filter media question

[addicted2reef]

Many years ago, I used a Aquaclear 500 on a 20l with chemipure and a product called biobeads. It work really well. I'm now starting a 20 gal and was wondering if this is still a good way of setting up a filter system?


-Brian

 

[The Kapenta Kid]

Not really. Bio-media, of whatever type, create nitrates faster than the system can handle them in SW. If you want to grow corals you need to keep nitrates low and you do this by having an adequate amount of live rock in the tank and water changes. Skimmers are also an option.
You can use your Aquaclear minus the bio-media as a mechanical filter and refugium. Google 'aquaclear refugium' and you will find many links.

 

[KidNano]

you're going to get a lot of differing opinions on this subject. I've heard the same thing that Kapenta Kid just offered about bio-media and I've heard from very experienced reefers that it's simply not true. It just depends on how you set it up and how often you deal with the build up. If done in a certain maner (wet/dry filter) then what he said is true. My sugestion is to research it as much as you can and then pick a way that you think will be best for you. different filtration methods require different amounts of maintanance and different type of knowledge. My sugestion with out having done it myself is to try the miracle mud or "ecosystem filtration" as it requires the least amount of work, from what I've read. I've seen plenty of tanks with this set up and they look great. There are quite a few people that think it's too good to be true as well.

http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/html/e ... ethod.html

Good luck deciding. and keep us posted.

 

[The Kapenta Kid]

It is true that the opinion that I offered is based not on personal experience but on a lot of reading, since I am pretty new to SW too. The anti bio-media arguments convinced me, but read all you can (there's a gazillion pages out there) and come to your own conclusions.
Consider my comment merely an indication that SW filtration has more nuances than FW practice and you can't automatically import what is good in the latter into the former.

 

[addicted2reef]

Well, Like I said I used it years ago and with regular water changes It was very stable. I have not seen "biobeads" in a long time and was just woundering if it was still in use. I'm going back 17 years or so.

As far as Miracle mud I used it in my current 65 gallon with no success. It worked for about a month and then everything fell apart. I've seen a lot of people use it with amazing results. I now run a sump of mix of crushed coral, MM(some of what was in there I just left), LR and live plants. It seems to work well.

But, I'm leaning towards using a aquaclear-refugium.