mechanical filtration - to use or not?

sorry to kind of jack the thread but I use an Ehiem canister filter w/ pads, carbon, bio balls, and ceramic media...so kinda what i am picking up from this thread is that i could possibly do without all that once I get my sump/fuge going and a good skimmer? cause i wouldnt dare of going w/o the Ehiem canister filter right now w/ the sea clown skimmer i have running right now haha

 

I'm just running live rock, a skimmer, and a refugium full of chaeto. Skimmer pulls out some NASTY stuff! Every once and awhile I will throw a bad of carbon in my sump for a week then take it out. Haven't done a water change in about 2 months. Nitrates are still at zero. I think stability and balance is key.

 

If your set up is working now then i would say dont fix what isnt broke. that said, i have noticed that with each step of mechanical filtration removal my skimmer pulled more skimmate (Aqua C remora). So now my skimmer is pulling a lot of dissolved organics out, and my live rock and DSB are taking care of the rest...for now at least im still in the early stages of this. I like having just one filter to maintain

 

I use a filter because I'm so worried about the water turning bad and not catching it in time. So I just like the extra back up!

 

And I will add I have always stocked a good clean up crew. I don't feed sparingly.

 

What Skimmer are you using blue falcon?