Making my way to filterless, or at least close

[kris walker]

Hi everyone,
Inspired by the recent successes of some on this board, I am slowly making my way to being filterless on my 29 gal. A few days ago I removed my Empereror 330. The tank's now only using a cheap Lee's protien skimmer. This was a big step for me, and I felt

[hr]
after removing it because I used to blow detritus off the bottom to let it get collected by the Empereror. But I feel better now.
I still add Kent's Coral Acell and kalk drip daily, Coral Vite weekly, and a tiny bid of ground up fish every week. I have 3 hermits, 15 snails, 2 leathers, xenia, star polyps, mushrooms, a moon, live CC substrate, 45 lbs LR, and 2 clumps of caulerpa.
I'll keep you all updated if anything bad happens.
sam

 

[y2says]

I'm filterless too and skimmerless. So far the tank is doing fine exept for my green algae on the glass. I think it's because of my phosphate level and the length of time I keeps my lights on.

 

[kenobi]

If your so into reefs, Why not an eco-system filter. You won't have to add all those chemicals. Except kalk. oNce in awile.

 

[kelly]

Kenobi,
I did a little reading on the eco-system, the mud filter sounds promising. It does need re-charging about every 2 years though. The people at the site get back to you quickly, and are willing to talk to you about their product(mud). The even explain how to setup the refugium, etc.

 

[kenobi]

I know KElly,
Whats even better is building your own sump and only buying the mud. Works quite well.

 

[kenobi]

What do you want to know???????

 

[kris walker]

One step at a time Kenobi. Perhaps in time, once I understand them, and if I'm convinced that they are better than a DLSB, I will get one.
sam

 

[fshhub]

i like filterless, at first we were skeptikal too, but now for 2 months, no filters, we had and emporer 400,and removed one filter at a time, and are now running completely filterless and skimmerless, and our tank is healthier than our old 40fo ever was, we still use the emporer for circualtion with no media, and if we ever need it ,we can add carbon easy enough
hehaheaha,LOL, wasn't that you? LOL, jsut kinda ironic, 3 days ago, i htought i'd never hear that from you sam
LOL

 

[kris walker]

Yea Fshhub, I started the biowheels post. But for the record, I stopped using the Empereror's biowheels 2 weeks ago, way before I started that post. Just a few days ago I removed the Empereror from the tank altogether (replaced with powerhead for circulation). I don't need the extra aerobic surface area, and I also was a thinking that lots of pods were being swept up in my Empereror, pods which could serve me better in the tank.
Cheers,
sam

 

[fshhub]

ditto on the thinking, we put our filters ina bucket with wet sand, for a few days, when we removed our last one, maybe the pods'll get back in that way, like using stockings with old substrate, maybe not, anyhow that sand is going in our ref, with @ 1 or 2 cups of our dsb(for seeding reasons)

 

[kris walker]

Sounds like a good idea. I've heard of certain types of pods establishing a home base in filters. I am curious how it will turn out. The only thing I would still be concerned about is the rotating motor killing pods that go up the tube. I don't know if their size protects them (if too small, they may not be killed).
sam

 

[fshhub]

some may get churned, some may pass(not sure), and most will stay in the ref, giving it the adde benefit of their presence,and the ones that may or may not get churned only feed your system anyhow, or your skimmer'll get em, but they are an added benefit to the system in the ref too
and if it's not built yet, or feaable, gravity feed, wasn't possible here at all, but i' thnking about a hang on and just using the tank for a sump