Remove filters from penguin330 or not??

[fishfreek]

Ok, i need some help from you guys. I run a penguin 330 hang on power filter(w/o bio-wheels) in my 45g reef, tank has been set up about two years. The tank also has about 50 lbs of good L/R, 3-4" of LS and prizm skimmer for filtration. Is it ok to remove the filter media or should i leave it in? For the past few months i've been only using one cartrage(out of the two areas) in the 330 and it collects free floating deitrus, i rinse the cartrage once every four days or so. If i take the last remaining cartrage out will i have any problems?? All water perams are good:
ammonia=0
nitrite=0
nitrate=0
pH=8.2
alk=4.0meq/l
cal=460ppm
I would like to remove it but at the same time, i don't want my water perams thrown out of whack.
thanks,

 

[demosthenes]

Why do you want to take it out? Unless your reasoning is very good, I wouldn't, or you might try it, but be prepared for a spike, IMO. You could try it, and if there is a spike, make sure you have Ammo-Lock handy.

 

[volitan]

IMO you could probably take them ouit and not have a problem at all, but you say your levels are great, so why take the chance of messing up a good thing?

 

[fishfreek]

You are probably right. Just that i've heard of ppl removing their media from filters if they have enough L/R to support their system. Just wanted a few opinions on this subject.

 

[mini-reefer]

I put a 330 on a recently set-up 10 gallon. It was sitting around so I thought why not. Anyway, its good for water movement and a far as the pads, thats up to you. You could use one sometimes for carbon filtration and then pull it out for a week or two. Some people choose to carbon all the time and others choose to carbon only some of the time. I like using the carbon pads sometimes to "polish" the water. HTH
Mini-Reefer

 

[adam & jeanne]

Ive got a 55 gal reef that I had two penguin 330's on before I added my LR. After finishing the cycle, I replaced one of them with a skimmer. After about a month i removed both of my bio-wheels and just left in my carbon. All of my levels have been just right. My nitrates have stayed <10 with 2 water changes in about three months. Hope this info helps for ya!

 

[demosthenes]

If it's working for you, why would you do something that might mess it up. Like I said before, don't do it unless you have a really good reason, and you said your reason was because you've heard of other people doing it. IMO, I wouldn't. HTH

 

[byrself]

i say keep at least a large pored filter in. something to get the large detritus out. you could remove them all, but your water may become "trashy". if you don't have alot of fish and don't feed that often, you might be okay. i often wonder about removing free floating critters with filters. if that's your concern than you may want to think about the large porous filter media.
as far as the carbon issue goes, i removed mine and haven't had any probs. it's been said before that carbon can remove some essential trace elements and therefore should only be used when needed. there again, if you have a small bioload of fish and enough live rock, i don't see really where it's needed. in a fish only, i'd use it all the time.
remember that anything you do to your tank can cause adjustments in water parameters. just keep an eye out for probs before they get out of hand.
just my opinion, hope this helps.=)

 

[demosthenes]

I didn't realize that the reason you wanted to remove the filter was to keep free-floating critters alive, I just read the post and you said you'd heard of other people doing it, and I thought that you were just doing it because you had heard of others doing it. I would suggest the large porous filter as Byrself suggested.

 

[byrself]

Demosthenes: i'm not really sure that was his concern, i was just offering a reason to maybe think of removing them. that's why i've been debating removing mine. i agree with you about not disturbing a good thing unless necessary.

 

[fishfreek]

Thanks for your opinions. I have decided to leave the one filter pad in and the other side open like i've been doing. One of my concerns were that i would find a few worms and pods trapped in the media when i cleaned it. I don't think it is really hurting the population at all though and i don't have a problem with nitrates.
Demosthenes, i didn't want to take the media out "just because i've heard of others doing it". I have read on past posts of others yanking their media to reduce nitrates due to the trapped matter in the filter pad. If enough surface area is provided using L/R, the filter pads can be taken out and the skmmer,L/S and L/R would solely take care of the biological part of the filter. I do have a little heavier bio load, so I am keeping the media in to take care of the free floating particles to keep the accumulated waste on the substrate to minimum.
I guess i should have been more spacific on why i was interested in doing this in the first place.
What is the magic number of lbs of L/S and L/R i would have to have in my tank to run filterless? I have 1-coral beauty, 1-sailfin blennie, a pair of false percs and baby yellow tang (don't get upset, the tang is very temporary, will go in the new 75g in the next two months) for bio load.
Any opinions on this?
thanks,

 

[byrself]

i would say at least one pound of rock per gallon of tank. sand depth is a debated issue, but i go by about the same measure (1 to 1). if you are doing a deep sand bed, have at least 4 inches of sand. hth

 

[fishfreek]

I have 3-4" l/s and about 50-55 lbs of l/r. What do you think? My bio load is pretty heavy now, but i think i'll give it a try after the tang is transfered to the 75g.

 

[byrself]

if you think the live rock and sand is established well enough, then go for it. just make sure you can test so you'll know before things get out of hand. if you are already regularly cleaning your pads it won't be such a shock to your tank to remove them. good luck and keep us posted with the results. =)

 

[karlas]

you should be ok i removed the filters from an emporer with no effects. we just use if for carbon use and filtration