mechanical filtration necessary or not?

[mdgreene]

Hi all,
So I've always been a proponent of using mechanical filtration - I just always think it does a better job of keeping goop out of the tank and keeping the water nice and clean. I have a 75 gallon tank, and about 100 lbs live rock, 2" crushed coral sand base, 20 gallon sump with a skimmer and a basket where all my overflow water is filtered through polyester batting. I clean the batting at least once a week as it becomes really nasty and full of goop. To be honest, I'm getting tired of cleaning it, and I keep reading all over the internet and these forums that most people say mechanical filtration isn't necessary for a reef tank with a skimmer and LR.
But with as much green goop that the mechanical filter catches during a week's period, and when I clean it, it is so full of detritus and other stuff (i have no idea what - i don't overfeed, looks more like algea spores or something since it's always puke green) that in a gallon of water, it turns all the water a disgusting shade of putrid green. it doesn't really smell funny, other than normal saltwater marine smell. I just can't imagine if i quit using mechanical filtration, all this stuff that is caught in the filter cloth would just be floating around in the tank forever building up, as small partial water changes aren't going to get that out!
Anyone have any thoughts? Am I just paranoid and all that goop that the filter catches will be eaten as food by the micro organisms in the reef and such and that it wouldn't really end up like what I see caught on the filter cloth?
Thanks for any input!

 

[novahobbies]

Personally I use filter badding as the fist line of defense in my sump. I wouldn't take it out, but that's just me.

 

[reefkprz]

I personally do not run any mechanical filtration on my tanks just skimmer turf screen and LR for filtration.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I've used pretty much everything you can think of over the years...
Mechanical filtration isn't needed with a properly made refugium with a long run time through the sump. Though, for new hobbyists, I would recommend using some mechanical filtration as the water enters the sump. That way, a lot of detritus won't collect in the refugium sandbed and make it septic over time.
Blue and white filter pads are pretty good. Other alternatives are quilters batting, polyfil, and acrylic pads for quilting. There's all kinds of stuff out there - and it's all really cheap. You just have to use your imagination.

 

[bang guy]

My first tank had mechanical filtration. After I removed mechanical filtration (other than a skimmer) I went 30 years without it.

 

[mdgreene]

So for those who had mechanical filtration, you were concerned about all that stuff that collected on the mechanical filtration when you took it out? there sure seems to be a lot of nasty looking putrid stuff that collects on it that would either start collecting in the tank or is taken out by the skimmer. unless i'm collecting cupfuls of skimmed stuff constantly, i can't believe it would take out all the stuff that collects on the filter cloth, unless i used a skimmer that turned over my water higher than the total overflow since it is being 100% filtered (at around 800 gph) - i.e. had a skimmer that was rated at like 1000 gph since it isn't 100% efficient at having complete air/water interface to get out the dissolved organics. or am i just missing something in my line of thinking?

 

[reefkprz]

I guess there is nothing wrong with mechanical filtration if you keep on top of changing it out a lot of times people get lax and it turns into a detritus trap, instead of winding up getting removed with watercahgnes of accumulating in areas where benthic fauna can handle the waste it builds up and becomes nitrate factories. thats why Bio balls get such a bad rap as nitrate factories because people dont clean them and complain when their nitrates hit ungodly levels.
I personally prefer the create areas of benthic activity to naturally handle these wastes as well as kicking them up and removing them at waterchanges I.E. blasting the rocks with a powerhead to kick out all the microfauna waste. siphoning the dead zone of my sump that tends to collect mulm etc.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I have gone without mechanical filtration for quite a while now... And the reason is... I'm lazy.
If I were to stay on top of it, mechanical filtration can really come in handy. I think I am going to try to start using mechanical filtration again in my next tank, simply because I do want to remove all of that detritus and waste before it gets into my sump and I have to take the time to siphon it out. Mechanical filtration should also keep your water pretty clear of particulate organic matter as well.