Is My Tank Okay Without a filter?
- Thread starter jw1977
- Start date
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by jw1977 http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314682
My emperror 280 died a week ago and I have been without a filter. I do have a skimmer. I'm upgrading tanks so I don't want to buy a new filter. Will my tank be okay for a few weeks without one?
If you don't have a sump/refugium...have some water made up and ready to do a water change if need be and keep an eye on things, do your water tests.
Originally Posted by jw1977 http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314682
My emperror 280 died a week ago and I have been without a filter. I do have a skimmer. I'm upgrading tanks so I don't want to buy a new filter. Will my tank be okay for a few weeks without one?
If you don't have a sump/refugium...have some water made up and ready to do a water change if need be and keep an eye on things, do your water tests.
deejeff442
Active Member
ran my 90 gallon for over ten years without a filter.had a sump with just rock rubble and lr in the tank.now my 250 gallon reef same thing nothing but lr and rubble.no you do not need a mechanical filter when you have lr.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314703
ran my 90 gallon for over ten years without a filter.had a sump with just rock rubble and lr in the tank.now my 250 gallon reef same thing nothing but lr and rubble.no you do not need a mechanical filter when you have lr.
You have a filter...you have a sump.
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314703
ran my 90 gallon for over ten years without a filter.had a sump with just rock rubble and lr in the tank.now my 250 gallon reef same thing nothing but lr and rubble.no you do not need a mechanical filter when you have lr.
You have a filter...you have a sump.
deejeff442
Active Member
how is a sump full of rock rubble considered a filter? whats the difference if the rock is in the dt or in the sump?i only use a sump to add more rock and the heaters,pump,reactor.
i just dont see why a scrubber and all the fancy stuff makes eneough difference to be worth the work?i have run skimmers and have gotten junk out of the water but i do water changes which are still needed even with all the fancy add ons.my water is always great.i put rock rubble in the sump so i dont need to have as much lr in the dt for more room.
the way i have learned for myself is alot of lr ,alot of flow,dont overstock add livestock slowly for the bacteria to grow with the bioload and thats it.i do however run phosphate remover just because i have alot of light and dont want to encourage algea.i do think it dont hurt to have all the goodies and they look cool and inpressive but just not worth all the work and maintanance to me.
i just dont see why a scrubber and all the fancy stuff makes eneough difference to be worth the work?i have run skimmers and have gotten junk out of the water but i do water changes which are still needed even with all the fancy add ons.my water is always great.i put rock rubble in the sump so i dont need to have as much lr in the dt for more room.
the way i have learned for myself is alot of lr ,alot of flow,dont overstock add livestock slowly for the bacteria to grow with the bioload and thats it.i do however run phosphate remover just because i have alot of light and dont want to encourage algea.i do think it dont hurt to have all the goodies and they look cool and inpressive but just not worth all the work and maintanance to me.
acrylic51
Active Member
That is not correct.....you don't need mechanical filtration to run a successful tank....Some of the best, well stock, well maintained aquariums you would be highly shocked to see they run nothing more than a sump/fuge, and a "GOOD PROTEIN SKIMMER".....That is the key, not mechanical.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by deedle http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314699
yes you have to have a filter because it is the main source of filtration going on in your tank it also helps your fish thrive!
Quote:
Originally Posted by deedle http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314699
yes you have to have a filter because it is the main source of filtration going on in your tank it also helps your fish thrive!
acrylic51
Active Member
A sump full of rubble rock IMHO means very little....If the sump/fuge isn't setup correctly, the right flow, it is worthless IMHO....Water going to fast through the sump gives very little contact time for anything to really happen. Contact time meaning time for the skimmer to process the incoming water....Your protein skimmer will not and does not process all the water going into the sump. Deejeff442, perhaps you should fully take the time to understand that the addition of a sump/fuge increases your overall water volume!!!!!! Increasing your overall water volume has a simple solution....."Dilution is the Solution". Simply meaning larger water volume the contaimanents are diluted....
Yes your correct....No one ever claimed that all the gadgets take the work out of the hobby. Even with all the fanciest gadgets you still have to understand and practice 1 very important thing....Water Chemistry.....A skimmer removes "junk" from the water. Yes water changes do work, but are you doing small, balanced water changes 24/7?????? No.....so to add and help with the removal of these unwanted; protein skimmers fit the bill......Algae scrubbers for example isn't exactly a new technoloy.....just something that was thrown to the wayside, and just like trends in todays fashions....what was old and outdated thinking has a way of reinventing itself sometime later!!!!!! You spoke of using a Phosphate remover.....With incorrect water flow through it and such are u benefiting? How do you know the water flow is correct through it? Hmmmm a flow meter would clue me in.
Again not an attack, but yes there is more to just throwing rock in a tank, and there is a real theory or logic behind the science or practice, and no one ever said all the gadgets will negate the physical hands on or solve the problems.
Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314718
how is a sump full of rock rubble considered a filter? whats the difference if the rock is in the dt or in the sump?i only use a sump to add more rock and the heaters,pump,reactor.
i just dont see why a scrubber and all the fancy stuff makes eneough difference to be worth the work?i have run skimmers and have gotten junk out of the water but i do water changes which are still needed even with all the fancy add ons.my water is always great.i put rock rubble in the sump so i dont need to have as much lr in the dt for more room.
the way i have learned for myself is alot of lr ,alot of flow,dont overstock add livestock slowly for the bacteria to grow with the bioload and thats it.i do however run phosphate remover just because i have alot of light and dont want to encourage algea.i do think it dont hurt to have all the goodies and they look cool and inpressive but just not worth all the work and maintanance to me.
Yes your correct....No one ever claimed that all the gadgets take the work out of the hobby. Even with all the fanciest gadgets you still have to understand and practice 1 very important thing....Water Chemistry.....A skimmer removes "junk" from the water. Yes water changes do work, but are you doing small, balanced water changes 24/7?????? No.....so to add and help with the removal of these unwanted; protein skimmers fit the bill......Algae scrubbers for example isn't exactly a new technoloy.....just something that was thrown to the wayside, and just like trends in todays fashions....what was old and outdated thinking has a way of reinventing itself sometime later!!!!!! You spoke of using a Phosphate remover.....With incorrect water flow through it and such are u benefiting? How do you know the water flow is correct through it? Hmmmm a flow meter would clue me in.
Again not an attack, but yes there is more to just throwing rock in a tank, and there is a real theory or logic behind the science or practice, and no one ever said all the gadgets will negate the physical hands on or solve the problems.
Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314718
how is a sump full of rock rubble considered a filter? whats the difference if the rock is in the dt or in the sump?i only use a sump to add more rock and the heaters,pump,reactor.
i just dont see why a scrubber and all the fancy stuff makes eneough difference to be worth the work?i have run skimmers and have gotten junk out of the water but i do water changes which are still needed even with all the fancy add ons.my water is always great.i put rock rubble in the sump so i dont need to have as much lr in the dt for more room.
the way i have learned for myself is alot of lr ,alot of flow,dont overstock add livestock slowly for the bacteria to grow with the bioload and thats it.i do however run phosphate remover just because i have alot of light and dont want to encourage algea.i do think it dont hurt to have all the goodies and they look cool and inpressive but just not worth all the work and maintanance to me.
acrylic51
Active Member
Agree +1 As Flower stated you have a filter, and your skimmer, and water changes......
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314707
You have a filter...you have a sump.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3314707
You have a filter...you have a sump.
deejeff442
Active Member
as pointed out a sump does increase water volume but if there is something going wrong in the tank it just takes a bit longer for the junk in the water to go bad.a sump still doesnt solve the problem at hand.how much lr do you have?what ph's ?i am not against hob filters on smaller systems that dont have alot of lr.i run a canister on my qt.
jw1977 how long before you upgrade?i run my mantis tank with a small amount of lr and a hob.also imo a sump increases the oxygen in the water more splashing more oxygen.
you can go a while without the filter as long as you watch the water tests and keep up with the water changes before it goes bad.feed a bit less.but if you are going to be a couple months before upgrade probably best to get another filter.put the media from the old filter in the tank so it has bacteria on it for the new filter.
jw1977 how long before you upgrade?i run my mantis tank with a small amount of lr and a hob.also imo a sump increases the oxygen in the water more splashing more oxygen.
you can go a while without the filter as long as you watch the water tests and keep up with the water changes before it goes bad.feed a bit less.but if you are going to be a couple months before upgrade probably best to get another filter.put the media from the old filter in the tank so it has bacteria on it for the new filter.
spanko
Active Member
Isn't a skimmer a mechanical filter???
I ain't sayin, I'm just sayin.
"All marine systems should have at least some extra mechanical filtration in addition to biological (and protein skimming). Their purpose may well be redundant, but isn't the cost of a safety-net "back-up" well worth the cost? Yes it is." Bob Fenner
My opinion also.
I ain't sayin, I'm just sayin.
"All marine systems should have at least some extra mechanical filtration in addition to biological (and protein skimming). Their purpose may well be redundant, but isn't the cost of a safety-net "back-up" well worth the cost? Yes it is." Bob Fenner
My opinion also.
deejeff442
Active Member
i agree especially for newer hobbyists.imo the more mature the tank gets the less mechanical filters are needed.i have rock that is 20 yrs old and never been out of water for less than minutes.
i always keep a sponge in the sump in case its needed.i have 3 hob filters in the closet .as experienced hobbyists know these tanks can turn on you in a minute sometimes.but i just dont run all the stuff in tandem all the time.i really should hook up my octo extreme its paid for and just sitting there.but i am too lazy.
i always keep a sponge in the sump in case its needed.i have 3 hob filters in the closet .as experienced hobbyists know these tanks can turn on you in a minute sometimes.but i just dont run all the stuff in tandem all the time.i really should hook up my octo extreme its paid for and just sitting there.but i am too lazy.
dbridges
New Member
i hope im posting this correctly. i have a 55g. i have a wet/dry with proten skimmer. it has the balls and rock in it. the stores telling me to switch over to the sock system. i want to grow corals and such more then i want to have a lot of fish in there. what should i do. is one better then the other?
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by DBRIDGES http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3315847
i hope im posting this correctly. i have a 55g. i have a wet/dry with proten skimmer. it has the balls and rock in it. the stores telling me to switch over to the sock system. i want to grow corals and such more then i want to have a lot of fish in there. what should i do. is one better then the other?
I don't think so, one is just more work then the other. JMO
Originally Posted by DBRIDGES http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3315847
i hope im posting this correctly. i have a 55g. i have a wet/dry with proten skimmer. it has the balls and rock in it. the stores telling me to switch over to the sock system. i want to grow corals and such more then i want to have a lot of fish in there. what should i do. is one better then the other?
I don't think so, one is just more work then the other. JMO
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3315867
In over 30 years of reefkeeping I have never used mechanical filtration other than running water through GAC for a couple days when the gelbstof accumulates.
Sorry don't understand .. what is a GAC?
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///forum/thread/380776/is-my-tank-okay-without-a-filter#post_3315867
In over 30 years of reefkeeping I have never used mechanical filtration other than running water through GAC for a couple days when the gelbstof accumulates.
Sorry don't understand .. what is a GAC?