Flow vs filter?

[jgraeff]

Ok i had a freshwater tank set up b4 i went to salt and had an emperor 400 filter. I heard that it would help remove nitrates and was not necessary but wouldnt hurt at all so i have been using it mostly for water movement. I was wondering if it would be better to remove it altogether and get another powerhead or two and maybe another overflow box i have one currently thats about 300gph.

My tank set up- its a 30g with a 20g refuge. In the refuge i have chaeto and other maco as well as mangroves with a deep sand bed, then i have my skimmer in the section with the return pump. My return pump is a maxijet 1200 because there is not much head to overcome and its about the same as my overflow box.

I was thinking if i got a couple more powerhead that i could just remove the filter unless you guys think it does really help with removing nitrates.

 

[Myteemouse]

take it out
live rock is your BEST filter and chato/mangroves is second

 

[cross]

i have just about the same question. i to had freshwater befor going to salt and have been running a whisper 30-60 power filter on my 55g. i have about 40 LBS of live rock and just added a fuge with chaeto. so i don't need to run the filter?

 

[lizardarm]

In the long run your filters will likely end up causing nitrate problems. Do away with them and get the power heads as you're talking about. A thirty gallon is pretty small, maybe a Korallia 2.

 

[jgraeff]

I have a maxijet 900 I was thinking about adding another 900 and maybe a 600 would that be too much? And should I add another overflow n get a bigger return pump to increase flow to thefuge and the display tank?

 

[Myteemouse]

no slow flow in the sump/fuge is good for contact time with skimmer and chato..
so dont get a bigger pump for your return.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TO MUCH FLOW IN A SALTWATER TANK>
I have 7000 gallons and hour in my 125 and I think I need more. LOL
Fish will love it as will your corals in the future.
And when I had my 29 I had two K-4's in there.
It way CRAZY like 100x turnover an hour.

 

[lizardarm]

^^^^^^^Yep, what he said^^^^^^^
MaxiJets are fine little pumps, but the broader flow pattern from a korallia is nicer for your tank inhabitants.

 

[Myteemouse]

of take your maxijets and buy the flow mod for them and get WAY more flow and more broad flow..
the kit is like 20 bucks and SO worth it.

 

[jgraeff]

ok, i will prollly look into the korallia and the mod for the maxijiet but should just one korallia be enough or should i get two of them? I just wana know how much flow i should have compared to what i have now but i dont wana over do it. I only have the one maxi 900 in there now.

 

[lizardarm]

It's a 30 gallon, a maxi mod kit might be too much

 

[jgraeff]

so what do you think about the maxi 900 and a korallia nano?

 

[warforged]

Korilia 2 I think you would be fine with. Avoid canisters and hob filters on tanks. They are detritus traps. The junk settles in them..breaks down...and basically becomes dissolved organic compounds.

DOC's do not filter through pads...water changes and skimmers are what rids the water of those.

Like above said... Substrate/Rocks are your best filters for bio.... next up is the fuge which eats the nutrients up. Skimmer next up to reduce whats in the water.

The goal of all this is to maintain consistent stable parameters between water changes.