The Skimmerless Club!

snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Hey all,
Join the Skimmerless club! As the club name says, this club is for people who go skimmerless on their systems and still have success. This thread is a place for people to discuss how and why they have gone skimmerless, the extra benefits of not having a skimmer, the reasons why you don't have a skimmer.
All you gotta do to join the club is tell us the reason(s) why you don't have a skimmer and how you did it and provide a pic of your tank.
(I just sold my store, so I don't have any pics, however I am setting up a new aquarium and will be going skimmerless.)
MY REASON:
Skimmers are more of a backup to a system. An optional piece of equipment that you don't really need with proper mechanical and biological filtration and maintenance. Live rock and live sand is the cornerstone to keeping a successful aquarium, but now I am convinced that by adding a refugium to a system, under the right conditions, can also be another cornerstone and do an even better job then a skimmer. The added benefit of creating a place where copepods can thrive and reproduce is also something that I am very much interested. I also believe in turf algae filters, as long as you keep them cleaned. I have seen some great systems.
 
1990jpyj

1990jpyj

Member
i guess i could have been in this "club":
i have a 55g that i ran for over a year with out any LR or Protein skimmer. i wasnt convinced that i really needed one for my low bio-load. i had a pair of clowns and a firefish in the 55g. all i ran was a Marineland 400 filter. did a monthly water change and all my readings where right i needed them. i do have a CC substrate and i have yet to have any problems with that either. but, i no longer quilify for being in this club. it is possible to run a FO with just a corbon filter.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Agreed, it is definately possible. By the time mostpeople buy a skimmer, they could have invested in a sump/fuge and some macro!
Your in the club dude - if you think it's believeable and doable and you advocate it - you're in!
 
coral keeper

coral keeper

Active Member
28 gallon HQI SPS/LPS dominated, never had a skimmer and don't need one because I have a low bioload and plenty of sand, rock and micro as filtration. I also do weekly 15% water changes.
8 gallon Bio-Cube softie/leather dominated, never had a skimmer and don't need one because I have a low bioload and plenty of sand, rock and micro as filtration. I also do weekly 15% water changes.
Pictures to come.
 
mkzimms

mkzimms

Member
im in... 40G breeder w/ 20G long sump. none of my tanks have had skimmers and ive seen no problems i couldn't handled with a water change once a month. im successfully keeping everything from zoas to sps.
pic from about 10 months ago about a month after the cycle finished.

pic from during cycle... the only other equipment there is now is a TLF phosban reactor.

the tank is pretty heavily stocked with sps and other stuff now, ill take some newer pics tomorrow night.
 
pleasants9

pleasants9

Member
im interested in this topic, I have a 55gal with puffer and lion and trigger, i have live sand and not muhc live rock, prob 15 lbs tops its so expensive. I have had my tank running for 6 months now and yet to have any water problems, my nitrates get high (around 15-20) sometimes but I just do a water change and keep the feedings to a reasonable amount. I have a few plants in there (shaving brush and something else). Im a college student in an apartment so im more worried about electricity which is why i havnt gotten a skimmer. Im curious what would help keep the nitrates down. that is limited in complexity/electricity use?
But I dont have any reef critters other than whats on the live rock, so i dont think i qualify for this sweet club
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
haha, You qualify for the club dude, least I think you do. You don't need a skimmer with good water changes.
If I were you, I would add some caulerpa mexicana to your main display tank. Sounds like you have enough light for shaving brush macroalgae...
 
pleasants9

pleasants9

Member
this is a picture of the macro algea, i think its a shaving brush, the big piece is what a bought and the two smaller pieces grew from the main piece and seem to be doing well. Do they help with water qualities at all?

then this is a quick photo of my tank
 
reefboy1994

reefboy1994

Member
I QUALIFY!!!
i have a 110 gallon with no skimmer! I have 150 pounds live sand and around 100 pounds of live rock. for filtration i have 2 marineland 400s. I dont have a skimmer because the good ones are too much money...haha, im only 14 so im broke just keeping the tank going. but i love this hobby! i guess i have a small bioload---1 yellow tang, 1 scissortail goby, 2 green chromis. I want to add more fish, would it make the bioload too much for my filtration? i also have softies in the tank.
 
justinwwwallin

justinwwwallin

Member
i used to have a 55 reef with no skimmer.. it wasnt as good as i thought.
WITHOUT A SKIMMER ALOT OF CORAL WILL SURVIVE... BUT THEY WILL NOT THRIVE! once i put a skimmer on it all my corals looked healthy as can be.
i now have a 160 with a skimmer. the corals are thriving
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Justin, isn't that just your opinion? If you don't keep up with tank maintenance, IE water changes and have some form of algae growing - your corals won't thrive. Also, if you don't have the proper lighting! So... yeah.
Sometimes a skimmer is needed, as was your case, but this club is for people who DON'T use skimmers. Thank you.
 
justinwwwallin

justinwwwallin

Member
oh man. im not trying to get on anyone to make them mad.. its my opinion and my expierence. its fine to go without a skimmer. im sure you guys have it work out with all the work. but just with me it didnt. im sorry if i came off as mean
 
A

arlene1995

Guest
Well, I have 2 without skimmers. A 55g; mostly softies... Not 100% perfect now, but I have a tiny bioload and plenty of LR/LS to compensate for it... It was in great condition a couple months ago... (hair algae)
A 125 Predator with around 70lbs. LR, 100lbs. LS, a refugium with Red Mangroves and a DSB... About mid bioload... Toadfish, Fimby, SFE, Porky, Pinfish, and a Damsel... Water quality has been great and I have not felt the need for a skimmer yet... The only inverts that seem to survive my puffer are starfish. Pics tomorrow!
 
cal559

cal559

Member
I'm in also...Just pulled my skimmer out and put it away and put an aqua clear 70 and modded it into a fuge...lol...best thing i ever did...just do weekly water changes...I do run purigen and chemi pure elite with the fuge...
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
i plan on runnin 2 aquaclear 110's on my 20 long modded into fuges, and i may or may not run a skimmer, but im leaning towards running one, simply because of the bioload im gonna have
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Why not have a skimmer and a refugium? That's what i did. Your post seems to be saying you only need one or the other.
I had a 110 gallon sump/refugium. Ran 250Wt HQI 10,000k 12 hours a day on my refugium full of a dsb, rubble, and Chaeto. My chaeto was harvested about every 6 weeks (we're talking 15lbs harvested). In addition, my skimmer still pulled junk out of the water.
Skimmerless tanks can certainly work, but I've yet to see a tank where a skimmer wasn't a productive investment.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
we're not (or at least I'm not) saying that it's not a productive investment. Skimmers definately ARE needed at certain situations. I've had skimmers and fuges on several of my systems. But, this is just a skimmerless club - if you don't run a skimmer... join. This is just harmless fun.
I'm not advocating not using a skimmer in every situation, just the ones that don't necessarily call for it!
 
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