Running on skimming

[salisbury a d]

My father's freind keeps reefs and he beleivs the only efficent way to run a healthy reef is by an oversize protein skimmer like the Berlin. Is this true? Can you run a tank on a protein skimmer only?
Adam

 

[total]

Sure. It's called the Berlin method.
1.5 to 2 lbs of live rock per gal
3 to 5 inch deep sand bed (DSB) about 2lbs per gal.
Your skimmer.
Thats it For filtering.
I do this. The rock and the sand do most of the filtering for you.
Now I have a prefilter to get out any large items in the water but its just a couple of thin filter pads. My tank cleans it self. It better or I'm in trouble.
TTFN

 

[coralbeauty]

I do this as well! It works great. I also just switched from my sea clone skimmer to a AquaC Remora Pro skimmer. It is awesome! It has removed more gunk in a day than the sea clone removed in a week.
COnnie

 

[burnnspy]

I run a old obsolete air lift skimmer(it probably isnt too effecient compared to the modern skimmer), and my 29gal reef is going strong.
BurnNSpy

 

[ironreef]

you can have a nice reef with an ecosystem=alga tank. But an oversized skimmer is easier. I use a big skimmer and have a small ecosystem to breed snails,pods and caulerpa. When they ban caulerpa I guess I can sell it? or it maybe illegal just like pot?

 

[wolffam]

I will be converting shortly to this type of system. I have seen many tanks recently set up by a LFS that only uses the LR, LS & skimmer. Overflow used to skim surface to sump where small filter sponges collect large particles, water then runs through a skimmer. Water is returned to the tank, water turnover is 6 - 8 times an hour. Tanks look great.