"Best" filtration method

Bill1171, You say nothing about any live rock in your tank. In a reef the filtration is done by the combination of live rock and a deep sand bed. That is why you don't need any bioballs or sponges. It has been said that these items turn into nitrate factories and will add to a nitrate problem. There are a lot of people still using the system you have as it is probably cheaper to set up than buying all that live rock......In a natural system fowlr a rate of 2lbs of rock per gallon and a 4 inch dsb should do all the work for you. You need a cleanup crew to take care of detritus and keep the sand bed clean and a protein skimmer to remove organics from the water. Some people run carbon in the hob's or cannisters and some also run a phosphate remover such as rowaphos etc.

I don't think I have ever heard of sand in fw but I may be mistaken there
 
I have a 60 gallon tank with a Remora skimmer, dsb, live rocks. I also have a canister filter and i am wandering if it's necessary. I have filter pads and carbon inside for filtering. Would it be ok to remove the canister filter?
 
clinc said:
I have a 60 gallon tank with a Remora skimmer, dsb, live rocks. I also have a canister filter and i am wandering if it's necessary. I have filter pads and carbon inside for filtering. Would it be ok to remove the canister filter?
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Yes it would be OK.

I recommend doing it over stages, by removing media from the canister until it's empty and you shut it down. This lessens any impact.
 
A lot of people continue to run carbon in their canister filters and use it for added water flow. There is no reason to remove it if you want to keep it. You are doing no harm and it is a more effective way to use carbon than dumping a bag of it into your sump which is a passive method at best. A canister is basically the same as running a phosphate reactor with carbon in it.......so if it were me, I would keep it.
 
Lorna said:
A lot of people continue to run carbon in their canister filters and use it for added water flow. There is no reason to remove it if you want to keep it. You are doing no harm and it is a more effective way to use carbon than dumping a bag of it into your sump which is a passive method at best. A canister is basically the same as running a phosphate reactor with carbon in it.......so if it were me, I would keep it.
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Definately. Good post.
 
Thanks for the advise Lorna. So if I keep the canister filter, should I remove all the filter pads? Does filter pads cause nitrate to build up?
 
Learn from nature. No overstocking, dsb, liverock, good flow, continual water replacement (water changes), and areas where algae grows (refugiums).

natural is the way to go.
 
What about the Jaubert plenum method? Have people had success with that?
 
Again, many conflicting opinions but consensus now is that the Jaubert plenium method is out and has been replaced by the plain working dsb. The plenium to create anerobic areas that eventually will lead to old tank syndrome and cause unwanted releases of hydrogen gas. not a good thing. Best bet........place your live rock then put your dsb around the rock this way the rock is stablized in case you have some nice diggers at a later date. Within a week or so you will see gas bubbles trapped against the glass, these indicate that your dsb is working and releasing small amounts of nitrogen gas up through the sand.

Clinc....yes remove the pads or keep them very very clean so that they don't build up nitrates. I know some use the phospate reducer one.....but I don't see the need. If you run carbon in your cannister you can also run a phospate absorber such as phosphate sponge or rowaphos.......etc
 
this is a great post to follow.

I am setting up a 110 gallon with a 20+ gallon refugium. it has the skimmer on the fuge.(under cabinet, fuge has lights on it)

I plan on LR with DSB..my question?? how deep is deep??

I am trying to get water in the tank this weekend..I am working on the plumbing..not sure which pump to get . the fuge is set up for submersible.

any thoughts on the pump would be greatly appreciated.
(sorry if this a bit of thread jacking)
 
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