Mechanical filtration

[Krish]

I'm not sure if a thread has been done on this yet. If so, I'm sorry and could someone please re-direct me to it...

What do you use for mechanical filtration in your tanks? Do you reply on a power filter to remove detritus/debris/waste etc., do you reply on powerheads/water flow etc. to push water into an overflow to be caught in a filter sock/floss etc to be removed/changed there, do you only rely on a skimmer, or do you simply rely on your own personal husbandry in siphoning etc. to remove debris/detritus from your tank? Just trying to find out ways people go about mechanically/physically removing debris/detritus out of their tanks before it has a chance to break down and degrade water quality...Critters and other options are welcomed also.

 

[mojoreef]

Well for me I do rely on water flow to get detritus and waste out of the tank to where my other filtration is. Once thier I do the following

>Ozone, I use a fair amount of ozone with in my skimmer
>Skimming, I have a good sized skimmer that is run fairly wet to remove as much disolved and particulate as possible,
>Carbon, I run carbon basically all the time to control excess ozone and polish the water
>Filter bags, when blowing off the rocks or blowing areas on the bottom where detritus and waste has accumulated I put a fliter sock on (5 micron felt) to capture the crud that has been put into the water column, These socks go right onto the drain lines from the tank.
>syphoning, kind of lasy here but about 1 a month or two I go through the tank and syphon out detritus.


Mike

 

[spongebob lover]

hmm i rely on my skimmer, i do siphoning every water change, and my flow but mainly on my skimmer

 

[Krish]

Thanks for the replies guys. I also run carbon all of the time, rely on the skimmer with the help of waterflow (powerheads, return pump etc) getting anything suspended in the water column to the overflow and a polishing cartridge for 24 hrs once a month in my canister filter or whenever I move around rocks etc to help clear up the water quickly. And of course weekly water changes siphoning the substrate like crazy...

 

[Detri]

Right now I run carbon in one filter all the time. and the other I have just sponge to catch debrius. Then my skimmer does the rest.

 

[afishyonados]

I use invertebrates. Anything from tunicates to Acropora. Most sessile inverts have developed feeding polyps, or methods of deriving nutrition from suspended particles in the water. To remove these particles intentionally is to be stealing food from the children!

 

[Krish]

I use invertebrates. Anything from tunicates to Acropora. Most sessile inverts have developed feeding polyps, or methods of deriving nutrition from suspended particles in the water. To remove these particles intentionally is to be stealing food from the children!

LOL...Let um starve!!! Just kidding... What about FO setups though. Some of us aren't going full blown reefs etc and just want FOWLR setups and we all know fish, no matter how hungry they get, aren't going to eat their own poop!(LOL) So we have to rely on something a little different to remove the wastes before they break down. Or would your suggestion be in a case like this, to still add a few inverts/critters to do they job since they are willing? But then again, they poop too...

 

[afishyonados]

In fish oriented set-ups, the methods you are already employing are my favorite. If you can import tiny feather dusters or live rock that is covered with them, this may be another added cleaner colony.
If anyone attempts to run mechanical filtration, it almost needs to be cleaned/ changed on a daily basis to avoid accumulation of unwanted by-products! I, for one, am too lazy/busy to even attempt such a feat!

 

[Krish]

If anyone attempts to run mechanical filtration, it almost needs to be cleaned/ changed on a daily basis to avoid accumulation of unwanted by-products! I, for one, am too lazy/busy to even attempt such a feat!

Yeah...I am a clean freak so it usually works for me. I've cut down prefilter sponges more than half in my tank and try to rely on good husbandry and my skimmer to remove a lot of detritus. Like you've mentioned, not many people have the time. My OCD makes me find time and I'm kind of thankful for it. I couldn't imagine how bad things would be in my tank if I neglected it(LOL) I started up this thread too see what techniques people use and so far, there is quite a bit of diversity. I've always said that if it works for you, then hey, go for it...

 

[ldrhawke]

I use invertebrates. Anything from tunicates to Acropora. Most sessile inverts have developed feeding polyps, or methods of deriving nutrition from suspended particles in the water. To remove these particles intentionally is to be stealing food from the children!

If the particles are collecting on the bottom they aren't exactly feeding the children.. I'm from the get it all out and then feed more fresh food to make up for over skimming and filtering school. I think most of the reef inhabitants like fresh food more than old poop if they can get it.... No matter how well you skim and filter there is always plenty of fresh poop to be had.

The problem if you don't get as much waste out as possible you risk it's polluting the water or as the reefing community says, " you don't have low nutrient conditions".

The problem is most of those so called nutrients left in the system are more waste, and polluting, rather than have a high nutrient value Ever wonder why coral grows normally where the water is clean, rather than in a swamp?