36 Sumpless bow front filtration

Willhersh34 · Jan 15, 2023

So last summer my wife bought a 36 gallon bowfront with stand. Being one of those PetSmart deals not reef ready and I didn’t feel like drilling it. Additionally, the stand is not conducive to putting a sump underneath. Sooooooo, I currently have a Seachem HOB filter. I’m also running a ghetto “fuge”. By which I mean I have a breeder box hanging on the back driven by a drip style forced air setup with some ulva. I fully appreciate due to low flow this “fuge” isn’t going to very effective.

My question is: I’m planning to add a HOB skimmer, either a Tunze Comline or a Reef Octopus. Would I be better served going with just the skimmer and adding a proper HOB fuge or should I run both the skimmer and the Seachem HOB filter?

Some other info:
36ish pounds of sand
40 pounds of LR
2 circulation pumps pointed at one another

Stock
2 occelaris clowns
Engineer Goby
CUC

The goal of this tank is to add anemones.

Thanks

Timfish · Jan 15, 2023

Niether, do a search on "filterless systems" and Lee Chin Eng. Corals have a huge demand for nutrients (that's why the lowest PO4 levels are found areund reefs and most of the oceans have higher levels) and should be considered part of the filtration. Water changes are essential to remove the labile and refractory DOC that isn't removed by skimmers or GAC. Aesthetics is obvioulsy a large part of aquascaping but I would be happy with half the amount of sand and live rock. (See AquaBiomic's article.)

And here's a data bomb

if you want to dig into how reef systems work a little deeper.

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes

Microbial view of Coral Decline

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont

BActeria and Sponges

Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)

Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching

DNA Sequencing and the Reef Tank Microbiome

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

15 Answers

Willhersh34 · Jan 15, 2023

Timfish said:
Niether, do a search on "filterless systems" and Lee Chin Eng. Corals have a huge demand for nutrients (that's why the lowest PO4 levels are found areund reefs and most of the oceans have higher levels) and should be considered part of the filtration. Water changes are essential to remove the labile and refractory DOC that isn't removed by skimmers or GAC. Aesthetics is obvioulsy a large part of aquascaping but I would be happy with half the amount of sand and live rock. (See AquaBiomic's article.)

And here's a data bomb if you want to dig into how reef systems work a little deeper.

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes

Microbial view of Coral Decline

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont

BActeria and Sponges

Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)

Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching

DNA Sequencing and the Reef Tank Microbiome

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

15 Answers

Well good on you Timfish, now I’m down the rabbit hole in research.

I have empty tanks laying around (yes, I‘m an aquarium nerd) and will now be undertaking a filter less project.

Oh, and as an IT nerd by trade, love the data bomb! Figured out what my Sunday will be spent doing now instead of football……..