Solid advice wanted...

[Flaxon-Waxon]

40 gallon breeder, with intentions of mainly softies and LPS, medium-heavy fish bioload. I WANTED a HOB fuge for macro and pod breeding. I'm struggling with my AC110 mod, and am considering nixing the idea completely. To the point- can I pull off a nice tank with live rock, and protein skimmer?

 

[MarinaClown]

40 gallon breeder, with intentions of mainly softies and LPS, medium-heavy fish bioload. I WANTED a HOB fuge for macro and pod breeding. I'm struggling with my AC110 mod, and am considering nixing the idea completely. To the point- can I pull off a nice tank with live rock, and protein skimmer?

Yes. You can also run carbon, phosguard or Purigen in your AC.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Yes. You can also run carbon, phosguard or Purigen in your AC.

The plan would be to not have anything else except the skimmer...

 

[Gregcoyote]

Live rock and a skimmer is called the Berlin Method. Been around a long time and it works fine. Water exchanges will export most of the left over DOC's and you might grow some chaeto in the hob.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Live rock and a skimmer is called the Berlin Method. Been around a long time and it works fine. Water exchanges will export most of the left over DOC's and you might grow some chaeto in the hob.

And if the HOB didn't exist? Water changes and serious skimming, would these suffice in a successful tank?

 

[Gregcoyote]

And if the HOB didn't exist? Water changes and serious skimming, would these suffice in a successful tank?

Yes. It can work.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Nice. I'm just tired of the bubbles from the HOB and the inconsistent flow patterns it's making as it combats my MP10.

 

[Animal-Chin]

This is my sumpless 55 with a HOB skimmer and Liverock filtration. I'll let you decide if its a "nice tank"...

I do keep my bioload lowish though. I rarely if ever have more than 5-6 fish.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

This is my sumpless 55 with a HOB skimmer and Liverock filtration. I'll let you decide if its a "nice tank"... I do keep my bioload lowish though. I rarely if ever have more than 5-6 fish.

Do you have large particulate floating around the tank? Or does it settle eventually.? And yes it's a very nice tank thanks for sharing!

 

[Animal-Chin]

Not that I can tell? Im not sure what large particulate is though? I'll have slight cloud in the tank after a water change but it's gone in a hour or so...

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Not that I can tell? Im not sure what large particulate is though? I'll have slight cloud in the tank after a water change but it's gone in a hour or so...

Yea I kinda made that up as I was typing. Sometimes if I'm not running a hob filter I get little specs floating around the column...

 

[54seaweed]

This is a 40b with no sump , Hob packed with cheatoe , Hob skimmer , I also run 2 power heads 1 450 and 1 750 , I also enjoy the macro's in the display brings a more natural look
My stock is 10 fish
if you don't feed you shouldn't have any particles floating around
and I never have any cloudiness even after water changes as I add water slowly not to stir up sand
if water level gets low I see air bubbles but adding water corrects it

 

[Sniperhank]

If you do t care about appearance, to add filtration and stop micro bubbles I put cheap panty hose on all of my return lines. Works as long as you change them out. And at 33 cents for a pair it isn't a budget stretch.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I guess my biggest question is will nitrate and phosphate reduction be effective with water changes only, and no fuge/chaeto/mechanical... From research and posts here it's looking very possible.

 

[mr_X]

Yes, live rock is a natural nitrate reducer. Deep sand beds are as well. Bacteria in the low oxygen zones deep in the rock and sand will accomplish this. I would be a little concerned with a large bio load though. What do you mean exactly when you say "heavily stocked"?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Yes, live rock is a natural nitrate reducer. Deep sand beds are as well. Bacteria in the low oxygen zones deep in the rock and sand will accomplish this. I would be a little concerned with a large bio load though. What do you mean exactly when you say "heavily stocked"?

Well, maybe not "heavily", but probably close to max.

2 mocha clowns
1 lawnmower blenny
1 tiger goby
1 clown goby
1 orchid dottyback
1 purple gramma
1 flameback angel

 

[Sniperhank]

I'd say its heavily stocked. That's more than I have in my 55.

 

[mr_X]

Most of them are pretty small though. The LMB is the only fish that will reach 5" or so. I would say yes, it can be accomplished.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Yeah the tiger goby is probably three quarters of an inch long already fully grown maybe an inch and the clown goby is probably about an inch and a half

 

[mr_X]

Feed reasonably. You'll be fine.