JBJ Nano Cube filtration

[zephyrlily]

I have a couple questions regarding the Nano Cube filtration. It's recommended to take out bio-balls and ceramic rings for reef tanks. Mine is a FO tank, it has a coral rock centerpiece that came from an existing tank and over time has turned brown with algae.
Would anyone still recommended removing the bio-balls and rings for a FO tank?
There were some recommendations (in reference to a reef tank) to only use the carbon bag once a week for half a day, is this also recommended for FO?
Thanks

 

[cgavduece]

I've had my 12 gallon Nanocube for about 2 months. Currently, I have about 21 pounds of live rock, a tomato clown, one domino damsel, a diamond goby, atlantic pink tipped anemone, 2 turbo snails, 5 blue legged hermit crabs, mushroom coral and green star polyp coral. The tank and all its inhabitants are doing great and i have not altered the filtration except to replace the factory carbon with Detox 2 carbon. I had thought about removing the cyramic cubes and bioballs since there is enough biological filtration with the live sand and live rock but right now everything seems to be perfect. Overtime the bioballs and cyramic cubes may create excessive bacteria which would then create nitrates but I have been told that this would not happen for at least two year at which time i could remove half the bioballs and replace them with new ones. I would only suggest removing the cyramic cubes and bioballs if you plan in adding live rock and live sand that would create that beneficial bacteria for biological filtration otherwise keep it. Like i said, i havn't altered the tanks filtration and everyweek I am producing perfect water chem tests and everything in the tank looks great.

 

[reverai]

Yikes....who told you that it would take 2 years for the bio balls, sponges ect before they would cause any problems in the back your Nano Cube? That all depends how many water changes, the state of your bioload and even what kind of what water you've been using. The more fish and snails you have the faster you will hit the problem. I have a friend who's nitrates slowly rose in his Nano Cube and he thought just like you until his tank crashed and his fish and snailw died. Those things in the back on a Nano Cube are bad for saltwater. That is what the JBL says and most people with a Nano Cube say. Everything will be fine until it's not and that time will come far sooner than two years I'd guess.
Steve