Who runs a tank without a skimmer?

[Scooterman]

What's up with this?

I was having some hair algae problem during my tank swap. I did some reading on mollies in reef tanks. Turns out that are an excellent algae eater. It has been two months and they are doing excellent. They are still cleaning algae off the glass and pumps. They don't seem to go near the corals though.

To acclimate them, put them on a saltwater drip in a 5 gallon bucket. Over a couple of hours, turn the freshwater to saltwater. Then they are ready to be reef fish. I purchased the pair out of a brackish tank, so the adjustment to saltwater would not be so severe. They are active live breeders. The fry can be raised in saltwater, as long as they are not eaten by corals and fish.

Reef Mollies:

Saltwater Sail-Fin Mollies
By Carol E. Keen
Edited By Elizabeth M. Lukan, 7/14/99
http://www.marinefiends.com/issues/1999/fnc0799.htm

Mollies (Poeciliidae)
http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/zoo/mollies.htm

No skimmer here. I am not bragging and I won't try to make a good argument. It works for me. I do about 10% water changes, couple times a month. I don't do any additives or feedings, no reactor, no carbon. Just good lighting and moderate flow. I have been pretty lucky, a few SPS, a few LPS, and tons of zoos. I feed my fish formula I and II flake food. I have no algae problems, I have lots of scavengers that help with that.

I can't recommend not using a skimmer, but it is possible to keep a successful reef without one. I am not sure when you can claim success. I have been at it for three years now and have grown hundreds of colonies of zoanthids and softies. I can't say, but life might have been easier with a skimmer.

2 x 250watt reeflux 12k
closed loop
sump
heater

 

[spongebob lover]

you're not the only one that wondered the same thing .

 

[Scooterman]

We have ways to find out but for now we wait

 

[Brenden]

What's up with this?

Noticed that too. Looks like the skimmerless tanks are pretty common?

 

[spongebob lover]

Noticed that too. Looks like the skimmerless tanks are pretty common?

naww dood that tank has special equipment, you just press a button and it goes to one home, then you press the botton again when you're bored and it goes to another home ..... now that i think about.... kewl way to transport everything .

 

[JasonD]

Same Guy. I accidentally logged on with the wrong name.

I never have got around to figuring out how to delete an account.

mrdillpickle/Jasond

Same Guy.

You guys don't miss a thing.

 

[Scooterman]

No problem Jason, if you want just shoot Chuck a PM & he can take care of that for you.

 

[Elmo18]

I run ALL my tanks skimmerless.

Best,
Ilham

 

[Gimpster]

Up until this summer my tank was skimmerless. But now that i am pushing the stocking limit and feedig more and more I have found that the tank looks a little better with the skimmer, my nusiance algae is starting to reduce as well. I think with a light bio load and regular water changes skimmerless with a fuge and macro is fine.