Going Filterless in a Nano, I made the plunge - who else?

[stash98]

I went back and forth on pulling my filter and just doing water changes every week in my 12 gallon long (o sump).

 

Well after cleaning the gunk out of my filter for the second time in 5 weeks, I just decided to let my CUC take care of that stuff and invest in a wavemaker to provide really healthy tank flow.

 

Since doing this, my water surface has cleared up and my corals seem to be happier. My hammer is constantly at full size and rarely closes up. My Torch is still closing up throughout the day, but it recently split into a third head so that may be part of it.

 

My cleaning routine is a 2 gallon WC once a week and vacuuming an area of the sand bed and blowing detritus off the rocks. I just want the tank to run simpler.

 

When I had my filter I had major white slime issues, was running carbon and Chemi pure and the filter just became a trap for all kinds of gunk which the water would be filtering through. I had to clean it constantly and it was annoying.

 

I know this is not a huge revelation but I really believe that simplifying a nano tank can be a good thing. My only addidtive is kalk that I dose from my ATO.

 

Anyone else do the same?

 

[ninjamyst]

What do you mean by running a filter? Are you talking about an AC70 or something?

[seabass]

Your corals (and tank in general) are responding positively to the increases in water change volume (more export of wastes and replenishment of elements), as well as increased flow, organics, and (possibly) nutrients. Have you noticed a change in your tank's nutrient levels?

 

It's hard to predict whether nitrate will increase or decrease with this change. On the one hand, a dirty filter will trap detritus which breaks down into nutrients. On the other hand, chemical filtration adsorbs (and exports) dissolved organics which would have been broken down into nutrients. Then there's the water change factor.

 

The positive results you are seeing may or may not be temporary. Taking your chemical filters out of your tank will likely increase the DOCs in your tank. Your corals are responding to this energy source. However, there might eventually be some negative consequences (such as increased nutrient levels, cyano, and/or algae blooms). Water clarity might also start to suffer, as activated carbon (products like Chemipure) can remove discoloration from the water.

 

Then there is the phosphate factor. The symbiotic algae in coral will utilize this energy source for growth, but excess levels can cause problems. Chemical filters like Phosguard are very effective at removing excess phosphate from your tank. Without them, (depending on import and export) phosphate levels might continue to rise, causing algae and cyano blooms.

 

That said, with good maintenance, it's possible to run a tank (even long-term) without mechanical and chemical filtration. However, these initial benefits might eventually be joined by negative reactions to the increases in DOCs and nutrient levels (which might have to be countered by larger water changes and cleanup crews). But I wish you the best of luck and congratulations on the improvements to your tank.

[stash98]

What do you mean by running a filter? Are you talking about an AC70 or something?

 

 

Yes, I had an AC70 on my old 11 gallon and had a fluval internal that I just removed from my 12 long.

[stash98]

Your corals (and tank in general) are responding positively to the increases in water change volume (more export of wastes and replenishment of elements), as well as increased flow, organics, and (possibly) nutrients. Have you noticed a change in your tank's nutrient levels?

 

It's hard to predict whether nitrate will increase or decrease with this change. On the one hand, a dirty filter will trap detritus which breaks down into nutrients. On the other hand, chemical filtration adsorbs (and exports) dissolved organics which would have been broken down into nutrients. Then there's the water change factor.

 

The positive results you are seeing may or may not be temporary. Taking your chemical filters out of your tank will likely increase the DOCs in your tank. Your corals are responding to this energy source. However, there might eventually be some negative consequences (such as increased nutrient levels, cyano, and/or algae blooms). Water clarity might also start to suffer, as activated carbon (products like Chemipure) can remove discoloration from the water.

 

Then there is the phosphate factor. The symbiotic algae in coral will utilize this energy source for growth, but excess levels can cause problems. Chemical filters like Phosguard are very effective at removing excess phosphate from your tank. Without them, (depending on import and export) phosphate levels might continue to rise, causing algae and cyano blooms.

 

That said, with good maintenance, it's possible to run a tank (even long-term) without mechanical and chemical filtration. However, these initial benefits might eventually be joined by negative reactions to the increases in DOCs and nutrient levels (which might have to be countered by larger water changes and cleanup crews). But I wish you the best of luck and congratulations on the improvements to your tank.

 

Good points. So far I have had zero algae growth since I cycled my 11 gallon BB in the beginning and had hair algae. 8 months later I transferred the rock and livestock to my 12 gallon and added aragonite sand. No algae growth since (been 2 months)

 

Nutrient level is what I need to monitor the most. I fear my test kit is aged and inaccurate so I am trying to figure out a good solution there.

 

I just know that with the filter, especially the AC70, I had bacteria blooms and uncontrollable white slime that I could not get rid of. I cleaned the filter twice a month to no avail. Changed floss every week, didn't matter.

[Clown79]

Many ppl go filterless but many won't for the reasons Seabass listed.

 

I never run larger filters on my tanks. I've always run the recommended size and used floss and chemipure blue with little issue. I syphon my filter out weekly and clean monthly. I have never seen slime in any hob so I'm not sure what was causing yours.

 

In personal experience, just changing my pump to a lower gph pump in my aio has caused increased nitrates and now I have an algae issue which I didn't have before. so for me, I hestitate removing my hob as the chemical/mechanical filteration really helps. All that brown that collects in the floss - stays in the tank without the floss. Water changes can aid in removal but like Seabass said, most often either larger wc's or more frequent wc's may be needed in future without the filter.

[WV Reefer]

I run a "low-tech" 12 gallon long. I do a 30% water change every Sunday and am increasingly careful with my feeding. I've had a very hands on approach as far as maintenance and everything seems to be doing quite well. (At some point I will get motivated and post some pics. )

[Nano sapiens]

Certainly!

 

8+ years with my 12g (without mechanical or chemical filtration). 'Untestable' PO4 and NO3 (Salifert/ELOS kits). 9-1/2 years same seup on my old 55g before being dismantled/sold.

 

My system has done well with just a 10% WC/week and a moderate bioload. Consistent maintenance, which includes at least weekly detritus removal (sand bed vacuuming/live rock 'basting'), is key to keeping NO3 and PO4 in check. It's also helpful to occasionally vacuum under a base LR every few months (i do this for each of my five base rocks every 2 months, so in 12 months I'm back to the first rock again).

 

Regular water changes, advective processes and natural periphyton that develop in an established system will keep refractory organics (yellowing compounds) and suspended particulates very low.

[stash98]

Certainly!

 

8+ years with my 12g (without mechanical or chemical filtration). 'Untestable' PO4 and NO3 (Salifert/ELOS kits). 9-1/2 years same seup on my old 55g before being dismantled/sold.

 

My system has done well with just a 10% WC/week and a moderate bioload. Consistent maintenance, which includes at least weekly detritus removal (sand bed vacuuming/live rock 'basting'), is key to keeping NO3 and PO4 in check. It's also helpful to occasionally vacuum under a base LR every few months (i do this for each of my five base rocks every 2 months, so in 12 months I'm back to the first rock again).

 

Regular water changes, advective processes and natural periphyton that develop in an established system will keep refractory organics (yellowing compounds) and suspended particulates very low.

 

 

Your posts helped sway me in this direction before, plus reading experiences on other forums. I wipe glass, turn off the powerheads, blow off the rocks, suck up the floating detritus and then vaccum a portion of the sand once a week. Takes maybe 15 minutes.

 

I will update my tank thread if I get any outbreaks, but my battle with white slime in my old tank is nonexistant now. I also had some seriously tough bacteria blooms before. While some of that could have been new tank syndrome, i have not had one of those instances in my 12.

[Nano sapiens]

 

 

Your posts helped sway me in this direction before, plus reading experiences on other forums. I wipe glass, turn off the powerheads, blow off the rocks, suck up the floating detritus and then vaccum a portion of the sand once a week. Takes maybe 15 minutes.

 

I will update my tank thread if I get any outbreaks, but my battle with white slime in my old tank is nonexistant now. I also had some seriously tough bacteria blooms before. While some of that could have been new tank syndrome, i have not had one of those instances in my 12.

 

Good to hear that the tank has stabilized. What I have found is that these systems tend to adjust over time to the maintenance routine used, but what they don't like is inconsistency.