Reef filtration question ? ? ? ?

fishamajig

fishamajig

Member
Well though I have been keeping fish for quite some time I Have started a reef tank. I know its a ton of work and even more money than anything i can think of. Here is my delemma. I have 2 side by side 29 gal tanks both to be reef. I have on one of them a fluval 304 cannister and on the other a fluval 204. I do not have the space for a sump system. i can put skimmers on the tanks though. will the mechannical filtration be enough to keep my nitrates under control? I have great levels as of yet but cannot under any means get nitrates to 0 ppm the hover around 15 to 20 and before i add corals and expensive inverts i want to kn ow that its either o.k. or there is a solution. in the side that is started i have a 4 inch sand bed and about 40 lbs of lr. tank has been running about 4 months. :notsure:
 
mudplayerx

mudplayerx

Active Member
Sure, that will be plenty filtration. Actually, If you have high enough water movement (around 20X), then you don't even need a filter provided you have at least 1 pound of live rock per gallon.
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
I would only do no filtration at all only if I was an advanced hobbiest I dont think bang or any of them even run filterless.
 
mudplayerx

mudplayerx

Active Member
Snipe, you are like a little imp following me around LOL! Just kidding :p You know I value your opinions.
You can go filterless if you get a skimmer designated for a tank size at least twice the size of your tank. You then get many powerheads and pumps and get your flow rate really high.
You need a high load of cleaner crabs and snails and only one or two small fish....its better to have no fish.
If you want to research this more, do a search on the internet for "Berlin Reef Tank."
ps- a deep sand bed helps this process....about 6 inches.
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
The onlt thing about going filterless is that the protein skimmer takes out nutrients that the filter cant get and the filter takes out big chucks of waste that the skimmer wont filter.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator

Originally posted by Snipe
I would only do no filtration at all only if I was an advanced hobbiest I dont think bang or any of them even run filterless.
I have no mechanical filters on my system.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
In most circles I guess.
Having mechanical filtration is a valid reefkeeping technique.
Getting the correct balance of animals to do the filtration isn't an advanced concept though, nor is it difficult. It does take a bit more research and it's not really cheaper, just an alternative to filters.
I don't see new hobbiests being less successful going filterless than an advanced hobbiest as long as they fully understand the concept.
I highly recommend skimmers for new hobbiests though. They will give added protection if something goes awry.
 
mbrands

mbrands

Member

Originally posted by mudplayerx
you don't even need a filter provided you have at least 1 pound of live rock per gallon.
I've heard you would want more than just 1 pound/gallon to ensure enough biological filtration.
If you have a cansiter filter and never clean or rinse the media, you could actually be doing your tank harm. Having that mechanical filtration and allowing it to accumulate debris will raise the toxins in your tank.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
I really don't know how much rock is needed, I have no opinion there.
However, I have proven to my satisfaction that a 29 gallon tank with a moderate bioload (Mated pair of Gold Strip Maroon Clownfish and a mated pair of PJ Cardinalfish), a lot of waterflow, no rock, and 1/2" of very fine, very live sand does not require any additional filtration.
 
mbrands

mbrands

Member
Wow! I'd never heard of no filter with no live rock. Also, what I've read and heard said you likely need a DSB to run filterless.
Thanks for the post BangGuy! I've been debating going filterless in the near future and you've given me hope. :D
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
On the lb per gallon thing it depends on what type of rock you are getting some rocks weigh hardley anything and some weigh a ton for there size. I got real reef rock and I can bet you it would weigh 3 times as much as lavarock. Lavarock is like picking up a hard piece of air were as reef rock is kinda like getting your stance right before picking up a big piece.
I am planning on another addition "tank 29 gallon" in my room I may try and go filterless and take my filter and put on this new tank. But that is along way down the road.
 
oceana

oceana

Active Member
in our reef we only use a aqua c pro. sometimes i will run carbon for a day ot so. i used to use a bio wheel but i think that was the cause for our nitrates being around 15-25 all the time.
i no longer have it running and the nitrates stay around 5-10.
we have
75 reef
29 sump/refugium
100+ live rock
3 inch sand in display
2 inch sand in sump
other then that i do water change about 18 gallons every month
9gallon every two weeks. problem free for a bit over a year now
 
fishamajig

fishamajig

Member
well in the 29 i have a 4-5 inch dsb. about 30 t0 35 lbs lr ( estimating, who measures anyway) and the fluval 304 with 1 rio 90 powerhead ( i know rio stinks) my livestock is as follows
1 coral beauty
1 cleaner wrass
1 blue damsel
1 royal gramma
1 cleaner shrimp
3 engineer gobies
about a dozen or so blue leg hermits.
now i am turning this to reef. i know the bio load is too much so i am going to split the fish with the other 29 gal. but thats it. i cant get the nitrates to zero or even close for that matter. about 20 -25 ppm i feed only once every 2 days. i think i might want to invest in a skimmer.
 
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