How do you keep your water polished?

[mskvarenina]

My tank is a 93g tank with a sump where I do some mechanical filtration. Usually my water looks pretty clear but when I restart the system after a water change my water is quite polluted from presumably the detritus that was linger in the sump.

Years ago I ran an Ocean Clear canister solution on my talk to keep it sparkling clean. That was then, this is now, how do you keep your water polished?

I could run a more dense pad in the sump but it fills up and clogs to quickly so I was thinking maybe a separate canister, maybe even an Ocean Clear (if they are still made) from the sump.

 

[billdogg]

I use a Vortex XL Diatom filter for the really nasty jobs. It's a pit of a pia to prime, but once running can't be beat for it's ability to remove just about everything from the water.

A canister filter stuffed with polyester pillow stuffing will do pretty much the same thing but will take a couple days instead of a couple hours.

 

[thegrun]

I use a filter sock and carbon.

 

[mandarinfanatic]

filterwool/sock seachem purigen

 

[mskvarenina]

My sump isn't suited for socks otherwise that's what I would do.

Been thinking about building my own. If I can find the drawing I'll post it for comments.

 

[mskvarenina]

I found my drawing. What does everyone think?

Just a side note, this is a heavily stocked FO tank. I've got some rock which presumably is "live" by now but I don't consider this rock my biological filter. I'm using MarinePure ceramic balls. Some people will call this a nitrate factory but it allows me to keep a lot of fish in this tank.

 

[Zer0.]

I just use a good skimmer and some carbon and my water is crystal clear, no filter socks:bounce3:

 

[mandarinfanatic]

I found my drawing. What does everyone think?

Just a side note, this is a heavily stocked FO tank. I've got some rock which presumably is "live" by now but I don't consider this rock my biological filter. I'm using MarinePure ceramic balls. Some people will call this a nitrate factory but it allows me to keep a lot of fish in this tank.

The question is? does it work for you ? if it does then all is good

 

[mandarinfanatic]

P's I use a material called batting ( used in cushions etc ) it comes in thick "sheets" and instead of a sock I run it wall to wall in the first baffle in my sump. It works very well

this was replaced last night and you can see that it has already started working well. (I replace as and where necessary)

 

[ca1ore]

Only temporarily I hope. Either that or you have the baffles set up so that when the batting blocks flow the water has somewhere 'convenient' to go.

 

[ca1ore]

I just use a good skimmer and some carbon and my water is crystal clear, no filter socks:bounce3:

I'm a member of this club too!

 

[mandarinfanatic]

Only temporarily I hope. Either that or you have the baffles set up so that when the batting blocks flow the water has somewhere 'convenient' to go.

permanently... The baffles are both lower that the top of sump so water flows through the filter wool and a little over the baffle on the left but never out of sump!

 

[mandarinfanatic]

ps u will notice the wool is hanging over to the right so if the wool starts clogging the water flows over the baffle and through the wool to the right

 

[Mcgeezer]

If you can't run a filter sock, the cheapest way is to use Poly-Fil which you can get in the crafts section of Walmart or any craft store.

It's a bit nasty when it get clogged up, but it works very well.

Carbon also....

 

[NSimpkins]

I know it's not the most popular for all but I installed a submersible 9w UV sterilizer and my water has never been more clear. Keep in mind if you put not after your refugium chamber and keep pods it might not be good for them. If you put it in your skimmer chamber you should be fine. The one I got was only $50 off of Amazon and quite small. I was skeptical if I even needed one. The next tank I have will certainly have one built into the system plumbing.

 

[Sk8r]

My sump has a curiously huge ball of cheato that acts as a particulate filter. Size of a basketball and dark green: doesn't rotate, but it's all healthy, and crud doesn't easily get through a footwide maze of cheato, full of everything from pods to worms to the few surviving aiptasia, who are good little crud-catchers---in a fuge.

 

[droog]

For those who hate or are too lazy to use socks, could try this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCyUdIDg4KQ

-droog

 

[inetmug]

Many on here shop vac out their sumps every once in awhile during a water change. That seems to work well as detritus can accumulate in the low flow of the sump.

Some like socks, some do not. There is little doubt they work well. The main complaint is changing them, you need a half dozen or so to cycle them through.

I am using filter pads with mixed results. I am going to give socks a try.

I imagine the right mix of things, load, etc., CUC, you can get away without any mechanical media. All I can say is stuff like Tangs, angels, etc., are messy and create a LOT of waste.

Here is something in the batting area that looks promising:

http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/fa...t=N1zXGzOsdc|pcrid|57080401573|pkw|pla|pmt|e|

 

[DavidinGA]

Carbon dosing is said to do an amazing job of clearing the water...

 

[tmz]

If the issue is particualte matter from the sump blowing into the tank during restart, why not just put a sponge filter over the pump return short term until any stirred up particlualtes stettle down?
If the issue is discolored water GAC is very helpful.

A neat little inexpesensive device for unsettled particualtes in the tank water is the "quick filter" by aqaua clear. It fits over a power head intake and easily removed and cleaned when the water is clear:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4644