Solana 34 with no skimmer?

[Gort]

My apologies if this topic has been done to death - my search result were fairly sparse.

I'm sure there are plenty of opinions both pro and con; but I'm interested to find out results from anyone who's kept a reef tank of similar size with no skimmer at all. A mentor from another forum has an enviable BC29 that he's had great success using water changes plus good filtration media.

 

[Skimmy]

it's all how much work you want to do...
of course you can keep an aquarium without a skimmer,
it just means extra water changes, extra cleaning,
and more frequent changing of carbon since your basically relying on it.

....but of course, i would emplore you to think about spending just $100-$150 on a skimmer,
I mean, why not??

 

[Gort]

Indeed - the Solana comes with a skimmer as part of the package. Of course, by your handle I can tell you have just a BIT of a bias .. heheheh

 

[Cwazy Clown]

IMO, as long as you keep up with weekly water changes of 10-20%, and practice good husbandry, you could easily do a skimmerless 34.

But I will have to agree with skimmy on this one, theres really no reason you shouldnt go without one unless something prohibits you from keeping one one your tank. My rule of thumb is an either or, either skimmer, or fuge. They both cost about the same, you should try and get a used aquac for like 50$.

 

[Skimmy]

i personally think ur better off with a skimmer and carbon compared to modding the back into a big refugium.
i seem to recall it isnt the best skimmer, but that was years ago, they might have changed it a bit...
but yes, even a refugium and carbon combo would be pretty decent...

 

[Krish]

I'd use a skimmer myself if at all possible. It will make life so much easier for you IMO especially on a tank this size that can be so easily influenced by any little thing. You'd want all the help you can get to keep the water in top notch. Nevertheless, it can definately be done without a skimmer, but it just means more weight will be placed on you.

 

[Gort]

I guess I'll try to "dial-in" the Solana skimmer - even though it hasn't been running there was a lot of crud in the bottom of the collection cup and inside the skimmer body itself.

 

[Shane and John]

Gort...Just get the tunze...We have it and with the combo of the good skimmer and the new intank media basket it shoud be set!!

We ordered ours...Our tunze is pulling out some real nasty Green tea...and we still have a very light bio-load...We do weekly water changes and are Still getting green tea..why run without!!

Good skimmer..Media basket with chemi-pure or elite,Purigen and filter floss......weekly water changes...You will be set....

 

[Gort]

S & J .. I almost forgot about you guys - thanx for the good advice. You know how I hate when you're right - heheheh

 

[Shane and John]

Gort....Shoot...we are not Always right...lol....its just what is working for us...Hopefully we get out basket soon...Patiently waiting...You will NOT be dissapointed with the tunze if you get it...We dont have any experiance with the stock skimmer so I cant speak for it,but what we have works and very well...You will need an auto topp off though.We had trouble dialing it in untill we installed ours..got the jbj and now maintinance is a breeze!!

 

[Gort]

Gort....Shoot...we are not Always right...lol....its just what is working for us...Hopefully we get out basket soon...Patiently waiting...You will NOT be dissapointed with the tunze if you get it...We dont have any experiance with the stock skimmer so I cant speak for it,but what we have works and very well...You will need an auto topp off though.We had trouble dialing it in untill we installed ours..got the jbj and now maintinance is a breeze!!

Those ATO bottles are a thorn in my side for sure, but that's low on my list - I can take care of that manually if need be.. One of my "reefer-pen-pals" from NR told me about an impeller mod for the Solana slimmer; another one tells me he runs his uber-clean nano with no skimmer at all - go figure. How's things in P-U-wallop?

 

[Shane and John]

Gort..Its all good here...Just reefin away...!!!

 

[Gort]

Gort..Its all good here...Just reefin away...!!!

Reefer Madness - strange but true...