Water Purification

[Aquattro]

One thing to keep in mind is what "reef" means to you. I keep primarily SPS, and feel that a skimmer is essential. If I instead kept a tank with zoos and/or softies only, I would have to seriously consider not using a skimmer. I have seen tanks of this type that appear to do better with higher nutrient levels.
We certainly can't argue with Bob about skimmers, he's been not using one for ever and his tanks all do just fine. I use a skimmer and my tank does just fine. So who's right? Both of us. Or neither, depending on how you look at it.

To address the topic, if skimmers didn't exist, I'd use ozone, GAC and water changes. And I'd invent skimmers and get rich!!

[Psyire]

The problem with ozone is that the best way to run it is with a skimmer. From what I've read those ozone reactors aren't all that great.

[titus]

Hello,

I used to run a PM-Bullet 2 on a 40g (incl sump) and can leave it for 2 months if not more without doing any water changes. Now I'm running a 10g without a skimmer and 30% water change weekly and the tank is still not even close to as clean as the one with the skimmer.

The loading on the 10g is less per gallon than the 20g system.

Running a skimmer as other advantages. These include gas exchange, which also compensate for the daily pH swing somewhat, and cooling.

My opinion is that it is perfectly alright to run a skimmerless system, and having a skimmer does not degrade and can only contribute.

Titus