3-month-old Reef Tank with No Filtration of Any Kind and NO Water Changes. ADVICE FROM NATURALIST REEF HOBBYISTS WANTED

[livinlifeinBKK]

My plan has been to get a water sample tested at my LFS next time I’m there, to see what they think about nutrients and all. My main plan is just to put in some macro-algae if phosphates and stuff are building up. My existing bacteria should keep ammonium from building up though right?

Ammonia should never be a problem after a tank is cycled... especially if you don't have fish

 

[Mr_Knightley]

I run my aquariums like this, I too have a filterless 2.5g as well as my main display that is run purely on occasional skimming and live rock. I occasionally dose elements that get low, but water changes are rare unless there's a clear issue going on that needs fixing. I'm only able to do this due to a massive population of scavengers and cleanup critters that keep the nutrient cycle moving.
3 years going strong.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

One thing...do you have an ATO? It really helps keep salinity stable without having to worry...

 

[Rcard01]

One thing...do you have an ATO? It really helps keep salinity stable without having to worry...

No - that could definitely be something I look into. I try to just drizzle a small amount in every other day to keep up.

 

[Rcard01]

I run my aquariums like this, I too have a filterless 2.5g as well as my main display that is run purely on occasional skimming and live rock. I occasionally dose elements that get low, but water changes are rare unless there's a clear issue going on that needs fixing. I'm only able to do this due to a massive population of scavengers and cleanup critters that keep the nutrient cycle moving.
3 years going strong.

Very cool. Definitely recognize some people go too heavy on the fish-load without accounting for scavengers. I’ve come to view crabs, snails, and shrimp as saviors for my tank. Just wondering, I don’t need exact parameters, but what kind of flow do you keep in the tanks? Strong and irregular or?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

A decent ATO might run $80 or so...I haven't been back to America in like 4 years so not. Exactly sure but I have an Ice Cap brand ATO that costed around that and use it for my 5 gallon now. Even a little evaporation in a tank that size can be significant since it not only raises salinity but concentrates everything in the water.

Funny enough, I'm actually setting my 5 gallon up again today! All live ocean rock from Indonesia and I'm going to add 3 tester acro frags (still beautiful though) and these 3 Scolys I thought were pretty cool!

 

[Mr_Knightley]

Very cool. Definitely recognize some people go too heavy on the fish-load without accounting for scavengers. I’ve come to view crabs, snails, and shrimp as saviors for my tank. Just wondering, I don’t need exact parameters, but what kind of flow do you keep in the tanks? Strong and irregular or?

I use an irregular Gyre flow to keep detritus suspended for my coral to consume. The higher the better IMO, there should be spots on the sandbed where the sand constantly shifts a little bit.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I use an irregular Gyre flow to keep detritus suspended for my coral to consume. The higher the better IMO, there should be spots on the sandbed where the sand constantly shifts a little bit.

I just prefer to siphon the sandbed personally since in such a small tank you don't generally have much detritus buildup unless you're way overfeeding. He has a 2.5 gallon I believe.

 

[Mr_Knightley]

I just prefer to siphon the sandbed personally since in such a small tank you don't generally have much detritus buildup unless you're way overfeeding. He has a 2.5 gallon I believe.

True, I didn't think about the size... In my own 2.5g I actually have low to zero flow, though I still stand that it should be as high as the inhabitants can take. Not only does it reduce detritus buildup, but it also keeps the top layer of sand more oxygenated than it would be normally. I avoid siphoning when I can because it disturbs the sand's biological filter.

 

[Subsea]

My plan has been to get a water sample tested at my LFS next time I’m there, to see what they think about nutrients and all. My main plan is just to put in some macro-algae if phosphates and stuff are building up. My existing bacteria should keep ammonium from building up though right?

With respect to macro algae in your display, in my experience, you will have to prune it and remove it as nutrient export.

 

[Subsea]

True, I didn't think about the size... In my own 2.5g I actually have low to zero flow, though I still stand that it should be as high as the inhabitants can take. Not only does it reduce detritus buildup, but it also keeps the top layer of sand more oxygenated than it would be normally. I avoid siphoning when I can because it disturbs the sand's biological filter.

So many different ways to run a reef.

Run reverse flow undergravel filter to oxygenate sandbed.. I use aroggonite to assist with buffering and trace mineral makeup.

Consider detritus as “energy rich” food for the microbial loop, then stir the top inch of 2” aroggonite sandbed to feed detrivores (micro fauna & fana) to the filter feeders.

Here is what @Paul B says about MULM:

"Mulm" in a reef tank

I think one of the most important, and least understood or mentioned things in a reef tank is "mulm". That stuff that grows in the dark portions of a tank if it is set up long enough. "Mulm" is a combination of algae, sponges, bacteria, pods, worms, detritus, poop and any thing else that can be p...

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