Fuge vs Skimmer

[travisurfer]

Ok, so i have a cpr bakpak skimmer that just insnt pulling out that much. The tank is a 20H with a pink skunk pair, skunk cleaner shrimp, cleaning crew, mushroom rock, 27lbs liverock, 16lbs live sand. I was looking at the CPR intank fuge to replace this skimmer. I wand to be able to put my heater, liverock, live sand, mangroves, and chaeto in here. Would this be a viable switch?

[James11]

As long as you stay on top of your water changes you could go skimmerless.

[travisurfer]

ok, ive been doing weekly water changes of about 2-3 gallons anyway. just want to see if i can go completely without it. ill use the money from the sold skimmer to get some more liverock too.

[travisurfer]

any other opinions?

[bennerkla]

A refugium isn't really designed to "replace" anything, the skimmer and refugium both have different jobs. Why not have both?

[travisurfer]

doesnt the chaeto export nutrients whilst the sand and rock aid in the biological filtration, not to mention a safe place for pods. i wouldnt mind my skimmer if it worked.

[russ49merc]

go skimerless take the plunge. but do get a sump or an overflow type setup not just an intank refugium. they have HOB ones and they are getting really cheap on ebay

[travisurfer]

ok, i saw the HOB fuge. ill get the 18" one and just put liverock/livesand in it. say goodbye to my noisey friend! bllaat. eBAY!!!!

[super-cichlid]

for the same size tank, I have a 20H that I turned into a sump that houses a refugium, pump area/water resevoir, and the "equipment area" (the water inlet, the heater, and the skimmer). For a skimmer I am using an Aqua C Urchin In-Sump skimmer.

When I started down the SW road, I kept getting told, "You can NEVER overfilter"

[travisurfer]

wow thats a lot. unfortunately i dont have room for a sump. i was thinking about either an intank fuge, external nonlit fuge, or xenia in the display.

[DeepCutta720]

Originally posted by travisurfer
wow thats a lot. unfortunately i dont have room for a sump. i was thinking about either an intank fuge, external nonlit fuge, or xenia in the display.

Why Xenia in the display? What does that do?

BTW, PM me if you are interested in a brand new CPR 5g HOB refugium. I bought one and never used it.

Aamir

[travisurfer]

xenia is good for nutirent export. its like a coral version of cheato.

[lizardcouple]

yeah but xenia spreads quickly and is just a pest. it took over my tank in no time even pulling out chunks did not help. i finally took it all out and switched tanks don't have that problem anymore.if u have fish you need a skimmer. water changes help but does not get rid of all the proteins like a skimmer does.

[travisurfer]

the bakpak just wasnt cutting it though. i would like a nice, quiet, compact, cost effective skimmer that constantly pulls out gunk. unfortunately such a skimmer does not exist so i have to consider other options. i am leaning towards a softie only reef so i am looking for other options. many people run tanks without skimmers so i figured they might not be as good as everyone says.

btw, how do you like your prizm?

[travisurfer]

i noticed that odyssea makes a fuge/skimmer combo but i think that would be just as bad as the real skimmer i have now.

[russ49merc]

go with that one that DeepCutta720 has it sounds good and those fuge skimmer combos probably suck.

[travisurfer]

ya. ill have to wait though because i have to sell my skimmer first. would the one he has still work even though it wont have lighting over it?
still aids filtration, adds volume, safe place, etc.

[russ49merc]

no you ned lighting for the chaeto to grow

[russ49merc]

or use it as bio filtration. and fill it with live rock

[travisurfer]

thats what i was thinking. straight dry rock seeded with live and then some sand. maybe ill put my brittle star in there too so i dont have to deal with him anymore. would that be a good idea?

[travisurfer]

the nano remora also seems like it may be a decent option. i may consider it if i can find one soon that is less than $100. otherwise i think ill switch over to the dark side.

[russ49merc]

no leave the brittle star in the tank they are very good for your tank. yeah get a bunch of live rock and break it up with a chisel and hammer to very small pieces and fill it. you really don't need sand but it won't hurt.

[travisurfer]

you mean just fill the entire fuge with straight rubble?

[russ49merc]

yes break it up very small to get the most filtration of it. and you will still get alot of pods from it. only if your not going to run a light. if you run a light then fill it with algae and a small amount of rock.

[travisurfer]

ok, i still have to decide if this is going to be my best option. just wish i couldve gotton a good affordable skimmer though. ive heard of the aquafuges back siphoning water into the tank. an extra 2 gallons would easily overflow my tank.