Anyone Running Larger Skimmerless Tanks?

[killagoby]

I've got a new 70 gallon tank and the skimmer I bought is not working properly. I was wondering if anyone is running a large skimmerless tank? If so, how large and what is the bio-load?

[FlamesFan]

I know this is not the answer your looking for but why not just return the skimmer for a new one?

[killagoby]

I tried. I've been in contact with both Euro-Reef and Marine Depot. They stated they would have to make a special exception because it has been up and running for over 3 months now. Euro-Reef's answer is to send me a new Sedra pump. In the last 24 hours it has flooded twice, and nothing was added to the tank in that time.

[killagoby]

They sent me a new pinwheel. It looks like it has a different pin configuration than the old one. I just installed it tonight. Let see how it does in the next 24 to 48 hours.

[skinz78]

I have a 125 w 30g sump/fuge skimmerless.

26 tridacnid clams
crowded mixed reef sps lps
4 clowns
1 sailfin tang
1 naso tang
1 scooter blennie
1 lawnmower blennie
2 damsels
1 snowflake eel
lots of inverts


all are thriveing

[killagoby]

skinz78- How long has the tank been up and running? How often do you do water changes?

[uztaryn]

I have heard of people using cryptic fuges for skimmers. Sponges filter better than any skimmer could ever hope to. The problem is growing enough sponges to be benificial.

[killagoby]

Originally posted by uztaryn
I have heard of people using cryptic fuges for skimmers. Sponges filter better than any skimmer could ever hope to. The problem is growing enough sponges to be benificial.

How does this work?

[skinz78]

I have just upgraded my tank from my 75 to my 125 3 months ago, I don't do water changes.

[steven_dean17]

(skinz78)No water changes? That's very interesting. I'm not saying your not doing it, I've just never heard of this before. I would love to hear your answer as to why you don't need to. I for one would love to never do another water change.

[orcafood]

Wow, no water changes skinz78, how do you do it?

[geoxman]

I just went skimmerless. I was only running it for 2 days per week at max any way. I was running a recirculating mesh modded Octopus 200.
I have a total of around 85 gallons and a 35 gallon fuge.
1 onyx clown
2 chromis
1 six line
1 cardinal
1 crocea 4in
1 12inch squamosa
typical clean up crew
I change about 15-20% per month
This tank is a little over a year old

good luck

[hybridgenius]

NO WATER CHANGES........ hmmmmmmmm. My reply is that would be... I WISH.

[skinz78]

I knew I would get you all wound up with my tank, lol. I know it sounds impossible but my water paramaters all stay within check. I add seachem reef builder and reef buffer twice a week to keep my ph and alk up to par.

Did I mention too that I use tapwater, no rodi. I also don't have to add calcium, even with 26 clams and all of my corals. It constantly stays at between 420 and 450 ppm.

I have taken some pic's of my tank for the non belevers. Sorry I suck at takeing pic's. For more click on my gallery, and no the cow tat is not me

first pic is of a sponge that all water must flow through in my sump before returning to the display tank, I had a carbon filter break and haven't had time to clean it from the sump yet. I beleve this sponge cleans most of the larger particles from my water. I have to wash it out once a week, it is dirty in the pic.


this is the right side of my tank



mid tank



left side



I feel very fortunate that my impossible tank is very possible for me for some unexplained reason. And I do have a skimmer on standby just in case.

[steven_dean17]

skinz78 you got it made man, good for you! I'm refuse to say your not doing the right thing. I wish I had the Know how to do what your doing, thats for d*** sure.

[atzak]

I think 26 clams is a big part of skinz success, they are living filters. How long has this tank been running?

killagoby, I take care of a 150 that is skimmerless, it has 3 tangs, a pair of clowns, a couple damsels, and a couple cardinals. A few hardy corals and inverts. I change 20 gallons every 2 weeks

[killagoby]

Gotta tell you guys, I don't think my ER RS-100 is even skimming anything. They sent out a new pinwheel so it would stop overflowing randomly. Now with the new pinwheel it has not skimmed a thing. It does not even produce thicker foam that rises to the top of the cup. Kind of frustrated with the whole issue. I keep telling myself maybe my bio-load isn't that great, but I feed often and I know there is crap in my tank. How can a skimmer be working but not pull anything out of the water. The bubbles are fine but they just remain in the middle of the the riser tube.

[skinz78]

this current tank has only been up for about 3 months. I had a 75 that I just moved everything but the sand from. Clams do filter but I think they are doing a minimal amout for the tank. When I did the swap some of my sps's and lps's lost thier color, they are white but still alive . I don't know if it was just stress or if it is because of the lack of the skimmer.

I really can't explain it. My thinking on the clacium staying up high is maybe because I have a mixture of crushed coral for my sandbed? Most of my rock is gulf rock too, It isn't too exciteing but I am thinking it may contribute? My water is on a community spring fed systym that they don't add anything to YET. But I know it is soon comeing. Also my tapwater has pretty much no cal.

[nemofishclt]

I run a 300 Gal with mostly FOWLR. but I have some clams and lps corals no skimmer

BUT I run a pretty big sump, I thinka bout 500 gallons connected with my 155 bowfront. I have like a 150 Gal Refugium, A 50 Gal Mangrove system with over 12 inches of Miracle mud and sand. the water goes through 3 sponge filters, carbon, NO-NITRATE powder, chemipure, Ozone, UV

All my sumps are shown so it looks like I have

A 300 Gal tank
A 50 Gal Tank
A 125 Gal Tank
A 150 Gal Tank

It looks pretty cool if you show all your sumps and connect them. They are all against a wall so behind the wall is where the ozone uv sponge filters etc are.

personally... it looks friggin awesome.

[Snowboarda42]

Originally posted by killagoby
Gotta tell you guys, I don't think my ER RS-100 is even skimming anything. They sent out a new pinwheel so it would stop overflowing randomly. Now with the new pinwheel it has not skimmed a thing. It does not even produce thicker foam that rises to the top of the cup. Kind of frustrated with the whole issue. I keep telling myself maybe my bio-load isn't that great, but I feed often and I know there is crap in my tank. How can a skimmer be working but not pull anything out of the water. The bubbles are fine but they just remain in the middle of the the riser tube.

You might still be going through the break in. There's other little factors as well with skimming (i.e. hands in tank, foods containing oils, etc.) that will make your skimmer unable to create any sort of foam head. Keep your hand out of your tank for at least a few days and see what happens.

[atzak]

skimmers sometimes take a few days before they start skimming, give it some time and see what happens before you decide it sucks. Although my H and S was skimming when there was only instant ocean in the water.

skinz, it's only been 3 months, get back to us in a year.

[killagoby]

Originally posted by Snowboarda42
You might still be going through the break in. There's other little factors as well with skimming (i.e. hands in tank, foods containing oils, etc.) that will make your skimmer unable to create any sort of foam head. Keep your hand out of your tank for at least a few days and see what happens.

It's been up and running for 3 months. With the old pinwheel it has skimmed. It also was overflowing every 12 to 24 hours. I got the new pinwheel from Euro Reef the other day and now it won't even create a foam head.

[sd_schoppert]

The pinwheel might have some kind of oil or lubricant on it and needs to work its self out before it starts to skim.

[killagoby]

It started producing skimmate last night. So far no flooding with the new pinwheel either.

[Crush Coral]

I can really get verbally spanked here. I don't run a skimmer either, yet. I have a 75 with a rena canister filter pushing through a reverse flow undergravel filter. Tank has been up for a year now. I also have 120 lbs of live rock. There are 6 corals, snails, a clown fish, a mandarin goby (have had for 7 months now) and a cleaner shrimp. Will be adding more fish soon. In the canister filter I have foam, ceramic tubes (like I need anything like that with 75 lbs of crushed coral in the ungravel), chemi-pure and phos-zorb. Everything is happy as long as my darn tubo snail does not knock the frags into the gravel where they pick up brown slime. I would like to hang a priz skimmer on the tank. Anyone used one? I am curious about how much noise they make.