that I'm planning on adding two more fish. I feed fish and corals heavily, btw, and have three scolys, five acanthophyllia, and five plates in the 40 breeder that I spot feed every other night. Also, have no sumps. Good husbandry is important, and I use a turkey baster to blow debris off the rocks several times per week and do water changes every ten to fourteen days.

IMO SPS utilize a fair amount of nitrates and phosphates. My 38 has never had nitrates higher than .25 and the phosphates are so low that I removed my in-tank DIY GFO reactor.