No skimmer?

[Reefer911]

I know a lot of reefers run successful systems without skimmers so I am wondering about nutrient export in these instances. Are you relying on water changes to keep NO3 down?

Is there an additional method to achieve that without a skimmer?

 

[Danjoethepirate]

I have a large refugium and do 20% water changes biweekly

 

[Danjoethepirate]

It is a viable option.

 

[Reefer911]

Is it possible without a fuge? I have an AIO and limited space of course

 

[C_AWOL]

It ultimately boils down to your stocking plans.

This 60g only runs a coarse sponge and a mix of carbon and gfo for filtration.

With a stock list of 2 clowns, royal gramma + inverts, I actively dose nitrates and only do water changes for replenishing trace elements/preventing unaccounted build up of unknowns rather than for no3 export.

 

[BryanM]

I know a lot of reefers run successful systems without skimmers so I am wondering about nutrient export in these instances. Are you relying on water changes to keep NO3 down?

Is there an additional method to achieve that without a skimmer?

No skimmer here.

I run a surf4 algae turf scrubber from santa monica.

 

[X-37B]

Old 18" nano cube 20g aio, no skimmer. 10% WC once a month.

 

[exnisstech]

No skimmer here and no fuge. Just a reefmat and small WCs 2-4g every 7-10 days to vacuum detritus that collects in a corner. 65g total with only 4 fish but two are decent sized tangs.
It does depend on how your stocked. I ran my 330g (285g total ) like @BryanM but ended up adding a skimmer and do 25g weekly WCs. About 20 fish including 8 tangs just put out too much waste.
EDIT: I do dose AFR in this tank.
No skimmer or fuge

 

[exnisstech]

Double post

 

[Dan_P]

I know a lot of reefers run successful systems without skimmers so I am wondering about nutrient export in these instances. Are you relying on water changes to keep NO3 down?

Is there an additional method to achieve that without a skimmer?

I have not seen any decent data that partitions the work across filtration methods for keeping nitrate under control. Put me in the camp that thinks that a skimmer has a small effect on keeping nitrates under control. I like the idea that it is removing a liter or two per day of yellow to brown water, but I have no idea whether that brown water would eventually turn into nitrate. I buy into the “skimmer aerates the water” narrative. Biology is the only way to control nitrate, either with algae or dosing heterotrophic bacteria.

 

[Reefer911]

I have not seen any decent data that partitions the work across filtration methods for keeping nitrate under control. Put me in the camp that thinks that a skimmer has a small effect on keeping nitrates under control. I like the idea that it is removing a liter or two per day of yellow to brown water, but I have no idea whether that brown water would eventually turn into nitrate. I buy into the “skimmer aerates the water” narrative. Biology is the only way to control nitrate, either with algae or dosing heterotrophic bacteria.

Good point about aeration.

To those who asked about my stocking plans, I have just two candy basslets in a 33g system, and that’s all I plan on keeping.

 

[OriginalUserName]

New tank has no skimmer. Fuge and water changes only. Fuge is struggling to get going so I’m doing 15% weekly WC. Nutrients are stable despite fairly heavy fish load and very little coral load.

Skimmers are such a pain IMO.

 

[BriDroid]

I run a small IOAOI nano skimmer in my 11 cube AIO. I like the fact that it is useful for gas exchange. I think it helps keep the pH more stable.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Put me in the camp that thinks that a skimmer has a small effect on keeping nitrates under control.

I agree. i do not think skimmers are a very effective way to control nutrients, and that is not why I run one anyway.

 

[Rocks reef]

Randy, what is your reasoning for running a skimmer? Gas exchange?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, what is your reasoning for running a skimmer? Gas exchange?

Partly, yes.

1. Oxygenation at night
2. CO2 reduction/pH raising
3. Organic material export
i. toxins
ii. colored/light absorbing compounds
4. Whole bacteria and diatom export when dosing organics or silicate

This has more:

What is Skimming? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

from it:

Conclusion

The advent of high quality skimmers has gone a long way to reduce the quantity of dissolved organic matter in marine aquaria. Skimmers can increase the water's aeration, potentially helping to maintain adequate oxygen levels at night and keeping the pH from getting too high or low due to incomplete carbon dioxide equilibration. The removal of organic compounds likely has beneficial effects such as removing toxins, reducing yellowing of the water, and reducing precursors to nutrients that may drive algal growth. Such organic removal may also be detrimental, for example, by removing foods for certain organisms. On balance, I believe that skimming is a strong benefit to typical reef aquaria, but each aquarist may need to decide that for themselves, and further data in the future on the exact organics removed and what effects that removal has may tip the balance one way or the other.

Hopefully, this article will help hobbyists understand how skimming works, and then allow them to use that information to critically evaluate claims about what skimmers can and cannot do, and how best to use them.

 

[Osman]

I am not using PS.
https://forums.reefcentral.com/thre...e-skimmer-is-not-to-lower-nutrients.32374755/
Timfish https://forums.reefcentral.com/members/timfish.242021/ provides very good and solid scientific info about PS .
Marketing strategies directing people why they should have PS and other overpriced equipments .

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am not using PS.
https://forums.reefcentral.com/thre...e-skimmer-is-not-to-lower-nutrients.32374755/
Timfish https://forums.reefcentral.com/members/timfish.242021/ provides very good and solid scientific info about PS .
Marketing strategies directing people why they should have PS and other overpriced equipments .

Perhaps explain why you don’t want to use one?

I don’t sell skimmers and I do recommend them.

They aerate the water.
They export organics.
They export bacteria.

I’m not really aware of significant reasons to not use one, except perhaps cost.

 

[reefpanda]

No skimmer on my 26 gal AIO, just weekly 20% wc