Is it possible to have a successful reef tank without a sump?

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

This ran with just an MP10 and 100 percent weekly water changes.

This current tank while has a back sump, just hosts a heater pump and sick to protect pump. Nothing else

You can run a tank with many different options. HOB, canister, sump, none, etc. it all depends on what you want and what your willing to do to maintain.

 

[mboley]

Please don't take offense. From your numerous questions it's obvious you haven't spent much time reading and learning about the hobby. You need to educate yourself.

IMO keep your HOB filter and buy an HOB skimmer. AquaMaxx Bullet is a good one but there are other good ones too.

 

[cdemoss01]

Please don't take offense. From your numerous questions it's obvious you haven't spent much time reading and learning about the hobby. You need to educate yourself.

IMO keep your HOB filter and buy an HOB skimmer. AquaMaxx Bullet is a good one but there are other good ones too.

I'm buying a k-50 icecap and also starting a fuge

 

[GARRIGA]

Sea Hares will decimate the algae. They will take days/weeks depending on......however, please make sure you have an exit plan for the sea hare, as it will starve once the algae is gone

Perhaps feed it nori or algae wafers my thought process. Recall others mention that and algae likely back soon enough.

 

[cdemoss01]

Perhaps feed it nori or algae wafers my thought process. Recall others mention that and algae likely back soon enough.

Should I do both a skimmer and a fuge you think?

 

[GARRIGA]

Should I do both a skimmer and a fuge you think?

I haven't owned a skimmer since I stopped selling them in the 90s. Wrong guy to ask and outside of aeration can't see value in having a skimmer yet Fuge can compensate for much of that aeration since most run it counter display lights although I'm pegging my off pH and letting it otherwise run 24/7. I also tend to overfeed. Bottoming nutrients out not an issue for me.

 

[cdemoss01]

I haven't owned a skimmer since I stopped selling them in the 90s. Wrong guy to ask and outside of aeration can't see value in having a skimmer yet Fuge can compensate for much of that aeration since most run it counter display lights although I'm pegging my off pH and letting it otherwise run 24/7. I also tend to overfeed. Bottoming nutrients out not an issue for me.

Alright. I'm ordering a small light for the fuge about 8 watts seen people in this thread use it before.

 

[GARRIGA]

Alright. I'm ordering a small light for the fuge about 8 watts seen people in this thread use it before.

Worse case. Get a skimmer later. Best go slow otherwise end up on the sell forum.

 

[cdemoss01]

Worse case. Get a skimmer later. Best go slow otherwise end up on the sell forum.

Worse case? best go slow with?

 

[GARRIGA]

Worse case? best go slow with?

Meaning if the Fuge doesn't solve your problems then get a skimmer. Fuge needs to be large enough or lit bright enough. Every tank is different and won't know until you start. Might need a brighter light to grow algae faster. BRS did a test on this where light intensity dramatically changed performance. I ran 18 watts where most run 8 and it worked for me. Experimentation part of the journey because no two tanks the same.

 

[Solo McReefer]

This ran with just an MP10 and 100 percent weekly water changes.

This current tank while has a back sump, just hosts a heater pump and sick to protect pump. Nothing else

You can run a tank with many different options. HOB, canister, sump, none, etc. it all depends on what you want and what your willing to do to maintain.

Those are the tanks of someone with experience

And dedication

 

[cdemoss01]

Meaning if the Fuge doesn't solve your problems then get a skimmer. Fuge needs to be large enough or lit bright enough. Every tank is different and won't know until you start. Might need a brighter light to grow algae faster. BRS did a test on this where light intensity dramatically changed performance. I ran 18 watts where most run 8 and it worked for me. Experimentation part of the journey because no two tanks the same.

Alright thank you will be taking it slow

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

No sump. No problem. Many tanks ago. Lighting give away.

 

[mboley]

Worse case. Get a skimmer later. Best go slow otherwise end up on the sell forum.

OP if you did a survey on this forum on skimmers versus fuge it wouldn't be close. Skimmers are being used with the overwhelming majority of reef aquarists. I've been keeping reefs since 95 and never needed a fuge to reduce algae.

 

[GARRIGA]

OP if you did a survey on this forum on skimmers versus fuge it wouldn't be close. Skimmers are being used with the overwhelming majority of reef aquarists. I've been keeping reefs since 95 and never needed a fuge to reduce algae.

Cults would use that logic too

 

[lil sumpin]

Kessil H80 if you wanna get something dedicated, I opted for a cheap grow light with reds and blues

@FUNGI how long do sea hares take and urchin is ordered by LFS.
@lil sumpin is 6w liight enough for fuge?
@Solo McReefer just a cordless toothbrush?
and also everyone are skimmers and fuges do the same thing or no?

 

[Liftoff]

Waterproof cordless toothbrush

Eats it

Tears through it

Most things don't eat it because it's too long. Things can eat it when it's stubble

Good idea love it

 

[Liftoff]

elaborate
my 65 mixed reef has been running a year on just a canister filter no sump, skimmer, scrubber or anything super fancy

Beautiful i want this <3

 

[Solo McReefer]

Beautiful i want this <3

Bubble'y

 

[William Bruckmann]

There are those in this hobby that can get away with not doing water changes. The only I can do that is with a sump. Oversized protein skimmer, filter socks, and macro algae, are all components that make that possible for me. Also, heaters dosing pumps, thermometer wires, PH probes, are down there and keep my main display cleaner looking.