Sponge Free Filtration???

[DavidG1966]

Does anyone not use any type of sponge or filter socks? Is that type of mechanical filtration needed? Isnt agressive skimming better. Isnt the stuff that rots in the mechanical filters better off getting skimmed out of the system?

 

[sleezyp1]

I do not use any sponge or filtersocks. Just skimming live rock and carbon.

 

[DavidG1966]

Thank you Sleezyp1! That what I want to do. Every time I clean a sponge I question how healthy it is for the tank and ask wouldnt that stuff just get skimmed out if it didnt get trapped?

Anyone else?

 

[DavidG1966]

Also where do you keep the carbon? In a bag in the sump?

 

[AcroSteve]

A Skimmer is my only active filtration.

 

[gnrlee]

You are right about that stuff rotting in the sponge. It's one big nitrate factory. I bet if you get rid of those sponges, you will get rid of those nitrates, if you have any.

 

[DavidG1966]

Thank you for your input. I ditched the sponge!!!!!!! If you run carbon do you just place it in a bag in your sump?

 

[gnrlee]

I do. I placed it right under were my protein skimmer lets out. This is how I make sure I get direct water flow through the bag of carbon. I change it religiously once a week.

 

[DavidG1966]

Great Idea gnrlee Just moved my carbon bag!!! Anyone else with sponge free suggestions????? Its great to be sponge free!!!!!!

 

[gnrlee]

Glad I could help.

 

[DavidG1966]

How long has everyone been sponge free?

 

[spoon671]

Wow, I have a question. How do you eradicate undissolved organics (ie. uneaten food, crap, etc) from your tanks? Skimming only removes dissolved organics. Do you guys just let all the crap float around the tank until it dissolves, to let the skimmer take care of it?

Just wondering. For some reason, I cannot imagine not having some sort of mechanism to trap all the floating debris that commonly riddles fish/reef tanks. Thanks in advance guys/gals.

 

[DavidG1966]

Sponge free people does spoon671 have a vaild point? Should I put my sponge back?

 

[GSerg2]

I am sponge free. I had filter floss and an overflow sponge in my old tank. On the new one I only have a skimmer, no sponges or floss. It is too early to tell much about how well it is going to work.

 

[DavidG1966]

People who are sponge free, how long has this been working for you and how sucessful have you been?

 

[sscherin]

Ohh about 3 years now with no sponges..
I run a W/D sump w skimmer and the bio balls removed.
Lots of life in the sump eating up whatever settles to the bottom.

Whatever is left gets siphoned out during water changes.

 

[Codeman00]

Wow, I have a question. How do you eradicate undissolved organics (ie. uneaten food, crap, etc) from your tanks? Skimming only removes dissolved organics. Do you guys just let all the crap float around the tank until it dissolves, to let the skimmer take care of it?

Just wondering. For some reason, I cannot imagine not having some sort of mechanism to trap all the floating debris that commonly riddles fish/reef tanks. Thanks in advance guys/gals.

Exactly my thoughts too. When I got my first system running, I was totally surprised to see so much undissolved stuff in the bottom of the sump. I thought, surely it will go away. Well, it hasn't gone away yet and the only means of removing it is syphoning it out or sucking it up in a baster and squirting it into the skimmer inlet. Syphoning is the only way that really gets rid of it. (for a short time)

 

[DavidG1966]

any more sponge free testimonials??

 

[Charlie Davidson]

Me too! ---- BTW, Gnrlee you are a the Man!

 

[spoon671]

Ohh about 3 years now with no sponges..
I run a W/D sump w skimmer and the bio balls removed.

Show us a picture of your sump. Particularly at the point where your overflow hoses meet your wet/dry. Below you will see pictures of what I am running. I swear, I just can't imagine fish poop getting sucked into the overflow, traveling down hoses to the sump, only to immediately get pumped right back up to the display tank. Take a look...

This first one obviously is a pic of my overflow tubes. (Coarse filter pad on top of a 50 Micron filter pad)

The crap that you see there on the dirty pads accumulated after only 2 days of filtration. I change these pads about 3 times a week.