Can I run only a skimmer and live rock?

jockkustow

I have a 55 gallon fish /invert tank with lots of live rock and live sand. I currently run a cannister filter and a skimmer. Do I really need the cannister. My rock is well established as well as the sand. I want to eliminate the cannister because I have a bad habit of letting the cannister go to long without cleaning, and feel I am just circulating my water through crap. I have heard the sand and rock are enough with a skimmer. anybody actually try this?

jockkustow

55 gallon
1 blue hippo tang
1 yellow tang
1 tomato clown
1 serpent star
1 brittle star
1 chocolate chip star
2 peppermint shrimp
assorted blue/red hermits, and snails.

caferacermike

Too difficult to tell without knowing more about your skimmer. Most are junk copies of really nice skimmers. In theory yes.

jockkustow

I think the skimmer is a clone of a cpr backpack. It hangs on the back and seems to be foaming a bit more since taking out the cannister. I think it has like a rio 800 pump on it .

caferacermike

Your parameters might stay the same or get a little better but your water will not be sparkly clear with such a small skimmer.

dustin323

I would have to agree with caferacermike. The skimmer is kind of small & the real CPR Bak-Pak isn't all that great. You can also run a refugium to help out with filtration. In my tank all I have is a skimmer, refugium, & live rock. Levels are perfect. Canisters aren't the best for saltwater, especially a reef. You need to wash the media in old tank water once a month to maintain it properly. I wouldn't take off the canister all at once. Instead slowly remove the media. So it causes no spikes in your parameters/

Gump

The backpacks suck so bad. I've never bought one but i have been given a few and traded rocks for another one and even with a few on a tank they still couldnt do the job of one berlin that i had after them.

luckie8

Sorry for being a noob.
I was going for a 40gal FOWLR with Fluval 305 canister.
Should I skip this canister filter and just go with a good skimmer like C Remore?
I can't run a refugium since I have very limited space in my apartment.
BTW I have 45lb of LR coming with 60lb Aragamax sand

youtubefind

do you mean aquaC remora?

luckie8

Yes, thats what I mean.
So can I run with just the skimmer without the canister filter or do I need a filter anyway?