kindasleepy Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 I'm considering turning over my 10gal to salt water and am doing some research. I'm reading a thing right now that says that the only filtration required is live rock and sand. Now, I understand what the author is getting at about biological filtration and its place in the nitrogen cycle...but no filters? No protein skimmers? No...nothing? I'm a bit skeptical. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 If you don't plan on having many occupants, and will do weekly WCs, you will be fine w/o a filter or skimmer. You could pick up a large AquaClear and modify it to be a refugium for nitrate removal - I've done that with some decent success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kindasleepy Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 No, I'd want occupants. though I know that in a 10gal I'd be pretty limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitaminz Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 No, I'd want occupants. though I know that in a 10gal I'd be pretty limited. I would still put filtration in, if it was me. If you search thru my posts, you will see I started out with a 10g nano and went from there. You will still need a nano power head for movement. Skimmer won't matter on that small of a system, just have to do weekly water changes. Unless you wanted to get adventerous and do an overflow into a sump. With that size of system, i would say a max of 3 fish, but if you need some coral frags, I may have a few beginer ones for you. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kindasleepy Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Yeah I saw yours actually! Looks nice. I don't have the space to deal with a sump though I'd love to do it that way. I live in a tiny condo with too many pets hence why I only have a ten gallon to start with. I know you can stack them but I just don't think I can rig that in here. Only have a stand for one 10g. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nandopsis Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Millions of people have tanks with no skimmer or filters. I'am one of them....although i am using a old AC500 as a refugium with alittle live rock and Cheato algea in it. I also have 2 power heads, 1 tunze 6025 and 1 Vortech MP10 wES All you need is about 10-15 lbs of live rock and live sand and plenty of water movement....and keep up on the water changes. It's only as complicated as you want it too be. I would only go with 1 or 2 small fish with a shrimp or 2, and the clean up crew of snails and crabs. I have allitte bit of Marco rock if you decide to set it up...it's dry but just seed it with some Live rock and its good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nandopsis Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Oh and i mounted my heater in the refugium as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitaminz Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Yeah I saw yours actually! Looks nice. I don't have the space to deal with a sump though I'd love to do it that way. I live in a tiny condo with too many pets hence why I only have a ten gallon to start with. I know you can stack them but I just don't think I can rig that in here. Only have a stand for one 10g. Why don't you just build one?? Could always use a metal stand, for that size they are usually cheap. Then either cover it with a curtain, or if you are handy, build a wooden skirt around it with a door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitaminz Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Millions of people have tanks with no skimmer or filters. I'am one of them....although i am using a old AC500 as a refugium with alittle live rock and Cheato algea in it. I also have 2 power heads, 1 tunze 6025 and 1 Vortech MP10 wES All you need is about 10-15 lbs of live rock and live sand and plenty of water movement....and keep up on the water changes. It's only as complicated as you want it too be. I would only go with 1 or 2 small fish with a shrimp or 2, and the clean up crew of snails and crabs. I have allitte bit of Marco rock if you decide to set it up...it's dry but just seed it with some Live rock and its good to go. I have also ran tanks without filter or protein skimmers, and they run just fine on smaller tanks, but when you get out of the nano tanks (under 25g) then I am a firm believer in a sump and protein skimmer. If you have time for weekly water changes, then more power to you. But with my schedule, I am lucky to do a water change once a month. Also when you have clams that go thru their mating in your tank, or have a huge anemone bit the bullet in your tank, and the water it cloudy as hell, you will appreciate not doing a huge water change, and let the skimmer go crazy and clear it up in a day. Also I have abandon the live sand in my tank, and switched out to rubble as the medium of choice. Simply because over time the sand get ugly and gross looking, while the rubble provides a nice clean look. Again you have to remember that in this hobby, after all these years, we really have no one rule that applies to all tanks, what will work for some, might not work for others. Plus the fact that rules of how to do things, is always changing. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kindasleepy Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 So sump question. Does it matter how big your sump is? Thinking maybe 20gal tank, 10 gal sump? Pros/cons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitaminz Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 So sump question. Does it matter how big your sump is? Thinking maybe 20gal tank, 10 gal sump? Pros/cons? You sump size depends on what you want to do with it. The biggest plus to a sump is you get to hide all your equipment, so you plan around that. Also how many chambers is another factor. Technically you want atleast 3, one for your feed line from the tank, then one for your skimmer, then the last one for you return line. Have to also allow room for baffles, to take the extra air bubbles out thru each chamber. Also depends on wether you want a fuge or not, but on a tank that small, I don't see any reason to. I have designed quite a few sumps for people using google sketchup. The sump size also depends on how much room you have under the tank. I would recommend going as large as the space you have, allows you room to grow, if you want to change things up. If you are looking for a new tank, make sure it is either RR (reef ready, aka already drilled), or make sure the glass isn't tempered. Most tanks you by now of days are tempered on the bottom, which means you have to drill on the back or side walls, a good diamond bit will help you out there. The next thing to consider is your plumbing, but that is a whole nother topic...K I have ranted enough, don't want to bore you with all the details. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 A friend of mine was (maybe still) running a pail sump. I believe the tank was 20gal and the pail is either 5 or 8 gal. I'm pretty sure he just has one baffle, but it works great and fit easily under the small stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kindasleepy Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 More research for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitaminz Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 More research for me! Are you done yet.....*poke* :drunk: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kindasleepy Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 LOL, this will most likely be a summer project. I have too much homework right now! *daydreams about fish tanks* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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