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Date: 24 Dec 2006 14:17:50
From: RubenD
Subject: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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I currently have a 46G bowtank running with a Red Sea Skimmer and a Canister
filter. It's running great.
However, I notice the Canister filter doesn't suck/clean as much as I wish.
The power head (with sponge filter) and the skimmer seems to be doing a
better job.
I tried to get into a sump but decided not to at the end, instead I'll wait
upgrade to a tank with built in overflow/plumbing.
People without a sump, how many filters do you use/need?
TIA
Ruben
p.s.: I replace C-filter media every 2-3 of months but start thinking it
might not be necessary.
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Date: 02 Jan 2007 13:08:58
From: Add Homonym
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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RubenD wrote:
> I currently have a 46G bowtank running with a Red Sea Skimmer and a Canister
> filter. It's running great.
> However, I notice the Canister filter doesn't suck/clean as much as I wish.
> The power head (with sponge filter) and the skimmer seems to be doing a
> better job.
>
> I tried to get into a sump but decided not to at the end, instead I'll wait
> upgrade to a tank with built in overflow/plumbing.
>
> People without a sump, how many filters do you use/need?
>
Believe it or not, my best tank (20 long nano) has NO, i repeat NO
mechanical or chemical filtration. And NO SUMP. I do have 1 hagen
aquaclear hang on power filter going on it, but the media basket is
filled with rubble rock - no sponge filter, no carbon, no zoelitic stuff
- nada. So basically the filter is acting as a teeny little sump.
Aside from that, I have a crappy hang on skimmer (seaclone 100 - with
the intake filter sponge removed) and two power heads in there, and
that's it. Most of the biological filtration is being done by water flow
over the live rock, plus I have a 6" deep sand bed.
The secret is:
1) big cleanup crew (for such a small tank) - about 10 cerith snails, 2
Tonga conchs, 1 queen conch, 5 astreas, 5 blue legs, 1 sand sifting
star. Ceriths and the conchs are the most important here, since they do
the sand bed. Astreas and hermits are not so good for that. They handle
the live rock.
2) filter feeders - 2 big Hawaiian dusters, 1 8 inch derasa, 1 4 inch
maxima, some pink and white xenia, and a whole bunch of zooanthids (the
tridacnids and the xenia help with nitrates)
3) Deep sand bed - yes it REALLY DOES WORK for nitrates.
ALL nitrogen related stuff (including nitrate) currently is 0, and my
water is crystal clear.
All I do to maintain is put in 1 tsp of each part of b-ionic twice a
day, and maybe a 10% water change every other week or so.
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Date: 30 Dec 2006 17:24:18
From: Mike D.
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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I have two fluval filters on my 92 gallon tank. Mike.
"RubenD" <samotors@nospamsbcglobal.net > wrote in message
news:hZCjh.17824$QU1.7229@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...
> I currently have a 46G bowtank running with a Red Sea Skimmer and a
Canister
> filter. It's running great.
> However, I notice the Canister filter doesn't suck/clean as much as I
wish.
> The power head (with sponge filter) and the skimmer seems to be doing a
> better job.
>
> I tried to get into a sump but decided not to at the end, instead I'll
wait
> upgrade to a tank with built in overflow/plumbing.
>
> People without a sump, how many filters do you use/need?
>
>
> TIA
>
> Ruben
>
> p.s.: I replace C-filter media every 2-3 of months but start thinking it
> might not be necessary.
>
>
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Date: 29 Dec 2006 04:13:36
From: RubenD
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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Using Caleurpa Algae in the tank to remove nitrates would be a good idea,
or it will spread all over as a pest?
My LFS using as a filtrating component on the nano cubes.
Anyways, my water condition are excellent (zero Nitrates) but still get
those algae (red hair or green) blooming.
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Date: 02 Jan 2007 14:50:28
From: Add Homonym
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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RubenD wrote:
> Using Caleurpa Algae in the tank to remove nitrates would be a good idea,
> or it will spread all over as a pest?
>
> My LFS using as a filtrating component on the nano cubes.
>
> Anyways, my water condition are excellent (zero Nitrates) but still get
> those algae (red hair or green) blooming.
>
>
>
Calerpa can spawn and take over.
Chaetomortpha is less of a problem in that regard - that is why it is
more popular for 'fuge use than calerpa.
If you have zero nitrates and get bloooms, it may be that the blooms are
exactly WHY you have zero nitrates - the blooms are what is taking the
nitrates out.
I used to have that problem - I solved it by going with a deep sand bed
and snails and conchs to keep the nutrients off the top of the sand.
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Date: 28 Dec 2006 22:42:16
From: Pszemol
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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"RubenD" <samotors@nospamsbcglobal.net > wrote in message news:QB0lh.17587$hI.16530@newssvr11.news.prodigy.net...
> Using Caleurpa Algae in the tank to remove nitrates would
> be a good idea, or it will spread all over as a pest?
Do not use Caulerpa, use Cheatomorpha.
http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html
> Anyways, my water condition are excellent (zero Nitrates)
> but still get those algae (red hair or green) blooming.
In other words: BECAUSE hair algae is eating all
the nitrates you measure them very low in the water... :-)
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Date: 25 Dec 2006 01:17:03
From: Peter Pan
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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you want a filter that will filter your tank 5 or more times a hour, no
matter if its Salt or freshwater. Sump or no sump. Look on the side of the
filter package when buyig a filter it will tell you how many Gallons per
hour (GPH) it does.
"RubenD" <samotors@nospamsbcglobal.net > wrote in message
news:hZCjh.17824$QU1.7229@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...
> I currently have a 46G bowtank running with a Red Sea Skimmer and a
Canister
> filter. It's running great.
> However, I notice the Canister filter doesn't suck/clean as much as I
wish.
> The power head (with sponge filter) and the skimmer seems to be doing a
> better job.
>
> I tried to get into a sump but decided not to at the end, instead I'll
wait
> upgrade to a tank with built in overflow/plumbing.
>
> People without a sump, how many filters do you use/need?
>
>
> TIA
>
> Ruben
>
> p.s.: I replace C-filter media every 2-3 of months but start thinking it
> might not be necessary.
>
>
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Date: 25 Dec 2006 11:28:48
From: Pszemol
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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"Peter Pan" <Peter@neverland.net > wrote in message news:a62dnTh-gPdD8RLYnZ2dnUVZ_u63nZ2d@comcast.com...
> you want a filter that will filter your tank 5 or more times a hour, no
> matter if its Salt or freshwater. Sump or no sump. Look on the side of the
> filter package when buyig a filter it will tell you how many Gallons per
> hour (GPH) it does.
Are you guys talking about reef tanks ?
I am confused... This recomendation would be
agains the reef tank idea. Maybe fish only tanks ?
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Date: 25 Dec 2006 21:07:05
From: Wayne Sallee
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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Yep :-)
Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets
Wayne@WaynesPets.com
Pszemol wrote on 12/25/2006 12:28 PM:
> "Peter Pan" <Peter@neverland.net> wrote in message
> news:a62dnTh-gPdD8RLYnZ2dnUVZ_u63nZ2d@comcast.com...
>> you want a filter that will filter your tank 5 or more times a hour, no
>> matter if its Salt or freshwater. Sump or no sump. Look on the side of
>> the
>> filter package when buyig a filter it will tell you how many Gallons per
>> hour (GPH) it does.
>
> Are you guys talking about reef tanks ?
> I am confused... This recomendation would be
> agains the reef tank idea. Maybe fish only tanks ?
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Date: 02 Jan 2007 13:33:48
From: Add Homonym
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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Wayne Sallee wrote:
> Yep :-)
>
> Wayne Sallee
> Wayne's Pets
> Wayne@WaynesPets.com
>
>
> Pszemol wrote on 12/25/2006 12:28 PM:
>
>> "Peter Pan" <Peter@neverland.net> wrote in message
>> news:a62dnTh-gPdD8RLYnZ2dnUVZ_u63nZ2d@comcast.com...
>>
>>> you want a filter that will filter your tank 5 or more times a hour, no
>>> matter if its Salt or freshwater. Sump or no sump. Look on the side
>>> of the
>>> filter package when buyig a filter it will tell you how many Gallons per
>>> hour (GPH) it does.
>>
>>
>> Are you guys talking about reef tanks ?
>> I am confused... This recomendation would be
>> agains the reef tank idea. Maybe fish only tanks ?
I would say I have to heartily disagree with Wayne and Peter Pan, and
very much agree with Pszemol. Mechanical filtration for a reef tank = bad.
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Date: 02 Jan 2007 22:51:23
From: Wayne Sallee
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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You mean that you disagree with Peter Pan, and not with
Wayne and Pszemol :-) My "yep:-)" was in responce to
Pszemol's post, and Pszemol's post was in responce to
Peter Pan's post :-)
Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets
Wayne@WaynesPets.com
Add Homonym wrote on 1/2/2007 1:33 PM:
> Wayne Sallee wrote:
>> Yep :-)
>>
>> Wayne Sallee
>> Wayne's Pets
>> Wayne@WaynesPets.com
>>
>>
>> Pszemol wrote on 12/25/2006 12:28 PM:
>>
>>> "Peter Pan" <Peter@neverland.net> wrote in message
>>> news:a62dnTh-gPdD8RLYnZ2dnUVZ_u63nZ2d@comcast.com...
>>>
>>>> you want a filter that will filter your tank 5 or more times a hour, no
>>>> matter if its Salt or freshwater. Sump or no sump. Look on the side
>>>> of the
>>>> filter package when buyig a filter it will tell you how many Gallons
>>>> per
>>>> hour (GPH) it does.
>>>
>>>
>>> Are you guys talking about reef tanks ?
>>> I am confused... This recomendation would be
>>> agains the reef tank idea. Maybe fish only tanks ?
>
> I would say I have to heartily disagree with Wayne and Peter Pan, and
> very much agree with Pszemol. Mechanical filtration for a reef tank = bad.
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Date: 02 Jan 2007 12:32:38
From: Tristan
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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*I agree with Pszemol also. I have no mechanical filtration of any
kind on any of my tanks..My sand bed and live rock do it. I use hob
filters ( Aqua Clear brands) without media for current flow or a place
to put ac etc, not filter media, and the power heads provide nothing
but current flow, and nitrate or other junk has never been a problem
for me. I maintain all reef and reef w/fish tanks. All have surface
skimmers or protein skimmers.
On Tue, 02 Jan 2007 13:33:48 -0500, Add Homonym
<snertking@snerts-r-us.org > wrote:
<< >>Wayne Sallee wrote:
<< >>> Yep :-)
<< >>>
<< >>> Wayne Sallee
<< >>> Wayne's Pets
<< >>> Wayne@WaynesPets.com
<< >>>
<< >>>
<< >>> Pszemol wrote on 12/25/2006 12:28 PM:
<< >>>
<< >>>> "Peter Pan" <Peter@neverland.net> wrote in message
<< >>>> news:a62dnTh-gPdD8RLYnZ2dnUVZ_u63nZ2d@comcast.com...
<< >>>>
<< >>>>> you want a filter that will filter your tank 5 or more times a hour, no
<< >>>>> matter if its Salt or freshwater. Sump or no sump. Look on the side
<< >>>>> of the
<< >>>>> filter package when buyig a filter it will tell you how many Gallons per
<< >>>>> hour (GPH) it does.
<< >>>>
<< >>>>
<< >>>> Are you guys talking about reef tanks ?
<< >>>> I am confused... This recomendation would be
<< >>>> agains the reef tank idea. Maybe fish only tanks ?
<< >>
<< >>I would say I have to heartily disagree with Wayne and Peter Pan, and
<< >>very much agree with Pszemol. Mechanical filtration for a reef tank = bad.
-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!
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Date: 02 Jan 2007 18:09:22
From: Angel deVine
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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You forgot RAMR again when.... you post to rec.ponds. i add it for you.
"Tristan" <tristansaintjohn@yahoo.com > wrote in message
news:ua9lp291qs2o5g0sh4madi2tfqpono76d5@4ax.com...
> BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, ............you lunatic.......
>
>
> -------
> I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!
Tristan wrote:
> *I agree with Pszemol also. I have no mechanical filtration of any
> kind on any of my tanks..My sand bed and live rock do it. I use hob
> filters ( Aqua Clear brands) without media for current flow or a place
> to put ac etc, not filter media, and the power heads provide nothing
> but current flow, and nitrate or other junk has never been a problem
> for me. I maintain all reef and reef w/fish tanks. All have surface
> skimmers or protein skimmers.
>
> On Tue, 02 Jan 2007 13:33:48 -0500, Add Homonym
> <snertking@snerts-r-us.org> wrote:
>
> <<>>Wayne Sallee wrote:
> <<>>> Yep :-)
> <<>>>
> <<>>> Wayne Sallee
> <<>>> Wayne's Pets
> <<>>> Wayne@WaynesPets.com
> <<>>>
> <<>>>
> <<>>> Pszemol wrote on 12/25/2006 12:28 PM:
> <<>>>
> <<>>>> "Peter Pan" <Peter@neverland.net> wrote in message
> <<>>>> news:a62dnTh-gPdD8RLYnZ2dnUVZ_u63nZ2d@comcast.com...
> <<>>>>
> <<>>>>> you want a filter that will filter your tank 5 or more times a hour, no
> <<>>>>> matter if its Salt or freshwater. Sump or no sump. Look on the side
> <<>>>>> of the
> <<>>>>> filter package when buyig a filter it will tell you how many Gallons per
> <<>>>>> hour (GPH) it does.
> <<>>>>
> <<>>>>
> <<>>>> Are you guys talking about reef tanks ?
> <<>>>> I am confused... This recomendation would be
> <<>>>> agains the reef tank idea. Maybe fish only tanks ?
> <<>>
> <<>>I would say I have to heartily disagree with Wayne and Peter Pan, and
> <<>>very much agree with Pszemol. Mechanical filtration for a reef tank = bad.
>
>
>
> -------
> I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!
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Date: 25 Dec 2006 14:53:13
From: Peter Pan
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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"Pszemol" <Pszemol@PolBox.com > wrote in message
news:emoclg.7kk.1@poczta.onet.pl...
> "Peter Pan" <Peter@neverland.net> wrote in message
news:a62dnTh-gPdD8RLYnZ2dnUVZ_u63nZ2d@comcast.com...
> > you want a filter that will filter your tank 5 or more times a hour, no
> > matter if its Salt or freshwater. Sump or no sump. Look on the side of
the
> > filter package when buyig a filter it will tell you how many Gallons per
> > hour (GPH) it does.
>
> Are you guys talking about reef tanks ?
> I am confused... This recomendation would be
> agains the reef tank idea. Maybe fish only tanks ?
Why would it be against a reef tank, when corals usuually require cleaner
water to survive ?
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Date: 02 Jan 2007 13:20:48
From: Add Homonym
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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Peter Pan wrote:
>
> Why would it be against a reef tank, when corals usuually require cleaner
> water to survive ?
>
>
Do the biological filtration to fast, and the end result is nitrates
that are way to high, esp for most sps stuff.
That is why wet dry filters are not supposed to be used with reef tanks
- they cycle amonia- >nitrite->nitrate to quickly. You want it to happen
more slowly, so whatever is pulling the nitarates out (fuge, dsb, etc)
has time to stay "caught up"
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Date: 25 Dec 2006 14:57:36
From: Pszemol
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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"Peter Pan" <Peter@neverland.net > wrote in message news:45idnd_rGbS1sQ3YnZ2dnUVZ_oipnZ2d@comcast.com...
>> Are you guys talking about reef tanks ?
>> I am confused... This recomendation would be
>> agains the reef tank idea. Maybe fish only tanks ?
>
> Why would it be against a reef tank, when corals
> usuually require cleaner water to survive ?
Particulate matter suspended in water is part of FOOD for them!
Cleaner water - yes, in terms of dissolved nitrates or
phosphates, but mechanical filters are competing
with filter feeder animals like corals, feather dusters,
sponges, shellfish like clams/oysters/scallops etc...
In a reef tank major chemical filtration is done in
and on the surface of live rock not in canister
filters - they just accumulate debris and convert it into
nitrates/phosphates - not the way it supposed to work in reef.
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Date: 25 Dec 2006 02:32:51
From: George Patterson
Subject: Re: How many filters do you need for a saltwater tank?
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RubenD wrote:
> People without a sump, how many filters do you use/need?
My tank is 125 gallons. Right now, I'm running a protein skimmer and about 130
pounds of live rock with 1600 gph circulation. There are a few feather dusters
in there too. That's it. As of 12/8, nitrites were 0 and pH was 8.0 plus, and
it's been that way for several months before that. As of 12/20, nitrates were 10
and phosphates were .75. Last water change was 25 gallons on 12/19.
George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.
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