Running Skimmerless

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Honestly just save a few hundred bucks ad change the socks out more frequently. If phosphates are the issue, a skimmer is going to be an expensive way to fix this compared to a pinch of GFO. Leave the scrubber light on 24/7, algae doesn't sleep. I would ditch the canister filter too.
 

Dan_P

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I'm on the skimmers aren't particularly effective for for filtration, but great for aeration. Skimmate analysis shows they only remove 20-35% of TOC. Whereas, activated carbon will get you 40-60%.

Feldman,’s study was limited to dry skimming. The study never established the maximum about of TOC that can be removed by a skimmer. The 20-35% could be a minimum about removed.
 

RobertTheNurse

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I have no skimmer and my nitrates are zero and phosphates are .1. I pay no attention to either of these values because when I test them they are always the same. I really think these values are overrated and are payed way too much attention.

The green slime algae happens. Algae is good when there is competition and that algae is usually a good sign of a healthy tank. I wouldn't put the skimmer back on unless you are running into gas exchange issues. Especially since you have so many other things on your tank for nutrient "management". I find that the skimmers are indiscriminate and pull everything out of the tank good and bad.

My two cents.
I run no skimmer on 65G. 1.7 nitrates and undetectable phos. Trade ya some phos
 

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I have no skimmer and my nitrates are zero and phosphates are .1. I pay no attention to either of these values because when I test them they are always the same. I really think these values are overrated and are payed way too much attention.

The green slime algae happens. Algae is good when there is competition and that algae is usually a good sign of a healthy tank. I wouldn't put the skimmer back on unless you are running into gas exchange issues. Especially since you have so many other things on your tank for nutrient "management". I find that the skimmers are indiscriminate and pull everything out of the tank good and bad.

My two cents.


I agree completely. I don't run a skimmer for similar reason. I feed HEAVILY in my tank and still have to dose phosphate. I just have carbon and an ai prime 16hd on a refugium. I don't like that they strip the water of bacterioplankton and possibly phytoplankton all of which are food for my filter feeding inverts such as my flame scallops, my giant feather dusters, and corals. They create an unnaturally sterile environment and given how important a tank's microbiome is, I'd rather have a filter setup that supports microbial diversity rather than helps remove it. I would like a skimmer to have a recirculating CO2 scrubber, but given how well my filter feeders do, I'd rather not remove all of their food. This isn't at all saying skimmers are bad. They are fantastic tools for the right purpose, but there are definitely cheaper alternatives IF they goal is nitrate and phosphate control.
 
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