Running my with only LR Filtration.

[lutz493]

Ok..
Tank is a 55 basically acting as a holding tank while my 150 gallon project comes to a close. I'll beable to move the fish from this 55 to the 150 in about 3 more weeks.
On this tank I have a Mag 350 Canister and a Prizim Pro Hang-on Skimmer.
I had a problem with Micro Bubbles and turned off my equipment and after about a week everyone is the way it should be. I have ruffly 90lbs of LR in this tank and I have a Yellow Tang and a few other fish in there awaiting the 150 Gallon.
My Mag 350 isn't working properly at all and blows tons of bubbles into tank I want to leave it off. That leaves me with my LR and Skimmer for filtration.
The Skimmer makes bubbles too and I have to constantly adjust it for the bubbles to end. I want to leave this off too.
My tank has been up since last October with proper readings. Can my LR and my powerheads be enough for my fish?
I assume it is well enough established that the LR alone can handle the Ammonia/Nitrites produced by my fish.
Am I ok with this? It will be 4 weeks total by time they are moved into 150 gallon.

 

[aileena]

I really do not think that LR by itself with the powerheads are enough....there is nothing pulling out the crap...
You should invest in a good skimmer...You can certainly get by with the LR and the skimmer with the powerheads...
Are you running a sump??? I think that on tanks over 90g you almost have to run a sump??? If not then you certainly need one hell of a hangon skimmer....I don't think the remora pro would even do a good job on that size tank...maybe with the surface skimmer box...
You definetly need a skimmer with the LR in my opinion

 

[fshhub]

with enough LR and a good dsb and conservative stocking, YES you could get by.
A skimmer is not a bad asset at all, in fact I do reccomend them, but you could manage with out one.
However, In a tank like that, if you want to stay skimmerless, i would reccomend the use of arefugium. That would be an awesome compliment and asset to your tank.

 

[aileena]

Ya I totally forgot about the refugium...you could even turn your sump into a refugium....I would use a 30g tank....they even have small hang on the back refugiums called ecosystems...I am not sure how well they work since I never tried it....
I would get a skimmer though...I thought they were a waste of money until after the first 2 weeks when I pulled out a pound of brown sludge...

 

[lutz493]

Thanks -
The question I posted is actually about my 55 Gallon not the 150 Gallon. After reading my initial post I suppose I did not make that clear.
The 150 Gallon is still being put together and is not gonna be fish ready for 3 weeks. I have a DiY Sump, Skimmer, Fuge etc for that already.
The Question on the 55 Gallon is that because the Hang-On Skimmer and Mag 350 Filter aren't turned-on is that going to cause problems with the health of my fish for the next 3 weeks?
There is good amount of LR in the tank a 2 1/2 inch Sand Bed and 2 Maxi Jet 1200s keeping things moving around.
I have no other place to put my fish cept for a 15 Gallon QT running off a Eclipse Hood and Fluval. I do not want to stick a Yellow Tang in there for 3 weeks.
After reading Fshhub post, it seems I will infact be ok for the next 3 weeks.
Thank you.

 

[fshhub]

you should be ok, but just remember to NOT overfeed
and keep up on your water changes til then

 

[starfishjackedme]

I have run a 55 gal with about 90 lbs of LR with no skimmer with great success. Then again, it only had 5 damsels and corals. 440watts of VHO over it too. My nitrate never registered on any test strip even with a CC sand bed. I think your set up will be fine for now.