Mechanical filtration

[ahud]

What type of mechanical filtration is recommended?

I keep reading "provide plenty of flow", but what stops the flow from picking up the detritus and forcing it to flow from the sump to the DT in a never ending circle?

Also, I have snail poop on my substrate, does this mean I have no where near enough flow?

 

[Ann Marie]

I think that to get a well answered question you are going to need to give us more information about your system.

It sounds as if you have a sump, what is the size of your system? What sort of clean up crew do you have? Do you have a reef tank, fish only? What are some of the things living in your tank? What type of filtration are you using?

My reef tank has different needs than my seahorse tank and that has different needs than my frogfish tank. The filtration system on all of those tanks are slightly different. They all employee mechanical, biological and chemical but in different ways.

 

[Reverend Reefer]

i think most people here are happy with a filter sock for mechanical filtration.

i run a canister filter 24-7 with some floss in it but people tend to not recommend them.

 

[cmacmike]

+1 with Rev... If you have a sump it's easy to see when dirty and is easy to clean and reuse. A spare sock is always a good idea to swap right away so the other can be clean and dried before use.... that being said, I've been in a rush and cleaned and reused right away with no ill effects.

Canister filters will work as well but most people don't clean them as often as they should and NO3 can become an issue... thus the sock.

Good luck!

 

[ahud]

I'm sorry, I always forget to add detail.

65gallon DT
20gal sump
1mm-2mm size substrate
3 hermits, 3 turbos for CUC (still waiting for nitrite to go down, so not really supposed to have a CUC)
1 mp10 vortech powerhead
600gph eheimm pump

The tank is going to be a reef tank made up of mostly soft corrals.

 

[ahud]

How do you clean a sock?

and the 65gallon is 36x18x24.

 

[sedor]

Nitrates are a big issue when it comes to saltwater and for that reason we tend to avoid mechanical filtration. We also have a much broader biodiversity in our saltwater tanks than you would in fresh. For instance your live rock is going to do a good majority of the filtering, as well as your clean up crew.

The best way of removing actual particulates from the water is by using a skimmer. I also run carbon which is considered mechanical filtration, but I run it for reasons other than particularly filtering.

 

[ahud]

So once I add an actual CUC will something eat the big Tubro snail poo

 

[Allmost]

the only mechanical filteration you need is a skimmer.

filter socks just trap good and bad stuff, and rot them and degrate water quality.

if you have/want to have a huge biodiversity, then filter socks will just trap and kill and rot them ! u want them to be free floating.

if you do not want biodiversity much. you can use a filter sock but needs to be rinsed daily .

I have a DSB, so never used one, but the creatures in my DSB take care of the detritus andmy sump is fairly clean, except all the worms and pods and sponges.

 

[ahud]

I do have a skimmer. So basically I just need to put together a good CUC after my tank completely cycles.

 

[Allmost]

I do have a skimmer. So basically I just need to put together a good CUC after my tank completely cycles.

as I said above, it depends on the path which you want to take.

I like to think of my tank as a full self surviving eco system. where poop of one specie is food for the next one and that one is food for the fish or corals !
of course it doesnt happen 100% , but I try. so no need mechanical filter except for skimmer. this does not occur by adding snails ! you are going to need biodiversity (which you get already if you use Live rock) you just need to let them grow and populate. do you have a Refugium ? if no, then its good Idea to add one, and well with no refugium, you cant have that much life diversity, so filter sock maybe useful.

if you dont want that, you should use filter sock, clean it daily.

at the end, there is no right or wrong answer, and there is no one way of doing things, your best to complete your knowledge and understanding and do whats logical to u after that point.

 

[ahud]

Yes I have a small fuge. Basically my return section of my sump is my fuge. I have the intake of the return pump stuck into a corner and I have it blocked off so no junk can get sucked into it.

What critters should I add? My biodiversity is limited since I went with about 80% dry rock and 20% live rock.

 

[Allmost]

Yes I have a small fuge. Basically my return section of my sump is my fuge. I have the intake of the return pump stuck into a corner and I have it blocked off so no junk can get sucked into it.

What critters should I add? My biodiversity is limited since I went with about 80% dry rock and 20% live rock.

that sounds good.

you can always purchase those packages they sell online, but I'm kinda sure you have all the creatures needed in the live rock they will keep showing up one after another lol

I would add some cheato to the fuge (but make sure it wont get to return pump. it will be a good place for pods to grow, and also a good way to export nutrition, they eat junk in water and grow and you trim it, so you basically are removing the junk

get a flash light and look at ure rocks at the middle of the night, u will be amazed by all the little worms and pods and .... ,

man I hope I'm not the only one who gets up at the middle of the night just to see what's going on in the tank :worried2:

 

[ahud]

I have a bit of cheato, but it is not doing well. I just have a regular 6500k bulb over it. Does it need more light?

 

[sedor]

Nope that is a perfectly acceptable light for cheato. I wanted to say ditto on the filter socks as well. I choose not to use them, but if you do use them you'll want to buy quite a few and change them every couple of days.

You asked earlier about washing socks. To do that you just need to rinse them out real well and hand wash them in the sink. You can do it in the wash, but you risk introducing your regular washing powder into your tank. Use hot water and bleach to hand wash them and make sure you let them dry out until you can't smell any bleach anymore.

 

[Allmost]

what do you mean not doing well ?

sometimes, if the trace elements are missing, cheato seems to die off
if water flow is tooooooo low it will die off or slime would grow over it.

just try different things

right now, I have 2 T5HO on my Fuge, just cause I had an extra fixture cheato should grow under any light though, just change things around a bit and see how it acts

I have seen tanks growing cheato under 400 W MH lights as well ! so really, I'm not sure where the limit/requirements are lol

 

[Shane Hoffman]

Many options listed above will suffice for you filtration. IMO a sump with a skimmer rated for twice your water volume is perfect. Canisters can be a great addition so long as you clean them every 5 days or 7 at the most. Also IMO you need alot more flow. 1 MP10 is basicall nothing in a 65. You should have atleast 2 MP20s or Koralia 3s......You may even need more flow if your going to get into alot of SPS.