year long study finds best filtration method

[james1990]

I came across this on youtube. seems like the Berlin style filtration did the worst! This experiment have any flaws? The best filtration was with a refugium and with the skimmer only on for 6 hours a day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iSW_GPP9ac&list=UUtbSE_K6cEbouPHoKB5oMTA&feature=share

 

[lnevo]

Interesting...I like the idea of doing the skimmer for 6hours a day. There have been a few threads about that but usually get drowned out by naysayers.

 

[bertyboy69]

Im a strong believer in protien skimmers are unnecessary pieces of equipment , of course they have thier benefits but there not the end all be all neccessity that people make them out to be. I no longer run a skimmer on any of my tanks , my growth is the same or better and no algae , the only thing ive noticed differently is that my glass gets dirtier more often than it did when running a skimmer. I may try to run a skimmer 6 hrs and see how that works out but no skimmer definetly works well !

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Reefs

 

[jcdeng]

skimmer is also good for adding oxygen to the water column

 

[bertyboy69]

Definetly good for adding oxygen but isnt really neccessary with a normal bioload and good surface agitation , on an overstocked tank definrtly neccessary

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[prattreef]

FWIW, the guy who ran the experiment is the guy who sells Miracle Mud for refugiums....while that does not automatically taint the results, it is suggestive of experimental bias. And I'm not a skimmer freak and love algal filtration methods, but I am not so quick to dismiss the most widely used and time tested methods in the hobby.

 

[bertyboy69]

I woukd say thats quite suggestive , however i dont run miracle mud on my systems i just use macro algaes in my refugium no sand rock just algaes, i dont think miracle mud is neccessary either , i have never tried it but my tanks do wonderful without it

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[skene]

I used to run my skimmer for a few hours a day and that I would have to say was when my tank was looking its best.
When I started to rely on the constant skimming I did start to notice degradation in the way my tank looked.
However YMMV.

 

[Dan_P]

Thanks for link.

It is an interesting idea but the experimental design is too weak to conclude anthing. There are many uncontrolled variables. There is no way that the four tanks started out the same. Also, there are no replicates, so, we don't know if the differences we see are chance or because of experimental treatment. So, don't change anything your doing based on this video. It is poor science.

I read a study on protein skimming that actually measures the amount of stuff removed and describes what is removed. I was not impressed with the amount of nutrient removed by skimming. I read another study that demonstrated that the skimmer can increase oxygen levels in the aquarium.

So, skimming does provide some nutrient export and oxygenates water, but depending on your system, you might be able to skip the skimmer, but not as a result of the video.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

To me its watever works for you... Everybody will and have a different outcome. Thats why i do my own thing :biggrin: and see what works for me (Its a science experiment)....

 

[jackson6745]

All 4 of those tanks look terrible. My take on it is to not do anything that this guy does

 

[james1990]

what I took from the video was how well a properly sized refugium can work. Isn't it a double ended sword that after X years it becomes a detritus trap? last time I used rubble rock there was 2 inches of crud at the bottom of the tank.

 

[Arati]

This is the person who is most know for losing one of the most epic corals ever. I couldnt even kill mine when I tried. No caps ion my system they grow too fast

http://www.reeffarmers.com/capricornismostwanted.htm

:kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding::kidding:

 

[vio]

All 4 of those tanks look terrible. My take on it is to not do anything that this guy does

+1, this guy, is a joke (bad joke) . i feel sorry i see his video (1/2).

 

[brand]

The stuff that comes out of my skimmer that green slime. Smelly nasty disgusting stuff why would I want to leave that in my system.

I live by my skimmer and tank is growing great.

Plus i feed maybe three times a day. Different food..mine will continue to run 24 hrs a day.

I wouldn't even try to shut down. I even have backup ready to go. Lol

 

[MikeC]

Some people choose to use a skimmer and feed a lot.
Some people choose No skimmer and feed a little.
Some people think their tank looks good or "natural" when IMOP they look like what I would imagin the bottom of the Hudson River looking like.
Some people get all bent if they see alge in their tanks.
Some keep SPS
Some have mostly Softies.

What is nice to see on MR is more civil people beeing able to keep a thread going for more than a few post's and agreeing that tanks can be run a number of ways and what is right for you and your tank is not right for another.

It's all about finding that balance for you and your tank and while asking for advice from others is great there is NO one correct way

 

[brand]

+1 mike