Hello Everyone,
Im wanting to start using my biopellet reactor soon. My tank is only a couple of months old. Im experiencing the normal algae cycle at the moment. Its primarily green cyano. Also I have added a anthias as my first fish. Its a juvenile and im making sure to feed him multiple times a day which is producing extra nutrients. Even tho im doing weekly water changes. my nitrates are low but not as low as I want them for when I start adding sps. Im sure this is due to the tank being so young. I wanted to run this system skimmer-less just relying on cryptic sponge and squirts for most of the nutrient export. My seed cryptic sponge and squirts are small at the moment. Here is where I need advice. Upon my research I have noticed a skimmer is used to export excess bacteria and bacteria that have consumed nutrients. I planned on only using less than half of the recommend amount of pellets in the reactor. Also im aware that the sponge will feed off the bacteria that is produced. But is the skimmer absolutely necessary to keep the bacteria in check and balance the system. Dont get me wrong im not against using a skimmer. I just wanted to keep everything simple as possible and rely on as much natural filtration as possible for excess nutrient export. But im also aware that for me to have the end result im looking for being a low nutrient sps tank. I need these pellets or other types of carbon dosing to achieve this. So skimmer or is there away to move forward with my system as is?
Thanks,
James
Im wanting to start using my biopellet reactor soon. My tank is only a couple of months old. Im experiencing the normal algae cycle at the moment. Its primarily green cyano. Also I have added a anthias as my first fish. Its a juvenile and im making sure to feed him multiple times a day which is producing extra nutrients. Even tho im doing weekly water changes. my nitrates are low but not as low as I want them for when I start adding sps. Im sure this is due to the tank being so young. I wanted to run this system skimmer-less just relying on cryptic sponge and squirts for most of the nutrient export. My seed cryptic sponge and squirts are small at the moment. Here is where I need advice. Upon my research I have noticed a skimmer is used to export excess bacteria and bacteria that have consumed nutrients. I planned on only using less than half of the recommend amount of pellets in the reactor. Also im aware that the sponge will feed off the bacteria that is produced. But is the skimmer absolutely necessary to keep the bacteria in check and balance the system. Dont get me wrong im not against using a skimmer. I just wanted to keep everything simple as possible and rely on as much natural filtration as possible for excess nutrient export. But im also aware that for me to have the end result im looking for being a low nutrient sps tank. I need these pellets or other types of carbon dosing to achieve this. So skimmer or is there away to move forward with my system as is?
Thanks,
James