Who's running without mechanical filtration?

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How close are we to following your new build thread??

Hopefully not too long. Planning is a work in progress. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Are you considering bare, shallow or DSB?

I like the look of sand, and will have some, but don't see a reason to take up a lot of display space with deep sand. If I end up with an anemone or two that needs more sand than the remainder of the tank, I might have an area with more.

 

[Digitalfirex]

I run a pretty simple system. I do use mesh socks but still am getting a nice build up of mulm starting because I tend to let them overflow for a day or so before I change them. Tank has only been running since March. I've never cleaned a sump on any tank. When I tore down my last tank I scooped all the sump nastiness from 7 years and dumped in the sump of the new build. It was full of life.

Rock is from the last tank. Display was started with all dry rock. It's run as a cryptic fuge so no light.

DT

For disclosure I do currently have a skimmer running skimming very dry when I remember to turn it back on after feeding. After I started running it I found out the smart timer for the scrubber LEDs got dumb and wasn't turning them on. After fixing that and adding the skimmer my PO4 went from 0.68 to 0.27. I'm about ready to shut the skimmer down and see how things go.

EDIT : @VintageReefer was a big help in my decision to run this tank using these methods.

That's a cool looking sump :D

Do you know the brand or manufacturer of it??

 

[exnisstech]

That's a cool looking sump :D

Do you know the brand or manufacturer of it??

It part of the waterbox 330.7 package

 

[Digitalfirex]

It part of the waterbox 330.7 package

Really?! :0

Never knew. Thx.

 

[forestsofkelp]

I run no mechanical filtration. No noticeable junk buildup.
I used to run it, but having to swap it out, rinse it, plus letting it degrade in the tank seemed to raise my phosphate.

Instead I skim a little wet, run a powerhead in the sump and run minimal sand in the tank. Water is crystal clear.

If ever need mechanical filtration I run a power filter in the display which I think is far better than filter socks/rollers etc. I swap out the filter every day and pop in a new one. I havent used it for over a year.

 

[VintageReefer]

No mech filtration. I must have a dirty dirty tank lol

Sand bed is 10 years old and never been manually cleaned

 

[Tcook]

I use a Trigger CR44 sump on my tank and pulled all the socks out. Just run a Life Reef skimmer and turned the center section into a refugium with sand, LR, clams, gorgs, rock anemones

 

[Jasonak]

I just put my skimmer back in because im carbon dosing but mine was fine without it. I got rid of it to try and keep my NITs up.

 

[Tcook]

No mech filtration. I must have a dirty dirty tank lol

Sand bed is 10 years old and never been manually cleaned

Do you have a bunch of nassarius snails or conchs?

 

[RichReef]

The more corals you have the less mechanical filtration you need.

Corals are the best mechanical filtration out there.

So as your tank grows the less it will require. Unless you start out with a tank full of coral colonies.

 

[saltyfish24]

That is how I roll. I usually clean mine once every year or so. And yes, when stuff gets moved i get a "crud" cloud. The corals seem to like it as long as it is a small one. But things dont just get moved, someone has to do the moving, so that is a rare event. My tank has ridiculous amounts of pods

I just saw this thread after asking a question about mechanical filtration lowering the copepod carrying capacity. I wonder if filtering out all the particles deprives the copepods in the refugium of some beneficial nutrients.

 

[VintageReefer]

Do you have a bunch of nassarius snails or conchs?

Better late than never. 1 conch and approx 10 nassarius

The more corals you have the less mechanical filtration you need.

Corals are the best mechanical filtration out there.

So as your tank grows the less it will require. Unless you start out with a tank full of coral colonies.

True

 

[Paul B]

I don't use a mechanical filter per say but I do use a reverse undergravel filter. I have to stir it up a few times a year with a diatom filter so I guess the stuff stays in there for 5 or 6 months. I like it and there is nothing floating around in my tank.

 

[bosi1965]

I suspect your talking about me :)
Very successful. Very clean tank

And me

 

[GARRIGA]

I don't use a mechanical filter per say but I do use a reverse undergravel filter. I have to stir it up a few times a year with a diatom filter so I guess the stuff stays in there for 5 or 6 months. I like it and there is nothing floating around in my tank.

Are you finding old detritus or realistically new not yet decompose and the remnants of decomposition being mulm.

Used to clean my UG filtered tanks in the late 70s and early 80s thinking they needed to be cleaned (we tend to start out dumb) and don't ever recall seeing actual detritus vs just mulm which at the time wasn't aware it was mulm and just assumed real fine dust.

Last year took my 2-1/2 year old tank apart to put in new floors and the pumice was clean of detritus. DIY undergravel system. I'm sure there was mulm but my eyes getting to a point likely not seeing that without glasses and a bright light. Water was milking chocolate and why I'm sure there was mulm but nothing large enough to be called detritus.

 

[Red_Beard]

I just saw this thread after asking a question about mechanical filtration lowering the copepod carrying capacity. I wonder if filtering out all the particles deprives the copepods in the refugium of some beneficial nutrients.

I think that, and also that most pods' larval stage is free swimming. I wonder how many get unknowingly filtered out.

 

[X-37B]

The only mechanical filtration I run is 300 micron mesh socks. It traps the big stuff.

 

[GARRIGA]

Recently the discussion was about maintaining live rock pristine but reality seems to be that aquarium life ultimately favors corals grown mostly with PAR versus life on that rock that filtered nutrients from the water. Logic dictates perhaps on the reef those corals might also be benefited from that filtered at night vs just light. Could be we strive to remove every particle of detritus as if that's the evil killing all life yet might just be let it be because life on the reef more complex then empty skimmer cups.

Long been known that food chain starts microscopic and perhaps best let it prosper vs attempting to eliminate every last particle containing it.

Why I've been trying to encapsulate detritus into an environment where decomposition is encouraged and let the cycle of life continue while seeking ways to manage that which is truly detrimental vs fearing that nature which nature has evolved resolves on it's own. There are caveats and I haven't identified or found every solution for those know but have been of the opinion that total sterilization not natural since around somewhere in the 70s. Still believe some sterilization needed and that changes frequently as to exactly how much and how often but fearing detritus and seeking it's total annihilation won't. Some life starts life by feeding from it or on it and other life depends on it their entire lives.

Recently I've learned corals might require fish detritus to obtain phosphorous due to inability to extract that in solution. No clue how accurate that is and some here aren't convinced but does make sense that on a reef regardless how efficient wave crest flow might be that some detritus does fall on polyps and perhaps nature evolved to take advantage of it.

Having said that, do enjoy clarity and the appearance of fish swimming in air and perhaps objective is to allow nighttime to be filthy and allow corals and other life access to floating detritus and food items such as phyto and pods then come day during viewing hours device a process where polishing by means necessary bring back the illusion that in reality doesn't persist in the ocean. Yet to see a video of any reef absent floating particles. Seems that healthiest reefs appearing rather dirty. Can those who dive our amazing reefs confirm they aren't like pool water or am I assuming and we should be seeking micron level filtration that makes it seem like a box of air :thinking-face: