Any running no mech filter?

[leo]

On my nano I have been running a power filter with floss and carbon. I was noticing the kenya tree shrivel on occansion and I would then do a water change. Recently I removed the filter media and was just using the filter as a large pump. I have not noticed any keya shriviling and when i did a water change the water seemed clearer. So my question is who else is going filter free and have you noticed any effect on coral/life in your system.

[TimsVw]

I am filter free . Just a skimmer, and 57 lbs. of rock in a 30 gal.

 

Tim

[leo]

I have no skimmer it is a 10 with 70 MH and 26 PC actinics. about 15 lbs of rock.

1 2 inch maxiam

1 coral banded

2 peppermints shrimp

2 flase percs

1 RBTA

GSP colony

a couple of zoa frags

small frog spawn

a couple of macro algaes

[fungia]

I ran a 10g with no filters (or heater!) for almost 7 years starting in Oct 1997. Had to break it down recently because our building is being demo'd for a complete rebuild. I just had 2 small circulation pumps- Aquarium Systems "duettos".

 

The problem I can see with the floss is that if you don't change it out regularly (like at least once a week) it can become a biological filter and start to produce nitrate. This could be the reason your Kenya tree started to shrivel, but it's hard to say. How often did you change the floss? How about the carbon?

[leo]

not as often as i should have:) the carbon i did when every i rinsed the filter.

[fungia]

2 things then:

 

The floss would turn into a bio-filter and produce nitrate in between cleanings.

 

The carbon (when changed) would rapidly remove yellowing compounds, thereby increasing the UV transmittance in the water, which could stress the corals. Craig Bingman wrote some excellent articles on this in the now-defunct "Aquarium Frontiers Online"- you can probably google this....