My skimmerless goal

I've never been happy with dosing tanks with trace elements and such, so for me the biggest part of WC's is maintaining levels of trace minerals, etc. Some things are depleted quite quickly so I believe a more frequent WC's are beneficial. One thing that I find so interesting in this hobby is that the same goals can be achieved in so many different ways. While I certainly have my own opinions on what has worked best for me and I'll gladly share them...I won't knock anybodies approach if it works for them. Honestly, I don't think skimmers are evil...but I do think people get caught up the fact that "they have to have a skimmer". After being around this hobby for 20+ years I've seen many things come and go as the "latest rage"...skimmers have hung around longer than some, but it's interesting to see people bash things today that everyone "had to have" a few years ago...in fact this is not the first time the ATS has been popular for that matter, LOL! I think the new designs of the ATS that SantaMonica came up with are very sound...in fact mine are based loosely on some of his original designs. Unfortunately he came on a bit strong in the beginning and hurt his own cause I think. In the end I think it all boils down to opinion...there will be folks who will defend skimmers to their last breath just like BB vs. Sand, MH, vs. T5, etc.

 

Absolutely. There is no question in my mind that Skimmers work. I'm just curious what the debate against removing them is. I get the debate for them (I think). Really, I just want to make sure I'm not missing some other important function that a skimmer provides besides the reduction of waste in the form of No3 and P04. (not directly, but by removing the things that are eventually turned into these)


I love reading thosee debates, because there is almost always a good point on both sides! Otherwise there wouldn't be reason to debate!

 

one thing you could be missing is the removal of surface oil, that increases gas exchange and evaporation that will cool the tank.

Although the trickle effect of the turf filter should provide oxygen back.

Question, Will you be running the light on the turf filter 24/7 or normal day schedule? or one on and one off?

 

18 hours a day counter that of the daytime lights. and I am using AI leds, so cooling isn't really necessary (plus I can put a fan on that unit and get WAY more evap/cooling with the scrubbers). I didn't think about the oxygen provided but all the additional photosynthesis going on in the scrubbers should provide more than the skimmer... I think.


Can you run a skimmer for 1 day a week effectively?

 

It will provide oxygen for the 18 hours the light is on, during darkness plants actually use oxygen.

Not really, I guess if the tank is really dirty it will work. I would just make sure your overflow uses a surface skimmer and is effectively surface skimming the whole surface.

 

Yeah, but during that 6 hours, My main tanks zooanxthellae will be hard at work!

I have heard skimmers have a sort of break in period... I'm guessing they wouldn't work right either...

 

Holy cow! Idk what you have been looking at but from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure I could build one for 75 bucks tops.

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Oh skimmer and foam fractionation, great topic.

I whole heartily agree that skimmers are wonderful items. Proteins adhere to the surface of the bubbles, as the bubbles are carried away so are the nutrients and to a very small degree some trace elements, although really insignificant with relation to trace elements such as iodine, strontium....

There are some absolutely stunning full sps large tanks that do not use skimmers.

I have done it both ways, currently no skimmer for close to 2 years. The key IMO is a lighter bio-load with resulting small feedings and a focus on the water conditions that encourage and promote the growth of sps and lps. If you have a tank with fish that require feedings multiple times a day or daily I think you are better off with a skimmer. The margin of error afforded to the tank is well worth it.

It's all about balance, and honestly unless I am thinking about going zeovit or carbon dosing, bio-pellets I will probably go skimmerless if possible and when appropriate.

 

To start, I'm going to run one over-flow to my skimmer and the other through my ATS (skip the skimmer section on this overflow) Just to leave more food in the system for longer.


The makers of the product show that it can fully handle 5 cubes fresh and 10 cubes under 3d growth (towards the end of the screen cycle each week after the screen is mature)

Unless I'm aggressively feeding my corals liquid foods, I really don't think there is any amount of nutrient I could add that two of these bad boys couldn't handle. Along with a regular water change schedule.

 

Anyone have anything to add on the side of the Protein Skimmer? Does foam fractionization remove anything other than foods?


Also, any have any input on running a skimmer intermittently?