No Filtration, No Sump, no Protein skimmer system?

[Johnykiwi]

Hi, I've been thinking about setting up a saltwater tank and setting it up without a sump, or protein skimmer (natural filtration). The tank in question will be a shallow tank, 45-60g with only wavemakers, heaters, rocks, and sand. I'm not sure what else I would need, which is why I'm here. Is there any information I should know? (I haven't bought anything yet) What do I need? Any helpful articles, videos? Thanks in advance

 

[attiland]

Hi, I've been thinking about setting up a saltwater tank and setting it up without any filtration, sump, or protein skimmer. The tank in question will be a shallow tank, 45-60g with only wavemakers, heaters, rocks, and sand. I'm not sure what else I would need, which is why I'm here. Is there any information I should know? (I haven't bought anything yet) What do I need? Any helpful articles, videos? Thanks in advance

No filtration is no go even on freshwater but no sump and no skimmer works. I am doing it.

 

[Johnykiwi]

No filtration is no go even on freshwater but no sump and no skimmer works. I am doing it.

what filtration are you using? And by no filtration meant that I wanted to do a naturally filtered tank (not sure if that is the correct term)

 

[A;exr54]

If you do a water change every other day. Why not.

 

[attiland]

what filtration are you using? And by no filtration meant that I wanted to do a naturally filtered tank (not sure if that is the correct term)

I have few sponges and filter floss in the bac chambers of an ATO. It does collect significant amounts of stuff. Without it I would gave build ups in the display itself.

I think our tanks are simply to small ecosystems to let nature do everything for us. I wish… you put food in that comes out as poo. That poo takes months to decay completely and turn Ito something useful for us like corals.

 

[attiland]

If you do a water change every other day. Why not.

Because I don’t change water more often than 3 months?
And that is because I was cleaning sand

 

[Johnykiwi]

Because I don’t change water more often than 3 months?

I've read that some people set up the tank in a way that the wavemakers push the water through rocks which so that the bacteria can have it. They also add a chaeto plant which consumes a lot of the nitrates. Along with water changes, it is possible to create a natural filtration (according to them).

 

[A;exr54]

Nutrients do need a place to go and elements need to be replenished. Thats why water changes are done. Something needs to come out, wether it be algae or dirty water.

Im curious as to what is being kept in the tank. Corals, fish?
Besides algae

I get replicating the environment. But tanks are enclosed systems. Not the ocean. That’s why I have a skimmer, a ATS, and do water changes.

 

[GlassMunky]

If you do a water change every other day. Why not.

Don’t listen to this.
depending on what you have in the tank and how mature it is you can def get away with no filtration other than the liverock.
my 29g biocube has run this way for many many many years.
it has no fish, just corals and clean up crew, and I barely ever do a water change, maybe once every 3-6 months. Only thing I do regularly is keep it topped off with freshwater.

 

[Johnykiwi]

Nutrients do need a place to go and elements need to be replenished. Thats why water changes are done. Something needs to come out, wether it be algae or dirty water.

Im curious as to what is being kept in the tank. Corals, fish?
Besides algae

I get replicating the environment. But tanks are enclosed systems. Not the ocean. That’s why I have a skimmer, a ATS, and do water changes.

I'm not sure yet on what I want to keep in the tank, I'm just enquiring at this time. I haven't bought anything yet either.

 

[homer1475]

I ran a 40G breeder for many years this way. Only thing in the tank was 1 powerhead, a lot of rock, and a heater. Yes I had easy corals, and lots of fish.

Rock is your filtration, powerheads move the water, and a heater heats it. All thats really needed for salt water.

Weekly water changes kept everything in check.

 

[A;exr54]

Don’t listen to this.
depending on what you have in the tank and how mature it is you can def get away with no filtration other than the liverock.
my 29g biocube has run this way for many many many years.
it has no fish, just corals and clean up crew, and I barely ever do a water change, maybe once every 3-6 months. Only thing I do regularly is keep it topped off with freshwater.

Sure. Listen to the people saying it’s ok to not do water changes and have no filtration.
Maybe every other day is overkill. I was partly
Joking.

But having no filtration and not doing any water changes is not a recipe for success with a reef tank. If that’s what you want.

 

[homer1475]

Sure. Listen to the people saying it’s ok to not do water changes and have no filtration.
Maybe every other day is overkill. I was partly
Joking.

But having no filtration and not doing any water changes is not a recipe for success with a reef tank. If that’s what you want.

What filtration is needed? Rock and sand are your bilogical filtration. Do you mean mechanical filtration? Cause in reality thats not needed. Many people run their tanks without mechanical filtration.

Other then a carbon reactor, and a skimmer I do not run any mechanical filtration.

 

[A;exr54]

What filtration is needed? Rock and sand are your bilogical filtration. Do you mean mechanical filtration? Cause in reality thats not needed. Many people run their tanks without mechanical filtration.

Other then a carbon reactor, and a skimmer I do not run any mechanical filtration.

A carbon reactor and a skimmer are filtration. At least to me they are.

 

[GlassMunky]

Sure. Listen to the people saying it’s ok to not do water changes and have no filtration.

Maybe every other day is overkill. I was partly
Joking.

But having no filtration and not doing any water changes is not a recipe for success with a reef tank. If that’s what you want.

maybe for you and how you run your system they are “needed” but my biocube has been running with corals in for over a decade and they are still growing and healthy so regardless of what you think the tank is very healthy and nothing wrong with running it that way.

in EVERY SINGKE TANK EVERYWHERE, the main “filtration” is the biofiltration from the liverock. That’s all you “need”. Anything else’s is just extra

 

[homer1475]

So carbon only polish's the water so it doesn't get that yellow tint, but that can also be achieved with water changes.

I can easily take out my skimmer with no detrimental effects to my reef. Just removes fish poop, which again can be achieved through water changes

So what filtration is needed beyond biological that would prevent a reef tank from thriving?

 

[GlassMunky]

So carbon only polish's the water so it doesn't get that yellow tint, but that can also be achieved with water changes.

I can easily take out my skimmer with no detrimental effects to my reef. Just removes fish poop, which again can be achieved through water changes

So what filtration is needed beyond biological that would prevent a reef tank from thriving?

None

 

[A;exr54]

So carbon only polish's the water so it doesn't get that yellow tint, but that can also be achieved with water changes.

I can easily take out my skimmer with no detrimental effects to my reef. Just removes fish poop, which again can be achieved through water changes

So what filtration is needed beyond biological that would prevent a reef tank from thriving?

He stated no skimmer and no waterchanges.
You do both.

Take out the skimmer and stop doing waterchanges. Let’s see how that works out.

This is not advice that should be given to someone new in the hobby.
When he starts posting about nothing growing, things dying off, and algae issues, that’s why.

 

[homer1475]

He stated no skimmer and no waterchanges.
You do both.

Take out the skimmer and stop doing waterchanges. Let’s see how that works out.

This is not advice that should be given to someone new in the hobby.
When he starts posting about nothing growing, things dying off, and algae issues, that’s why.

Op never stated he wanted to do no water changes. I was replying to the OP not @GlassMunky . My post was in reply to you on needing filtration. Beyond biological, everything else just helps. Is it needed, no, but it does help.

Would I suggest this to someone new in the hobby, sure would. I even mentored someone who did not want to buy all the "bells and whistles",and there tank is simply a heater, a powerhead, a heater, and a light. They grow many corals, and all there fish are happy and healthy.

Why does easy have to be wrong?

 

[A;exr54]

Op never stated he wanted to do no water changes. I was replying to the OP not @GlassMunky . My post was in reply to you on needing filtration. Beyond biological, everything else just helps. Is it needed, no, but it does help.

Would I suggest this to someone new in the hobby, sure would. I even mentored someone who did not want to buy all the "bells and whistles",and there tank is simply a heater, a powerhead, a heater, and a light. They grow many corals, and all there fish are happy and healthy.

Why does easy have to be wrong?

As long as water changes are done frequently it should fine.
That was my first reply to the OP.
Easy is not wrong. Doing nothing is.