What do you use for tank filtration?

[OneReef]

I am going to post some articles on different methods of water filtration within your sump or aquarium, but first I wanted to see what each of you guys used, kinda like an informal poll. Do you use, GFO, carbon, biopellets, only a skimmer, heavy water changes, chemicals? Let us know what you use and combine and how it works for you, and if there is anything different or new that you would like to try?

 

[Rudolph]

I use GFO and carbon in mesh bags in my sump. I have a TLF reactor wth biopellets. I did have cheato, but when I started using the biopellets and GFO it stopped growing. It never really died, just turned dark green..so maybe it was on its way to dying. Either way, I have taken the cheat out. I have an in sump skimmer (not sure of name/model).

Slicer Jay said I should dump the pellets and go back to cheato, but I am thinking the GFO was causing the issue to my cheato. It was growing like wild before....

I used all of the above as I brought in some GHA on a coral and small pockets started popping up here and there, but never really got bad (I became quite adapt with tweezers....call me edward tweezerhand). Well, I added some emerald crabs several weeks ago and I am now GHA-free for several weeks. Not sure if it was them or the culmination of all of the above.

I change about 20% of my water every two weeks. I have a RIO with two DI'sf for my water. Not sure what salt I use....I think Ocean something or the other...

I do not use any chemicals.

And if you don't know already, I have no SPS, well one Jason gave me at our meeting... so our needs may be different depending on what you have in your tank????

Shorter answer: Yes - GFO, Carbon, Pellet, skimmer No - chemicals and heavy water changes

 

[reeffreak25]

After trying a bunch of different methods in the past I have recently decided to focus on exporting as much waste as possible using an oversized protein skimmer, with a BB display and closed loop manifold to keep as much detritus as possible in suspension until it can be skimmed out. I run Chemi-Pure Elite in a reactor, as well as a refugium with Chaeto (think Key-Toe Kerry) to take care of whatever is left. I try to do a weekly 5% water change.

 

[OneReef]

I will have to go back and research through the articles again, but it seems like I remember that a lot of people that use biopellets say not to run GFO and/or carbon while using biopellets.

I use GFO and carbon in mesh bags in my sump. I have a TLF reactor wth biopellets. I did have cheato, but when I started using the biopellets and GFO it stopped growing. It never really died, just turned dark green..so maybe it was on its way to dying. Either way, I have taken the cheat out. I have an in sump skimmer (not sure of name/model).

Slicer Jay said I should dump the pellets and go back to cheato, but I am thinking the GFO was causing the issue to my cheato. It was growing like wild before....

I used all of the above as I brought in some GHA on a coral and small pockets started popping up here and there, but never really got bad (I became quite adapt with tweezers....call me edward tweezerhand). Well, I added some emerald crabs several weeks ago and I am now GHA-free for several weeks. Not sure if it was them or the culmination of all of the above.

I change about 20% of my water every two weeks. I have a RIO with two DI'sf for my water. Not sure what salt I use....I think Ocean something or the other...

I do not use any chemicals.

And if you don't know already, I have no SPS, well one Jason gave me at our meeting... so our needs may be different depending on what you have in your tank????

Shorter answer: Yes - GFO, Carbon, Pellet, skimmer No - chemicals and heavy water changes

 

[reeffreak25]

I will have to go back and research through the articles again, but it seems like I remember that a lot of people that use biopellets say not to run GFO and/or carbon while using biopellets.

My understanding is that a lot of people continue to run GFO alongside biopellets because, even though they do lower phosphate, they aren't extremely effective. I don't see how carbon could effect biopellets at all. I know you shouldn't run any of these in line, because doing so would cause clogging and restricted flow.

I do see how a combination of all of these would bring Chaeto growth to a halt.

 

[SaltwaterGoby]

Carbon and Skimmer in sump only, 20 to 30 gallon water changes when I get in the mood to do it. Oceanic Salt and Kalk drip. Its ok have alot of purple in my tank but really no corals just a few shrooms and some GSP.

But that is all soon to change I am going to rip down my 110 and replace it with a 125 tank in the next few weeks. So things will be changing because the 125 is drilled and the 110 is not so when I do the plumbing I might get creative. LOL

 

[jabo]

I have a skimmer in my sump with a Bio Pellet reactor right next to it. I have way too much Chaeto in my fuge section. It flows from there over two bags full of carbon. I have seen great growth with the chaeto even running pellets. I think the chaeto growth is due to good sump lighting.

 

[Logiq]

well I use Pura complete and some filter pad as well as some puragen and some matrix rocks in my sump I put some of that chateo but it really hasnt grown any not sure whats up with that but I'm going to give the biopellets a try since jay hooked me up with a reactor for them just need to get the ends for the biopelets

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

I use a skimmer and do water changes ever 2 weeks.

 

[reeffreak25]

Carbon and Skimmer in sump only, 20 to 30 gallon water changes when I get in the mood to do it. Oceanic Salt and Kalk drip. Its ok have alot of purple in my tank but really no corals just a few shrooms and some GSP.

But that is all soon to change I am going to rip down my 110 and replace it with a 125 tank in the next few weeks. So things will be changing because the 125 is drilled and the 110 is not so when I do the plumbing I might get creative. LOL

Is the kalk drip necessary? It doesn't seem like you'd need it with your current setup. Unless you're trying to precipitate phosphate, I'd leave it off until necessary. I'm sure water changes could keep up with your calcium demands. It'd be one less potential failure point.

A good point to make with chaeto is to keep it growing by pruning it. An overabundance can keep light from penetrating it and also the act of pruning itself encourages new growth, removing more nutrients from your water. Obviously, it needs water, light, and nutrients to grow. If one of these is lacking, it will have issues.

 

[Rudolph]

I used a cheap light and my chaeto (happy Jeff..) grew like there was no tomorrow for a long time until I started pellets and GFO. I threw the remainder in my QT tank with old T5 bulbs and the tank was filled from corner to corner and top to bottom until last weekend I pulled a basketball size thick chunk out..so for a few bucks you can make it work successfully

 

[SaltwaterGoby]

It was mainly because the phosphates were high, most likely because of the lack of water changes I had been doing. Due to Life I neglected the tank for awhile. I am not currently dripping Kalk but have done water change and a real deep clean up on the tank just before the clean I was looking for a little extra boot to help get the phosphates back to a controlable point. At the time of starting to drip and deep clean up I had no intentions of replacing the tank. But none of that is really going to matter on the 110 now since I am changing setups and going to approach the filtration a different manner.

 

[insanityink2]

I took the plunge into the npxbioplastic and after running them in my reactor for 4 week and doing water changes Every 2 weeks And the reactor output running into the skimmer input I came home to a tank full of coral that seamed to be slimming and shriveled up!
I shut down the reactors and did an emergency 50% water change I removed the npxbio
And clean the reactor and the next afternoon everything was open better than it has been since the second week of the npxbio

So as of now I am running my sump with miracle mud, cheato, skimmer and reactor with phosguard seams to be the beat for me at this time

 

[Rendos]

Algae turf scrubber on one tank along with a big protein skimmer.
Big protein skimmer on most others. No carbon, biopellets, GFO, or anything else.
I am experimenting with bio pellets in a reactor at the shop just to see what I think... so far I'm not seeing any phosphates in that system, but otherwise I see no difference in water quality. I use calcium reactors on all systems with corals for supplementation and all tanks get a 10% water change weekly.

 

[Blindside]

if it aint broke....

thats my motto when it comes to fish chemistry. I have always used carbon and phos in a reactor with...grreeeat successs!!! However, I recently (about a year ago now) went to julians bio plastic product and am quite happy so far no bad results and phos and nitrates are undetectable. I do run my reactors outlet next to the sumps outlet pump not next to skimmer, simply due to a space issue and see no difference. I do however throw my cannister on the tank full of carbon from time to time to help with the chemical warfare from the corals dont know if it does anything or not but old habits die hard. Mostly have sps but I like a mixed reef.

Euro reef skimmer, rite size filter pad, biopellets, and live rock!

Oh yeah and my crabs, snails and bristle worms!

 

[ihavtats29]

i was running carbon and phosban in a reactor till 3 weeks ago i opted to test out the zeo neo method, im also running a AMS G-3 skimmer on a total water volume of 80 gal. my tank was allready at 0 nitrates and phos , but was showing pale colors in some of my reds in my lps. since starting the zeo im still holding 0 nitrates and phos witch is a great thing as heavy as i feed that tank. a mix of softys and lps, for my sps tank skimmer carbon and phosban and algea in the fuge keeps everything happy

 

[saltburns]

on my 120 I have a too small protien skimmer left over from my 55 and an algae scrubber. I was doing a weekly 30 gallon water change but this last month have cut down to bi weekly.

 

[Jason.Wright]

I wish I could get my Chaeto to grow. :headwally:

I have a FOWLR set up. I use a Vertex protein skimmer and media reactor with ROX carbon. I change 20% and carbon every two weeks. I have low levels of nitrates and phosphates. Fish are happy; I just wish I could eliminate these elements.

I gave up on Chaeto for a few months and went with GFO, but that is expensive and I would prefer low tech. If I can't get it to grow, I may move to Bio Pellets.