Do I Need A Fluval Filter

[debi0000]

I Have Been Having Problems With Water That Is Not Clear And What I Believe Is Diatons. I Was Using Tap Water For Changes. Today Is The First Time I Pulled My 240 Gal Tank Down 1/3 Of The Way And Replaced The Water With Ro Water. I Have Been Told To Stop Using My Fluval Canister Filter And Let My Skimmer Handle The Water. My Skimmer Is A Berlin Turbo 3 Stage Rated For 250 Gallon Tank. Is This True, Should I Stop Using My Fluval? I'm A Little Scared To Stop Using It.
Any Advice Is Apreciated. Debi0000

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by DEBI0000
I Have Been Having Problems With Water That Is Not Clear And What I Believe Is Diatons. I Was Using Tap Water For Changes. Today Is The First Time I Pulled My 240 Gal Tank Down 1/3 Of The Way And Replaced The Water With Ro Water. I Have Been Told To Stop Using My Fluval Canister Filter And Let My Skimmer Handle The Water. My Skimmer Is A Berlin Turbo 3 Stage Rated For 250 Gallon Tank. Is This True, Should I Stop Using My Fluval? I'm A Little Scared To Stop Using It.
Any Advice Is Apreciated. Debi0000

HUGE TANK,, people are staying away from canister filters maintenence and nitrate factory issues, and using a more biological filtration, LIVE ROCK 11/2 -2lbs per gallon, DEEP SAND BED of LR. Protein skimmer and I personally like a srtong HOP filter with some carbon, to get any unseen chemical impurities. HOW efficient is that BERLIN?

 

[b bauer]

do you have live rock?I have a fluval 404 on my tank plus #40 rock and a simmer on a 36g tank.but I like the fluval to put in carbon 1 couple days a month plus other media

 

[debi0000]

Originally Posted by MiaHeatLvr
HUGE TANK,, people are staying away from canister filters maintenence and nitrate factory issues, and using a more biological filtration, LIVE ROCK 11/2 -2lbs per gallon, DEEP SAND BED of LR. Protein skimmer and I personally like a srtong HOP filter with some carbon, to get any unseen chemical impurities. HOW efficient is that BERLIN?
I HAVE APPROX. 450 LB OF LIVE ROCK. MY TANK HAS ONLY B EEN UP FOR FIVE MONTHS. WHAT IS A HOP FILTER? I DO NOT HAVE A SAND BED AT ALL, I FIGURED THAT IT WOULD BE EASIRE TO CLEAN THE BOTTOM IF I DIDN'T PUT ANY SAND IN. MY BERLIN IS VERY EFFICIENT, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. I EMPTY GREEN UGLY THICK JUNK FROM IT QUITE OFTEN. I HAVE THE SAND, WHICH IS CARIBSEA BRAND, AND ITS CALLED OCEAN DIRECT CARRIBEAN LIVE SAND. I BOUGHT IT THROUGH SALTWATER FISH.COM. SHOULD I GO AHEAD AND ADD IT, AND IF SO I PROBABLY NEED TO RINSE IT WELL, ISTHIS CORRECT?
THANKS DEBI0000

 

[b bauer]

hob is hang on back do you run carbon?and when do you change it.

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by DEBI0000
I HAVE APPROX. 450 LB OF LIVE ROCK. MY TANK HAS ONLY B EEN UP FOR FIVE MONTHS. WHAT IS A HOP FILTER? I DO NOT HAVE A SAND BED AT ALL, I FIGURED THAT IT WOULD BE EASIRE TO CLEAN THE BOTTOM IF I DIDN'T PUT ANY SAND IN. MY BERLIN IS VERY EFFICIENT, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. I EMPTY GREEN UGLY THICK JUNK FROM IT QUITE OFTEN. I HAVE THE SAND, WHICH IS CARIBSEA BRAND, AND ITS CALLED OCEAN DIRECT CARRIBEAN LIVE SAND. I BOUGHT IT THROUGH SALTWATER FISH.COM. SHOULD I GO AHEAD AND ADD IT, AND IF SO I PROBABLY NEED TO RINSE IT WELL, ISTHIS CORRECT?
THANKS DEBI0000
Sorry I meant H.O.B filter. hang on back, AWESOME on the live rock, IM NOT SURE somebody else needs to chime in about adding tge LS,, whats in the tank right now? Im pretty sure addiing all that live sand will cause, ALOT of water displacment and a possible cycle.. im pretty sure of it... maybe you can add it a a very slow pace over time..

 

[oyam1]

Tap water is the problem.....you got lots of LR and an OK skimmer, LS is not an issue with 450# of LR.
what is the flow in the tank like?

 

[tizzo]

with 450 lbs of lr, you do not need the fluval. In fact it's pretty redundant. The reason you see all that gunk in it i cause it rolly sucks in some of what you feed. If you did not have it, that stuff would get eaten or your bio filtration would handle it. The fluval does nothing but store stuff where you cant see it. it doesn't get rid of it til yu clean the filters and by then it's pretty well "cycled"
When I ran carbon, I just stuck it in a sock in front of any powerhead. You don't need a canister filter for that.
yeah, and as oyam stated, tap keeps replenishing the nutrients that diatoms need to thrive.
Keep using ro, and they will eventually disappear.