Fish For Simple Setup

[jeffopentax]

Got my daughter's cube set up yesterday. I heard weekly 5g water changes on smaller tanks are more efficient than a skimmer. Discuss!

 

[jeffopentax]

Got my daughter's cube set up yesterday. I heard weekly 5g water changes on smaller tanks are more efficient than a skimmer. Discuss!

 

[jeffopentax]

Was in a hurry when i wrote that last post. Let me elaborate. I was talking to a guy who said he has a biocube running for a year without a skimmer, just does weekly 5g water changes. I would live to not have to put the slim skim in my daughter's tank. What do you think of that approach?

 

[jeffopentax]

Was in a hurry when i wrote that last post. Let me elaborate. I was talking to a guy who said he has a biocube running for a year without a skimmer, just does weekly 5g water changes. I would live to not have to put the slim skim in my daughter's tank. What do you think of that approach?

 

[EricTMah]

I ran a system for years without a skimmer. It can be done. But I was mainly keeping softies and lps. For sps though, I highly recommend using a skimmer.

Just depends on what you plan to keep, and keeping the fish bio load minimal will help as well.

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[jeffopentax]

I ran a system for years without a skimmer. It can be done. But I was mainly keeping softies and lps. For sps though, I highly recommend using a skimmer.

Just depends on what you plan to keep, and keeping the fish bio load minimal will help as well.

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I guess i should have mentioned the planned stock list!

1-Clown and nem
3-Pyjama cardinals
3-Chromis
1-Royal Gramma
1-Goby (type yet to be determined)
Maybe a few zoas and lps

 

[EricTMah]

IMO you won't need a skimmer for what you've listed as long as you're doing weekly water changes.

If nutrients get too high. Running reactors with carbon and/or gfo will help. A fuge goes a long way as well.

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[scubasteve]

my 45gal seahorse tank only ever see's a 5 gal wc a week and they probably polute water more than anything (i couldnt stand hearing that pos coralife skimmer anymore). you wont need carbon unless keeping coral but at least a media bag of it somewhere will help to keep it clear

 

[jeffopentax]

I like what I'm reading! Was starting to dread putting skimmer in, as the pump in the used slim skim appears to have issues. Probably just needs a good cleaning. Seems this tank will be more basic than i thought! On another note, anyone have recommendations on powerheads? Gph? How many? Looking for the smallest physical size. Thinking jebao rw-4...

 

[Bayinaung]

I think aquacultured BTAs from hobbyists should be fine. Nems that require established systems are the ones brought in from oceans. They sure are super sensitive! Once water parems are off, they just deflate.

OMG pipe fishes! I think your daughter would love those too. Will they live with a clown? Tank size is fine for them. Just don't know if the others would pick on them. never had them before.

 

[jeffopentax]

I think aquacultured BTAs from hobbyists should be fine. Nems that require established systems are the ones brought in from oceans. They sure are super sensitive! Once water parems are off, they just deflate.

OMG pipe fishes! I think your daughter would love those too. Will they live with a clown? Tank size is fine for them. Just don't know if the others would pick on them. never had them before.

Had not heard that about btas! Does that apply to all nems?

Pipefish are cool, but after a quick search it seems they need cooler water (75-78). Maybe someone who has some will chime in to say whether or not they could be a possibility.

 

[bart84]

I wouldn't waste your time with pipefish. I have tried them in a system with other fish. The take a long time to eat like a seahorse so the other fish get the food before they do. Just my experience.

 

[heath]

|Jeff, I ran my 90 gal fowlr for 3 years with no skimmer and I didn't have access to ro/di water either, just used tap water with prime. I ran a HEAVY bio load and I tend to be a heavy feeder as well, every mistake or what not to do that a person could do.. My tank was very healthy, never had ich, feather dusters coming out the waszulu. I am doing things differently/correct (?) this time around, I believe in the KISS theory. sometimes we make things to complicated and then lose interest in the hobby..as far as a nem, clown fish don't need them to survive and some will not host a nem .just IMHO

 

[jeffopentax]

|Jeff, I ran my 90 gal fowlr for 3 years with no skimmer and I didn't have access to ro/di water either, just used tap water with prime. I ran a HEAVY bio load and I tend to be a heavy feeder as well, every mistake or what not to do that a person could do.. My tank was very healthy, never had ich, feather dusters coming out the waszulu. I am doing things differently/correct (?) this time around, I believe in the KISS theory. sometimes we make things to complicated and then lose interest in the hobby..as far as a nem, clown fish don't need them to survive and some will not host a nem .just IMHO

I agree with keeping it simple. My first salt tank only had a canister filter and I had no issues. Once I started getting the "oil slick" on the water surface, i figured it was time add a skimmer and sump. It all went downhill when i tried a hob overflow. Just could not get it running consistently. That's when i decided to tear down and start with a drilled tank. Ok, way off topic here...

As for the clown/nem, I know clowns don't need a nem, and sometimes want nothing to do with them. I like the interaction between the two. Think my daughter does too. About a year ago I had a rbta, and a tomato clown that could not get enough of it. My daughter was looking in the tank one day and started laughing. When i asked her what was so funny, she pointed at the nem and clown and said "That fish gettin tickled!"

 

[barebottomcouple]

I agree with clowns not needing a anemone, I have 2 ocellaris clowns they have a bt anemone but I also have a onyx clown that want nothing to do with 4 different kinds of anemone and she has "homed" in monti cap folds. and is happy and healthy

 

[jeffopentax]

Someone on here has a maroon (i think) clown hosting a clam. Whoever it is, if you ever want to sell them, let me know!

 

[EricTMah]

I love the interaction between clowns and anemones.

I'll always have at lease a pair of clowns with a nem in one of my systems

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[Bayinaung]

Had not heard that about btas! Does that apply to all nems?

Pipefish are cool, but after a quick search it seems they need cooler water (75-78). Maybe someone who has some will chime in to say whether or not they could be a possibility.

Very few of the LFS nems are aquacultured. Rose, flame, green BTAs are normally from hobbyist homes and they survive all kinds of conditions - I know this from experience lol. Ocean direct nems are finicky, need established systems and usually clown hosts to make them feel comfortable. They all died on me for one reason or another. And, the last one, a purple tentacle LTA, when it died, I believe caused the crash of my tank because it released toxic chemicals with its death. People told me to change water, and I did, but that didn't help. Rest of my corals started to die after that, even though my parameters seemed to be ok. Very EXPENSIVE lesson.

77 deg is the ocean temp and that's what I keep my tanks at.

 

[jeffopentax]

First fish is in! Need a smaller heater, and need to switch out the monster koralia for a couple wp-10 or rw-4.

 

[heath]

I think it looks great, what does your daughter think and whats his name?