No skimmer?

[baylisc]

I am planning on running a 30 gallon with 45 lbs of lr and about 15 lbs of LS (want no more then an inch of sand bed).
I was reading the forums and saw that someone has a 20 gallon running with live rock and sand without a skimmer or filtration except the rock.. Link
any thoughts on this? I didnt know this could be done and didnt think it could be done. any feedback or random thoughts on this topic is greatly apreciated.
I would like to have about 4 fish in the tank, is this possible without a skimmer? would you recomend not having a skimmer?

 

[nero]

I have heard of people having no skimmer on a small reef tank, with little or no fish, but if you wanted 4 fish i would recommend getting a skimmer (unless you didnt want any coral or anenomies). if you didnt want coral or anenomies, i think the live rock and just a HOB filter should do the trick (IMO). just make sure that you keep an eye on the nitrates, if they are always high then you should get a skimmer.
BUT 4 fish could mean, 4 small fish, or 4 big fish, or 4 mixed fish... if you have 4 med sized fish, that is a huge bioload for a 30g tank; as opposed to a 30g tank with 4 small fish which should be fine. you have to take everything into consideration... fish size, fish waste, fish food waste... <---this is all my opinion, not necissarily facts...
sorry if i completly confused you, i am running on lots of coffee and little sleep right now, hehe (so im sure i sound like i am rambling or i have ADD or something)... so please ask me if you dont understand anything
:jumping: <---me + coffee

 

[baylisc]

lol, i understood you. THanks for the info. the plan would be 4 small fish. fyi in my mind i consider small fish 1 to 2 inches.

 

[flatzboy]

I would do a 2-3 inch sand bed, and I wouldn't recomend running know filtration except liverock and a skimmer. I highly recomend getting a skimmer like the aquac remora isn't to loud.

 

[sergeant]

I ran my 37 gallon fish only for 2 years without a skimmer and didnt had any problems with it. It had cc and a few base rocks for the fish to hide. I had a perc clown, 3 chromis, a few crabbs, and a couple of damsels. Just make sure you keep up with the maintnance of the filter and water changes. HTH