filterless system

Carrera75 · #1 07-17-2008, 04:50 AM

My tank 50 gallon reef tank has been skimerless for 2 years and all my fish, corals and invertebrates have been thriving so far. I must say that my tank has no SPS and perhaps that's why I can get away with running a skimerless tank. So far my corals have been growing pretty well. In fact I sell frags often so to say that a reef tank cannot be skimerless is not entirely true.

Here is a link to another beautiful skimerless tank...check it out!
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=893433

tgoeujon · #2 07-17-2008, 05:02 AM

i am running a skimmer. but no sump.

Canuckgod420 · #3 07-17-2008, 05:25 AM

My wifes tank is skimmerless and its a 34 gallon cube with softies, lps, and an orange plating montipora...everything looks great, including the 6 fish and countless snails(they breed so much I have to move the small ones to my tank). It does have a sump in which we run a phosban reactor with 1/2 a cup of carbon, and a filter sock on the return to eliminate microbubbles from returning to the tank. The only flow we have is the return pump, which causes a lot of turbulence in the cube.

hummer · #4 07-17-2008, 05:38 AM

I use to have a 77G that ran 2 Fluval Filters and a hang on protein skimmer. Later on I stopped using the Fluvals and bought a Phosban Reactor. The system ran fine. After I upgraded to 90G, I continued the same setup but bought a Euro-Reef RS100 protein skimmer.

tgoeujon · #5 07-17-2008, 05:49 AM

so if im understanding right as long as i run the skimmer and the power heads and my live rock is adequate (100 +lbs in a 55) it should be ok? dumb question but ive never looked into a phosban reactor. what do they do and are they very costly?

banditpowdercoat · #6 07-17-2008, 05:58 AM

Phosban reactors are cheap, about $40 @ OA or JL. Use RowaPhos or PhosBan media in it. Low flow through it, 20GPH or so, it absorbs the Phosphates outa the water. I run 50/50 RowaPhos/matrix carbon and it cleared my weater up immensly. Looks crystal clear now.

With a HOB skimmer, like a Aqua C Remora Pro and a Phosban reactor you should be good. Your about the same water volume as me, but have 60Lbs more rock LOL

hummer · #7 07-17-2008, 06:12 AM

Everyone has their own type of setup but a good skimmer, live rock, power head and phosban reactor is all I have in my system. I guess a phosban reactor does whatever you put in it. I put Carbon media in mine to remove toxins and it clears up the water. I bought mine for about $50. You would also need a pump (Max Jet 400 maybe?) to push water into your phosban reactor and back out to your tank. If you have a sump, you can tie it into the existing pump.

tgoeujon · #8 07-17-2008, 06:18 AM

thanks for the ideas so far guys anymore will be appreciated as well but i think i have an idea to work with. bandit at some point im gonna have to check out your system.

marie · #9 07-17-2008, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgoeujon

i am running a skimmer. but no sump.

I've never run a filter on any of my reeftanks, a skimmer and live rock is all you need