Filterless tank

[lsu_fishfan]

Does anyone have experience with running a tank without using traditional filtration, but instead relying sold on water changes?

I am wondering if a softies only tank would be successful without using normal filtration , but doing weekly water changes of 50%. Would this be sufficient if all that is in the tank are coral and maybe a clownfish? Thanks

 

[jrhunter0000]

I heard of it being done and successful. However would depend on many things. Is the TDS of your water 0? Don't want any extra phosphates. Any reason your wanting to go filterless?

 

[lsu_fishfan]

jrhunter0000;1079582 wrote: I heard of it being done and successful. However would depend on many things. Is the TDS of your water 0? Don't want any extra phosphates. Any reason your wanting to go filterless?

No reason not to go filterless, just thinking outside the box on ways of caring for a tank

 

[jbadd99]

LSU_fishFan;1079584 wrote: No reason not to go filterless, just thinking outside the box on ways of caring for a tank

I ran my tank for six months at one point with no filter at all, no water changes, and no dosing. Everything in my tank appeared quite happy and my zoas exploded, as did my Yuma mushrooms - acros grew rather slowly though. That said, one would need to introduce some forms of nutrients necessary after a while, but I know a 120g can sustain a full blown reef for at least six months.

 

[picoreefguy]

yes it can easily be done. i have kept a 3 gallon and a 5 gallon shallow tank with no filtration. as long as you have everything else in place youre good. in my 3 gallon picotope the pump for circulation also kept the water warm enough so all i had to worry about was light and evaporation. i used a 12" coralife pc light and topped off as needed. and did wc once or twice a week and it went great for about a year till i tried to dose it to reduce waterchanges and accidentally overdosed alk and crashed the tank. and overdosing a 3 gal is insanely easy to do.

 

[jrhunter0000]

jbadd99;1079585 wrote: I ran my tank for six months at one point with no filter at all, no water changes, and no dosing. Everything in my tank appeared quite happy and my zoas exploded, as did my Yuma mushrooms - acros grew rather slowly though. That said, one would need to introduce some forms of nutrients necessary after a while, but I know a 120g can sustain a full blown reef for at least six months.

Zoas love dirty water. So im sure they did explode

 

[lsu_fishfan]

Great feedback, sounds like I might have to test this out with a small zoa tank

 

[enderg60]

Works fine on small tanks with a decent amount of live rock and a small fish load.

My sister has a 25 gallon that only has 20 lbs of live rock, a heater and one power head in it. She does 5 gallon water changes once a month and its been running fine for 3 years. She doesnt even dose alk or calc and stuff grows decently.

 

[ben]

I'm running a 6 gallon jellyfish tank with no traditional filtration. Instead, I do a weekly 20% water change and a monthly 50% water change. The substrate is Seachem's Matrix, that I soaked in biospira for about a week before adding to the tank. Considering no mechanical filtration, the tank stays very clear and the water parameters are usually very good.

 

[lsu_fishfan]

ben;1079628 wrote: I'm running a 6 gallon jellyfish tank with no traditional filtration. Instead, I do a weekly 20% water change and a monthly 50% water change. The substrate is Seachem's Matrix, that I soaked in biospira for about a week before adding to the tank. Considering no mechanical filtration, the tank stays very clear and the water parameters are usually very good.

Thanks for the info Ben, I may try the matrix/biospria idea.

Any pics of the jellyfish tank?

 

[dball711]

Great topic Luke! Not sure I fully understand the term "traditional Filtration". Do you mean filtration as a means of passing water through media (carbon, Matrix...), skimmer, fudge and maybe a sponge or filter sock i.e. mechanical or biological?

Biological filtration (nitrogen cycle) happens regardless and in my experience is limited by dissolved oxygen content of the water. Having a successful tank with just rock (and substrate) and some means to move/aerate the water is possible and I don't think large water changes are a necessary (just whats necessary to maintain acceptable nutrient removal).

 

[lsu_fishfan]

dball711;1079633 wrote: Great topic Luke! Not sure I fully understand the term "traditional Filtration". Do you mean filtration as a means of passing water through media (carbon, Matrix...), skimmer, fudge and maybe a sponge or filter sock i.e. mechanical or biological?

Biological filtration (nitrogen cycle) happens regardless and in my experience is limited by dissolved oxygen content of the water. Having a successful tank with just rock (and substrate) and some means to move/aerate the water is possible and I don't think large water changes are a necessary (just whats necessary to maintain acceptable nutrient removal).

Good question Dave, yes I am referring to the use of skimmers, filter socks, fuge, etc.

Sounds like the best way to go filterless would be to use very porus rock to completely utilize the natural biological filtration

 

[dball711]

LSU_fishFan;1079634 wrote: Good question Dave, yes I am referring to the use of skimmers, filter socks, fuge, etc.

Sounds like the best way to go filterless would be to use very porus rock to completely utilize the natural biological filtration

+1 and good circulation...

 

[ben]

LSU_fishFan;1079629 wrote: Thanks for the info Ben, I may try the matrix/biospria idea.

Any pics of the jellyfish tank?

I took a few (phone quality) photos of the tank, with brief explanations of the setup. Check out the album:

 

[jennm]

I've run a tank just on circulation. Live rock is biological filter media, so as long as water is flowing, you've got a non-traditional filter.

You will be relying more heavily on manual export through water changes and VACUUMING. Do not overlook the importance of exporting that leftover solid waste. Just changing the water without removing some detritus isn't enough, in my experience.

I've also run on just circulation and a skimmer.

Jenn

 

[hzheng33]

in my nuvo 8 gallon nano tank, i have a pump, heater, and water. that's it. 50% water change every week.

it hosts a duncan colony, 3 heads of frogspawn, 1 yuma, some zoas/palys, and a brittle starfish.

 

[tbub1221]

In both my 8g and 30g cubest I rely only on bio filtration from live rock and light water change and I grow all sorts of coral and anemones in these systems