Alright, so I want to bounce this off you much-more-experienced-than-I folks:

I removed the AC110 filter from my tank yesterday. I was having problems with the light in there (a 10w directed halogen that was doing nada for my chaeto) and removed dissolving, almost dead chaeto several days ago. I bought a 25w clip on light from HD the day before and was going to finish up modding/cleaning the filter to put it on. The problem (as I see it) is that as soon as I took the AC off, I realized how much display area had been hidden by the filter. The aquarium looks so much lighter and open now. Keep in mind this is a peninsula tank, so both long sides are visible in my common living area. The AC filter was hanging on one of the long sides because I could not fit it and the light on the short side I've got most of my equipment on.

Now, I just got a Tunze Nano 9002 skimmer for Valentine's, so I've been running it the last few days and it is definitely pulling out dark skimmate. Not as quickly as I thought it would, but it is still breaking in. I still have chaeto in my display. I plan to cut it back today after I rinse it during my water change, but I will continue to use it. I was also thinking about hanging the back a small whisper in-tank filter to run floss or carbon if I keep the fuge off.

I am starting to realize that I like a lot of LPS and I'm definitely interested in some monti caps and a few other types of SPS. I of course am not going to get those immediately (in fact, I intend on holding off on any SPS (well, I might give in to get a monti cap frag just a wee bit earlier) until my tank's about six months old. I also want to get a sun coral. I plan on having two clowns, either a Vanderbilt chromis or a bicolor anthias, a herbivorous blenny, and either a wrasse or a Potter's angel (depends on whether or not I want to re-home my sexy shrimp).

So with that kind of bioload and potentially more LPS heavy, is it a really bad idea to consider ditching the fuge?

And some pics so you see what I'm looking at in terms of display area:

With the filter (older pic but should give you the idea):


And now (sorry, it's a little messy because today's gonna be water change day, and yes I know I'm still fighting my first algae bloom):



What do you think? Will I be fine? I do weekly 12% water changes. Or should I just keep running the fuge?

I hang my filter on the short side so it doesn't impede viewing and gives a nice flow pattern, I would say keep running it but definitely try putting it on the side. you could work something out with your light, just a little tinkering.

Unless you want to grow critters in the fuge, your skimmer should be giving you the same (or likely better) results than the chaeto as far as nutrient reduction so there wouldn't be any reason to keep the AC on the tank.

Believe me, if I could do it, I would. But my open area on the side panel is 16 1/2 inches across given the trim. The AC 110 is about 14 inches across. The light brackets are only 9 1/2 inches long and go all the way across the top of the tank, as does the AC. The AC top is actually higher than the brackets also. And based on where the tank is situated, hanging the lights is out of the question. I also have my Vortech back there, smack dab in the middle of where the AC would otherwise go. There just is not enough real estate available on that short panel. Looking back, I really wish I had realized that before I spent the money on the fuge in the first place, but there's one of my newbie mistakes for ya -- ugh.

@ violinist - I am worried about possible pod depletion down the line given the fish I want to stock and may want the fuge for that eventually (to maintain more diversity/act as supplemental food source), but I don't need it for that now.

So my concern about my potential bioload relative to my filtration is unfounded then? Maybe what I'll do is this: I'll keep it off for the time being as it looks much better that way, then as the bioload increases if I see my tank having problems with nitrates, phosphates, etc. that I cannot correct through reasonable measures, I will add the fuge back. Hopefully it won't come to that.

I don't think 5 fish are a heavy bioload in that tank. I have 5 fish in a tank half that size and the skimmer is keeping phos/trate at 0.

I hung my little ac70 on and got my ghetto fuge with the chaeto going and all that. I'm doing it to see for myself exactly what sort of pod population it is going to maintain. I'll be honest, I'm expecting the answer to be 'not many' and if I had something like a mandarin that was just going to be eating them non-stop I can't see how they could possibly reproduce quick enough to keep up.

Call me a pessimist. But I like to find out for myself, hence the exercise. If I were keeping something that was going to really lean heavily on a pod population, I think I'd go the route of a sump.

well other than a fuge, the AC is a good place to put media (carbon, chempur what ever )

im sure you dont want an ugly bag just in the display...

ill trade ya an AC70 + 7watt azoo pc clamp light, im grown cheato with it now like a champ....and the ballast will also run a 9watt bulb if you want it just a hair bigger

@ violinist - good to know, I'll ask you how the ac70 experiment goes in a few months. I feel better about going without the fuge now.

@ blockclimber - honestly, I don't think the ac70's gonna work back there right now either. The alignment of the light brackets relative to the vortech is extremely limiting. I'll be adding a whisper filter instead (one I've got sitting around), which should fit fine for running floss or carbon in the display. I think I'm just gonna hold onto my ac110 in the meantime in case I do have to add the fuge back in the future. Sorry!

You know what, if you go without a fuge and a skimmer you are going to have a tough time with that 40.

Please get a good skimmer and still do the 12% wc and you will be fantastic!

I just got a Tunze Nano skimmer in the last week (which is the only reason why I'm even thinking about removing the fuge). So sounds like I should be good!

I am not familiar with that skimmer. What is it rated for?

Edit: if its the 9002, then you should be fine. Remember to have an ATO because when the water evaporates and you dont keep the water line steady it can hinder a skimmer useless.

It's the Tunze 9002 skimmer - It's rated for up to 52 gallons in a mixed reef, only 26 if exclusively SPS tank. With the rockwork and everything in there, I'd say I've got about 35 or so gallons of actual water. It is super quiet and really doesn't take up much space in the tank AND I don't have to worry about it overflowing. It's pretty awesome although it is an in-tank skimmer and not HOB.

Ill take an in tank over a HOB any day!

I cant sleep knowing that skimmer can overflow!