Will just LR do?

[Sitarangi]

I have a 29g reef tank with a seaclone 150 skimmer and a penguin 70 biowheel Filter. I was given the filter from a friend that used to have a FW tank and I thought that it was necessary for any tank for biological filtration. After lots and lots of reading, I guess that all you really need is a powerhead and LR for biological filtration on a smaller tank. I have about 35ish pounds of TLR and FLR in the tank and they've been there for about 6 months.

Basically i'm wondering if my tank will be fine for biological filtration if I replaced the BW filter with a simple powerhead combined with the LR. I want to get a mandarin and introduce copepods into the system, but they'd just get sucked up the filter. I haven't replaced the filter media in about 3 months and all its doing now is breeding amphipods.

 

[FranktheTankTx]

You could turn the filter into a refugium and grow some chaeto w/ a clip on light over it.

Yes, all you need is a skimmer and LR. It would be nice to run some carbon every now and then as well.... but you could put a bag of carbon in the filter every couple of weeks also.

For a 29g tank I would put a couple Koralia #2's in there on opposite ends of the tank. And if at all possible, replace that seaclone with a Remora or look into the LifeReef HOB skimmers or Bermuda Rogue.

 

[Sitarangi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12701870#post12701870 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FranktheTankTx
You could turn the filter into a refugium and grow some chaeto w/ a clip on light over it.

Not a bad idea.... remove the filter media and wheels.... itd look tacky but be really cool though

For a 29g tank I would put a couple Koralia #2's in there on opposite ends of the tank.

Im thinking one koralia in the top right corner and scoot the seaclone over to the left as that thing creates some major flow on its own. If that'd work.

And if at all possible, replace that seaclone with a Remora or look into the LifeReef HOB skimmers or Bermuda Rogue. [/B]

I just got the seaclone about 2 weeks ago. While im not super crazy about that whole 'vortex' thing its more than enough for my tank.

 

[FranktheTankTx]

Cool. The filter is just like having an HOB refugium. I have a CPR AquaFuge2 on my 36g corner. Lots of people use the filters for this exact purpose. Depending on how deep it is, you could put some sand in there too.

The seaclone is fine... I used one for a few months. It will work... but you have to tinker with it all the time. I personally would get two Koralias... aim them at each other to create some chaotic flow... but one will be ok. It might create a whirlpool effect.

 

[rivoth]

I would recommend keeping an eye out on your Ammonium and Nitrite levels for a couple weeks after taking out your biowheel filter. The bacteria levels in your live rock might not be high enough initially to handle the full bio load.

If the levels do start to climb you should be prepared to do some large water changes until the system balances out again.

 

[Sitarangi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12711030#post12711030 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rivoth
I would recommend keeping an eye out on your Ammonium and Nitrite levels for a couple weeks after taking out your biowheel filter. The bacteria levels in your live rock might not be high enough initially to handle the full bio load.

If the levels do start to climb you should be prepared to do some large water changes until the system balances out again.

Its a dual biowheel filter, so ill probably take out one for a couple weeks and the other a week or two so I can ween the LR bacteria into taking the bioload.

I live close to a free supply of partially filtered SW and I do large water changes on a biweekly basis anyway.