Filtration options for sumpless tank?

[Rcj520]

I have a 40g Breeder that I have had for 4 months now. Just have a quick question on my current filtering. My cycle has been over for a while and I am currently successfully keeping fish, starfish, urchins, and corals. I don't have anything wrong with my filtering right now just wondering if it's the best option at the moment.

I have 40 lbs sand, 60 lbs or rock, 2 hydor 850, 1 vortech mp10, 1 tuner 9004 skimmer, and an emperor 400 biowheel with chemipure elite in it as well.

Is the hob biowheel actually necessary? I have heard mixed opinions, but I only have it because the lfs recommended it when I started my tank.

 

[anthonys51]

i would say the hob biowheel isn't necessary. might be ok now, but as tank gets older and you will clean it less and less it might be a problem down the line

 

[Animagus]

I don't think your tank would skip a beat if you were to remove that bio wheel. The rock you have will most likely pick up the slack so to say if there is any.

 

[almiller9]

I would remove the biowheel or at least the biowheel part and just run carbon in it.

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[heathlindner25]

Take it offline...you don't Need the unnecessary maintenance of that piece of equipment

 

[heathlindner25]

A good hang on the back skimmer coupled with vodka dosing is all you need..and superb flow with proper lighting..... works for me on a couple different system I have.

 

[DrPheel]

thing is with small canisters / HOB is you don't want to leave them unattended too long so that they become a nitrate factory or start releasing what they leached out of the water. On my first SW tank I only had sand - live rock - a HOB skimmer and a AC70 HOB that I used for my mechanical filtration. I used to layer the following from bottom to top

Carbon bag
ROWAphos ( or any phosphate media )
Half of a ac70 sponge
Filter floss ( Organic cotton )


Now the carbon and phosphate media I changed every month, filter floss is the one you want to change most often, depending on your bio-load id say every 5-6 days. Keep a eye on it you will see it brown out ! I used to be able to tuff it out 7 days when I had a low bio load and I would change it with my regular water change. The sponge - carbon and phosphate media can be rinsed in your water change old water to get debris out and move the media. Its a great way to export nutrients and have crystal clear water but if left unattended can lead to big troubles in little time depending on tank size.

Happy Reefing !

 

[Rcj520]

I'll take the advice and remove the biowheels, but I wouldn't be missing the mechanical filtration if I get rid of the filter completely?

 

[cougareyes]

I would remove the biowheel or at least the biowheel part and just run carbon in it.

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What he said I'd just keep it for a place to keep a filter pad and carbon or any other media I might choose, purigen, chemipure elite like you are using. That tanks fine with the amount of live rock and the skimmer.