So what do you do for filtration on a large tank?

[sfsuphysics]

Aside from water changes, what are people using on large tanks as far as keeping them as clean as they can?

Protein skimmer presumably is a given, but what else?
Filter socks 24/7 (how often do you change them?
Other types of filter media? (GFO, GAC, etc?)
Ozone?
UV?
Macro algae harvesting?

Trying to get a feel for what I want to do on my tank, as tile is already laid, grout is going in later today, drywall hopefully later this week, then a stand this weekend (hopefully) (of course all of this is hinging on certain mail order goods getting here in a timely fashion)

 

[slief]

I've got a great protein skimmer, 114 watt UV filter, Marco algae, four 200 micron filter socks, GFO, GAC and even an Ozone reactor which is on standby in case of emergency. I also have over 1000 pounds of live rock and a DSB in one of my refugiums. My system is a little over 600 gallons in total with over 70 fish and a substantial amount of coral. I change my filter socks (which are in 24/7) every week or two when they begin to clog up.

 

[ca1ore]

Aside from water changes, what are people using on large tanks as far as keeping them as clean as they can?

Protein skimmer presumably is a given, but what else? INDEED!
Filter socks 24/7 (how often do you change them? NEVER! Use as settling chamber in my sump instead
Other types of filter media? (GFO, GAC, etc?) GFO, GAC, polyfilter
Ozone? NO
UV? YES
Macro algae harvesting? YES
ATS

Trying to get a feel for what I want to do on my tank, as tile is already laid, grout is going in later today, drywall hopefully later this week, then a stand this weekend (hopefully) (of course all of this is hinging on certain mail order goods getting here in a timely fashion)

 

[ChrisKirkland]

I use:
A good Protein Skimmer
Filter Sock
GFO
Carbon
36 Watt UV

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Aside from water changes, what are people using on large tanks as far as keeping them as clean as they can?

Protein skimmer presumably is a given, but what else?
Filter socks 24/7 (how often do you change them?10 micron socks, changed every 2 days if I don't forget.
Other types of filter media? (GFO, GAC, etc?)GAC which I change every 1st of the month give or take a couple days.
Ozone?No because lack of experience
UV?Thinking about adding in the near future.
Macro algae harvesting?No.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Surprised that many people use filter socks, 60%, I always thought as filter socks as almost the same category as a wet-dry filter in that they're very easy to work against you if you get too lazy with cleaning.

Also surprised that so few use ozone or UV, any reasoning for that? Systems simply grow to large for it to be beneficial? Too much killing of beneficial stuff? Health concerns (with ozone)?

Still going to try to figure out what direction I should go, my last tank (180g reef + 30g anemone tank off the side) I ran nothing but a protein skimmer. Of course that's only useful for so much.

 

[ca1ore]

Surprised that many people use filter socks, 60%, I always thought as filter socks as almost the same category as a wet-dry filter in that they're very easy to work against you if you get too lazy with cleaning.

Well, that is why I don't use them. Small sample size though, so not statistically significant.

Also surprised that so few use ozone or UV, any reasoning for that? Systems simply grow to large for it to be beneficial? Too much killing of beneficial stuff? Health concerns (with ozone)?

Both of dubious value and a pain to maintain. I use UV because I think it may help in disease suppression.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Well, that is why I don't use them. Small sample size though, so not statistically significant.

I dunno, seems for RC getting 15 people to respond is a huge sample size I mean hell I asked a sump question in the filtration lighting forum, in 1 day it dropped 3 pages, had 66 views and not so much as a "that sounds like a good plan" for a reply.

Both of dubious value and a pain to maintain. I use UV because I think it may help in disease suppression.

Hmm, I'll have to play around with these then. I have a couple ozone makers and air driers that have never been used (more junk that I picked up over the years). Need to get an ORP probe though, haven't looked at prices on them in a while though.

 

[johnike]

Skimmer and Macro here.

 

[tom obrecht]

I have had a number of different size tanks ranging from 40 to over 400 gallons. Ime I prefer a good quality skimmer with gfo, carbon reactors and filter socks. I have set tanks up with fuges and personally didn't know a major advantage either way. I also have found that regular water changes have been beneficial.

 

[crissie]

I don't use a protein skimmer at all.

Algae scrubber and planted refuriums.

 

[ca1ore]

Hmm, I'll have to play around with these then. I have a couple ozone makers and air driers that have never been used (more junk that I picked up over the years). Need to get an ORP probe though, haven't looked at prices on them in a while though.

I'm not good at regular maintenance, so things that require it tend to get tossed aside. Clean filter socks may be better than none at all, but dirty ones are not .... so I don't use them. Ozone never made any difference to any of the tanks I ran, and the air dryers seemed to need almost continuous regeneration .... so I stopped using ozone. IMO, if there is anything more useless than measuring ORP, I've yet to stumble across it. I ran an ORP controller religiously for years, yet never once actually adjusted anything based on a 'bad' reading. Pass! :lol:

 

[johnike]

I have had a number of different size tanks ranging from 40 to over 400 gallons. Ime I prefer a good quality skimmer with gfo, carbon reactors and filter socks. I have set tanks up with fuges and personally didn't know a major advantage either way. I also have found that regular water changes have been beneficial.

I saw your old tank the other day Tom, looking wonderful!!
I want the big sump.
:wavehand:

 

[RxMike]

Big protein skimmer
10 micron Filter socks change them weekly
Refugium with live rock
80 watt UV- disease suppression
GFO
Denitratifier

system is 500 gallon lots of fish

The folks at reef octopus suggested my skimmer was too big for my system, i new better. It is a beast and pulls lots of foul smelling skimate

 

[drej424]

My tanks are comparatively small, but right now I use a protein skimmer, macro, and filter pads in the sump chamber before the return pump. I find these work better for me than the filter socks. I also add a lot of pods and snails to my system. I do 25% water changes every 2 weeks. When the tanks were newer, I used UV lighting, carbon, and GFO. I also ran a diatom filter periodically.

 

[tkeracer619]

Large skimmer
a lot of Live rock
Bio pellets
carbon

 

[tom obrecht]

I saw your old tank the other day Tom, looking wonderful!!
I want the big sump.
:wavehand:

Someday I will have to road trip and check it out.

 

[SantaMonica]

skimmer: Does not remove nutrients; only food particles.
socks: Same as skimmers, but worse because the particles sit in the water longer.
GAC: Does not remove any nutrients at all.
GFO: Good at removing P, although expensive, messy, and lowers pH.
Ozone: Does not remove any nutrients at all.
UV: Does not remove any nutrients at all. Actually adds nutrients by killing animals.
Macro algae: Removes N, P, ammonia, copper, CO2, etc. Must be harvested, of course, or eaten by the animals.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Macro algae: Removes N, P, ammonia, copper, CO2, etc. Must be harvested, of course, or eaten by the animals.

but if it's eaten by the animals doesn't all that stay in the tank when it poops it back out?

 

[ca1ore]

skimmer: Does not remove nutrients; only food particles.

Not true. People may have unrealistic expectations for their skimmers, but they certainly do remove non-particulate organics from the water.