To Skim or not to Skim?....That is the question.

My tank has been up for about four months. I check for ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,PH,Phosphate,Cal,DKH,Mag,Iodine,Silicate,and Iodide. Everthing tests within "reef Safe" Range. With the exception that my phosphates could be a little lower.

I have Acro,Birdsnest,Pavonia,Hammer,Frogspawn,GSP,Sinularia,Zoas,Mushrooms,Ricordea,Acans,Xenia and Galaxia. With the exception of the Acro,Sinularia, and Galaxia most of my corals are smaller closer to frags then full grown corals. All corals,Inverts and fish seem to be happy. Ive had no deaths or sickness in the tank. The only thing area I believe the tank could improve is growth rate seems to be slow. However being my first tank, I really dont know what to expect for growth rate.

I have beeen using a HOB Filter with about 50Ibs of Live Rock and about 60Ibs of Live Sand. The filter is rated for 70 gallons. I have been only using standard carbon,mechanical filter, and the bio filter that comes with the Filter. Occasionally I will place PhosGaurd and Purigen into the filter to help keep Phosphates in check and the purigen helps remove some of the organic matter. Also I use only RO water.

After discovering that the Reef octupus Skimmer I wanted had a huge pump on it that sits inside the tank I decided not to purchase that skimmer. They do make one with a pump that sits outside the tank but I dont believe it's as good as the one I wanted.

My question is can I just go without the skimmer? I do plan on getting a dual reactor in a few weeks to run carbon and GFO. I know eventually my frags will grow and I plan on adding more fish,corals, and inverts. Can I go without the skimmer? or is the skimmer a MUST?

 

As long a you get rid of the acro and the birdsnest, I don't see a reason why you can't go skimmerless with the rest of your corals. (That's assuming you don't radically increase your fish. If you stay with a low bioload like that, you should be fine).

 

I would prefer a skimmer for many reasons:

1) keeps the water clean
2) aerate the tank and maintain ph
3) makes my life easier lol

 

If you're keeping SPS then i'd say you need a skimmer, but if you're keeping mostly LPS/softies then you might be OK. Personally I see a skimmer as an essential bit of kit, though. Once you see the amount of gunk they pull out of the water, you'll never turn back!

 

No! its just helpful,

 

Why not just cover it up with some decorative rock or carefully placed fast-growing softies...?

 

this is a thought too.

 

you could try zeovit method but that seems unnecessarily expensive and complicated.

 

or look at a different skimmer?


You could probably get by without it... but, IMO, that's just making your maintenance schedule that much more demanding of you. Up to you.

 

my gf thinger has a 14g biocube up and running for 2 years,it puzzels me.she has not done any cleaning in the tank.ocasional water changes of 4 gallons(mabe once every 3-4 months). no skimmer on that tank,heavy bioload afew lps and softies.everything is flourishing its kinda making me rethink all this expensive equipment.mabe shes just got the perfect blend of fish and coral... idk but shes doing it skimmerless