Filter requiried?

I've seen a lot of tanks that only use skimmers and lots of live rock.  Do I require a filter or is it just an extra?  Would a skimmer and refugium be enough?

What's this Garf Grunge I've been reading about?

 

Lots of people have success only using live rock, a skimmer, and a refugium.

By filter I assume you mean like an ehiem or aquaclear or penguin style filter. These will become a nitrate factory encouraging the growth of aerobic bacteria. Live rock on the other hand encourages the growth of anaerobic bacteria.

Garf Grunge is basically a way to seed your tank with biological activity like copepods, amphipods, coraline, mini stars, etc. This will help establish new tanks or increase the biological diversity in established tanks.

 

I second the live rock and skimmer. I don't see refugiums as neccesary, but they are pretty cool if you have the room.

 

i am running an aquaclear.
so your saying better off killing the filter and just stick with the skimmer?
i thought they were helpfull since they use a carbon cartrage

 

There is no problem using the aquaclear for carbon filtration. But most will tell you not to use the foam filter as this will encourage aerobic bacteria which in turn could raise your nitrates.

 

lol, since I don't really need those canister filters you just saved me about $200  ;D

What skimmers would you all recommend for me? Would that garf stuff be better than packaged live sand like aragalive?

 

I would reccommend purchasing "dead" sand to fill your sandbed with and then getting a few handfulls of sand from some local reefers to seed yours with. This will be a lot cheaper than filling your tank with aragalive depending on the size of your tank. The more diversity you can add to your sand bed the better. I have never tried the garf grunge but have considered it. Either way, regardless of whether you start with live sand or dead sand it will all be "alive" within due time.