anyone run a "coral only" tank??

[kidwicked]

what type of filtration would something like that need?
Can a setup like that go without any mechanical filtration since theres really no waste is there?

 

[zoie2]

Right now I have a coral only, no actually it has snails, hermit crabs and a cleaner shrimp, but there are no fish, if that's what you mean. I would suggest a filter because you still have to feed your coral. Any excess food should be filtered out. Also, depending on the coral you get, they can shed (like my leather toad stool). I'm not sure what happens to the sheded stuff, but I think a filter would help with stuff like that. But I am new, I started in Dec. so maybe someone else can answer you better, but I would want a filter.

 

[acrylic51]

IMO a sump/fuge would be plenty of filtration......Same as on a reef setup......Fish are a little more tolerant to water than corals.

 

[kidwicked]

theres no waste from corals that live only on light

 

[teen]

the corals still release toxins into the water, kind of like a bio-warfare, this is why you need a skimmer. my tanks wwas coral only up until a few days ago, but then i got a sixline wrasse and a GSM clown, and before them, my skimmer still pulled out some really dark gunky stuff, that smelt horrible.

 

[acrylic51]

Originally Posted by KidWicked
theres no waste from corals that live only on light
Every living thing would give off some bi product regardless of how small it's still waste.....

 

[al mc]

Teen and Acrylic are correct. All livings things have cellular decay and death. Even healthy organisms are constantly replacing 'old' cells. In addition many corals do release toxins. I believe these are protein based.
Good filtration (natural or mechanical) and a good skimmer are a must IMO.

 

[teen]

imo, natural filtration is better for a reef. a refugium makes a more "real" reef imo, then a tank with a fluval.

 

[fishgeek01]

Originally Posted by KidWicked
theres no waste from corals that live only on light
This is an inaccurate peice of information, with every biological process there are wastes put off, even if you are not feeding there are wastes present, it is still important to have filtration on your tank, a fuge/sump just like a reef would be best case. Its basically the same tank just without the extra bioload of the fish

 

[acrylic51]

Originally Posted by Fishgeek01
This is an inaccurate peice of information, with every biological process there are wastes put off, even if you are not feeding there are wastes present, it is still important to have filtration on your tank, a fuge/sump just like a reef would be best case. Its basically the same tank just without the extra bioload of the fish

 

[dragonboy]

Yeah corals poop too cause you see mushroom, fragspawn, hammer and some other put out some brown stuff which is basically waste. But I dunno about sps coral they are probably micro waste.