help with filter please.

birdy

birdy

Active Member
Bob is the only one here who recommends putting plants in the display. I really hope you look at a refugium for your plants.
He is also one of the only ones who does not recommend a skimmer. Please research many different opinions before you come to one conclusion.
As far as a power filter I like the emporer ones. For powerheads you want two to three, I really like the maxi jets.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
A skimmer is well worth the money... it can do more than a little bit of plant in the display will!
If you plan to stock the tank with sufficient LR will not need a filter. The LR will hold the bacteria needed.
 
khourglass

khourglass

Member
I have lots of particles floating around in my water< not clouldy really just messy I do water changes weekly 30% or 8gal.
cant really decide what way to go to fix this problem.
The tank itself is over 6 mos old now , and I cant seem to keep anything but inverts.
Im just really baffled as to what the issue is my water tests fine
but I keep loosing fish.:notsure:
Kristi
 
jedininja

jedininja

Member
I'm sorry, but I feel like I am personally attacking Bob. Not what I want to do. But its very frustrating when he's giving bad advice to people. He had admitted never using a skimmer, so how would he know if they even work or not? Overkill? Birdy is recommending a skimmer and powerheads. Thats all. That would be 10 times as efficient as a few shaving brushes. khourglass, before you flow Bob's advice, please know that his methods ar unconventional and not accepted by most of this board or by most people keeping saltwater. The problem with using plants in your tank is that they can die off leaving a bigger mess, it can give you a look you dont like, macros and block out lights that your coral will need, and can be eaten by fish. Most people put very little plants in thier tanks and only use them iun refugiums.
I agree with what Birdy has been saying. A mechanical/canister filter is ok. It will trap detrius and make the wate cleaner with carbon. But all the particles that are trapped by the filter will eventually break down and turn into nitrate in your system. If you use a protien skimmer, that actually traps the nutrients in the water before they can break down into nitrates. A Red Sea Prism skimmer would be great for a tank your size.
*edit* I spent too much time typing my post that Reefnut and birdy beat me to it.
 
khourglass

khourglass

Member
I have lots of particles floating around in my water< not clouldy really just messy I do water changes weekly 30% or 8gal.
cant really decide what way to go to fix this problem.
The tank itself is over 6 mos old now , and I cant seem to keep anything but inverts.
Im just really baffled as to what the issue is my water tests fine
but I keep loosing fish.:notsure:
Kristi
 
birdy

birdy

Active Member
Maybe we should look more at what happened with your fish than your filtration.
What type of fish have you tried to keep and what exactly happened to them. Do you test the water yourself or does your LFS test it?
Also your water changes are a bit drastic, you only need to do 10% water changes a week.
Please run down all tank enhabitants, and how much LR and LS you have.
 
khourglass

khourglass

Member

Originally posted by Birdy
Maybe we should look more at what happened with your fish than your filtration.
What type of fish have you tried to keep and what exactly happened to them. Do you test the water yourself or does your LFS test it?
Also your water changes are a bit drastic, you only need to do 10% water changes a week.
Please run down all tank enhabitants, and how much LR and LS you have.
I lost the first few due to nitrate levels, I waited a couple of weeks and changed out the CC for 40# LS 30# LR.
I then went through a mini cycle.
A month later I added 2 chromis the first one died the first week the cleaner shrimp stressed him to death , I lost the last chromis this week.
There isnt anything left in there except crabs,snails,and my peppermint and cleaner shrimp.
 
birdy

birdy

Active Member
Well I would say maybe you just had some bad luck with fish. I personally QT all new fish for three weeks and highly recommend it.
The first thing you should do is buy a test kit for, pH, Alk, Ammonia, Nirite and Nitrate. I don't think the test strips are very accurate, I personally like the sea test kits if you are not going to use Salifert (a bit more expensive, and harder to find).
You really need to be able to test things when you need it. It helps you know what is going on with your tank also.
Then I suggest you get a skimmer, it will give you a bit of room for error.
 
khourglass

khourglass

Member
ive been reading on the cpr bak-pak, and it sounds as if if would be perfect for mmy needs.
But I still need to run powerheads with these?
around 2 or 3 right?
Sorry for all the newbie questions , but youve been a big help .
I FEEL LIKE IM GAINING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EQUIPMENT DOES WHAT>LOL
And have almost decided on the skimmer with powerheads for filtration?
 
jedininja

jedininja

Member
A Bakpak would be great for your size tank and 3 powerheads ould be perfect. One thing to consider is how have you been acclimating thses fish? If you dont do it correctly, then it may stress them out too much and they wont last. I would second that you get a test kit. I think test kits are one of the most important things you can have.
And dont be sorry for asking questions. If we didnt want to help, would anyone be answering posts here? Good luck.
 
grently348

grently348

New Member
i would also go with a back pack. i have one on my 75. it works great. i replaced the bio balls with cell pore to give me more surface area for bacteria. go with a back pack if you can.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member

Originally posted by khourglass
I lost the first few due to nitrate levels, ..
.
A month later I added 2 chromis the first one died the first week the cleaner shrimp stressed him to death , I lost the last chromis this week.
There isnt anything left in there except crabs,snails,and my peppermint and cleaner shrimp.

You very well might have lost the fish due to nitrAtes or even carbon dioxide buildup. Both are handled nicely by plant life. I lost several fish until I added plant life.
 
khourglass

khourglass

Member

Originally posted by Birdy
I run a CPR bak-pak and I love it, yes I would say 2-3 powerheads.
will I need to purchase pumps to run the power heads?
And what size powerheads? Im looking at the maxi-jets now
 
jedininja

jedininja

Member
The powerheads run themselves. I would go with 3 Maxijet 600 or 2 maxijet 900. You can get away with a little less, but I like more flow in my tank. Keeps the algae from growing and detrius from settling.
 
alejandro

alejandro

Member
hello, i have 55 g fowlr I got hang on wet dry filter millennium 3000,canister fluval, and skimmer seaclone, this equipment cost around $150 dlls, and work great my ammonia, nitri,nitra, ph are perfect for fowlr, i think for you 29g could work great r easy to clean,maintenance u can try.
absolutly filters for wal-mart no good for saltwater.
 
khourglass

khourglass

Member

Originally posted by alejandro
hello, i have 55 g fowlr I got hang on wet dry filter millennium 3000,canister fluval, and skimmer seaclone, this equipment cost around $150 dlls, and work great my ammonia, nitri,nitra, ph are perfect for fowlr, i think for you 29g could work great r easy to clean,maintenance u can try.
absolutly filters for wal-mart no good for saltwater.
you use all this together?:notsure:
 
birdy

birdy

Active Member
I do not think all that equipment is necessary, start out with what you planned a bak pak skimmer and three maxi jet 600's, along with your LR and LS, you should be fine. When you add fish be sure you take it very slow.
 
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