I have a 150 gallon w/ 230 lbs LR. Do I need a filter system?
- Thread starter t11t5
- Start date
granny
Member
well, it depends.
Filters serve many purposes-a place to house charcoal and other media-a way to circulate and aerate your water as well as remove organics from the tank.
additional water volume via a wet/dry/sump.
Many folks with reef tanks-no fish-use the live rock with a sump and skimmer and it does a great job if the water maintenance is kept up.
If you want fish, you start increasing the waste load and you need a way to get rid of it.
A sump with compartments for biomedia is effective. Many folks run canisters in addition to their sumps.
Do you have powerheads/pumps in your tank to move the water?
Filters serve many purposes-a place to house charcoal and other media-a way to circulate and aerate your water as well as remove organics from the tank.
additional water volume via a wet/dry/sump.
Many folks with reef tanks-no fish-use the live rock with a sump and skimmer and it does a great job if the water maintenance is kept up.
If you want fish, you start increasing the waste load and you need a way to get rid of it.
A sump with compartments for biomedia is effective. Many folks run canisters in addition to their sumps.
Do you have powerheads/pumps in your tank to move the water?
dfox
Member
I agree with Granny. 200 lbs of LR is going to provide a lot of biological filtration. But you still might want some chemical filtration (charcoal) and mechanical filtration (fish poop and extra food strainer).
Also the water movement from the filter helps.
I have a 55 gal with 35 lbs of LR, and I don't think of my power filter as a biological filter, even though there is a biowheel. I mainly think of it as water mover, strainer for large chunks of junk, and a place to put charcoal and Poly Filter pads.
Even with a filter, my skimmer still pulls a 1/2 cup of brown muck out of the water each week, and this is with only 2 damsels, a cleaning crew, and once per day light feeding. So, definitely need the skimmer.
I have a 55 gal with 35 lbs of LR, and I don't think of my power filter as a biological filter, even though there is a biowheel. I mainly think of it as water mover, strainer for large chunks of junk, and a place to put charcoal and Poly Filter pads.
Even with a filter, my skimmer still pulls a 1/2 cup of brown muck out of the water each week, and this is with only 2 damsels, a cleaning crew, and once per day light feeding. So, definitely need the skimmer.
fishamajig
Member
get a giant skimmer and that is all you are ever going to need.
blazehok68
Active Member
on my 55 i have 90 lbs of lr, 75lbs ls. really no mechanical filtration, just some power heads, and a fuge with some cheato in it. every now and again ill put some carbon in a filter sock in a compartment in the fuge. i have no problems.
maxalmon
Active Member
Set up a refugium and skip the filter. Pretty easy to make a fuge, I went to LFS yesterday and purchased a 20g tank and today will go over to home Depot and have them cut 2 glass panels so that I can make the partitions in the tank. Found a 6500k 2x9w light online that will fit over the fuge area.
nm reef
Active Member
The LR and LS is a excellant foundation.....but the addition of a sump with a quality skimmer will suppliment your foundation nicely. Plus in the sump you could use a mechanical filter (I have three phosbans for carbon/nitrate sponge/rowa phos) to suppliment as needed....and with a sump you could add a refugium to futher improve your filtration.
fishamajig
Member
word!!!
maxalmon
Active Member
Originally Posted by NM reef
The LR and LS is a excellant foundation.....but the addition of a sump with a quality skimmer will suppliment your foundation nicely. Plus in the sump you could use a mechanical filter (I have three phosbans for carbon/nitrate sponge/rowa phos) to suppliment as needed....and with a sump you could add a refugium to futher improve your filtration.
NM could you elaborate on the phosbans for carbon/ nitrate. I've developed a good sense of what to do, but I'm a little "cloudy" (had too) on the carbon issue with reef tanks, with my system should I be running carbon? what are "phosbans".....I'm like a sponge and have abosrbed so much info in the last few weeks with regards to RT's that my little brain is overloaded. I much appreciate all that you post, hopefully all my question will soon be resolved with my posts and with some experience I hope to be able to post respectfull information for other newcomers, you guys are incredible...
The LR and LS is a excellant foundation.....but the addition of a sump with a quality skimmer will suppliment your foundation nicely. Plus in the sump you could use a mechanical filter (I have three phosbans for carbon/nitrate sponge/rowa phos) to suppliment as needed....and with a sump you could add a refugium to futher improve your filtration.
NM could you elaborate on the phosbans for carbon/ nitrate. I've developed a good sense of what to do, but I'm a little "cloudy" (had too) on the carbon issue with reef tanks, with my system should I be running carbon? what are "phosbans".....I'm like a sponge and have abosrbed so much info in the last few weeks with regards to RT's that my little brain is overloaded. I much appreciate all that you post, hopefully all my question will soon be resolved with my posts and with some experience I hope to be able to post respectfull information for other newcomers, you guys are incredible...