Filtration?

reefcreep · 02/24/2011, 11:50 PM

Hey guys , new to the site but stoked about the place allready. I have been in to the hobby for a bit but am still a bit confused when it comes to "proper" natural filtration methods and have a few simple questions...

I have a 75 gallon "reef" tank with 45lbs of LS and 110lbs of LR, (no critters of any kind yet) and have been running for 2 weeks, i have 2 korolia evo 1400's, and a seaclone HOB protien skimmer (with the option to switch to an eshopps HOB if its better?) and the canopy is a eclipse bio-wheel 600 with a 4-bulb HO T-5 fixture. Everything seems to be working properly but i have never used eclipse stuff on a SW tank and got this one at a steal here at the LFS. My questions are what problems may i run in to while using this current set up and how do i decide ( if i should ) what i should change my filter method to?

With all the info on the net all i can seem to figure is BIO wheels are bad, wet/drys cause nitrates, and refugiums arnt actually "filters". So what real options am i left with?

TY all - RC

reefcreep · 02/27/2011, 05:05 PM

LOL ..... i thought i finally found a site that had some good respons turn arounds. i guess i asked the wrong question.

Misled · 02/27/2011, 05:18 PM

Sorry, but some of us have lives also. Let's see if I can answer for you.

First, yes, remove the bio-wheel if you are going reef. You can leave the carbon cartrige in as long as you swithh it out every couple weeks and replace the carbon.

On the seaclone, I've never had one, so I don't want to bad mouth it, but most give horror stories about them, , but I don't know the eshopps.

Lastly, a refuge is a filter. You grow algae in it, (preferably chaeto),. It absorbes nutrients and as you remove it, so goes the nutrients.

Hope that helps. Keep asking, I'm making pasta!!!

And welcome to Reef Central!!!!

reefcreep · 02/27/2011, 05:43 PM

Well thanks for the info misled, i wasnt trying to be rude about the response time i was just trying to keep my post alive. But just to keep myself straight you said to yank the bio-wheels and leave the filter pads (to make that canopy the most benaficial i can).Also on the skimmer if the ones i hav available are not very good which would you recommend for my set up? Lastly for the refugium if i go that route do i go sump/refugium? or just solo refuge? and if you have time could you tell me good sizes for each of the tanks ill be using to create this system? I really appreciate all the help your giving me and anyone else who chimes in to help me out.
-RC
p.s. that dang canopy is causing an over abundance of microbubbles so any tips about that would be much help.

meatball87 · 02/27/2011, 05:55 PM

U can buy a HOB fuge and yes u can keep the filter pads its added filtration. As for the Skimmer I had a seaclone IMO they aren't that bad worked fine for me but there are some that's better I don't know of any for smaller tanks

Misled · 02/27/2011, 05:55 PM

No problem. Just pop the Bio-wheel off. Changing the pads and carbon regularly, solves the nitrates bit.

I'm a fan of sumps. This can contain a fuge and also gives you a place to put a better skimmer.

Misled · 02/27/2011, 05:59 PM

On the skimmer part. I won't recomend any, but I love my asm-g3. Notice it's for a 250 gallon tank and I have it on a 54. For skimmers, I say, go big.

JoeRonda · 02/27/2011, 07:35 PM

ASM's are awesome, and are probably the most affordable skimmers I've ever seen. I've had a G2 up and running for 5 mo. straight and only did a complete cleaning once.

reefcreep · 02/28/2011, 05:36 PM

Thank you all so much for the info im going to run my sea clone till i can spring for the asm , which will probably be when i go tot the sump/fuge im planning on bying. Ok one last question though when im dealing with the 4 main parameters ( PH-AMMO-NITRITE-NITRATE) is it the trites or trates i should be alarmed about bieng in excess? ty and god bless.

02/24/2011, 11:50 PM	#1
reefcreep Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 6	Filtration? Hey guys , new to the site but stoked about the place allready. I have been in to the hobby for a bit but am still a bit confused when it comes to "proper" natural filtration methods and have a few simple questions... I have a 75 gallon "reef" tank with 45lbs of LS and 110lbs of LR, (no critters of any kind yet) and have been running for 2 weeks, i have 2 korolia evo 1400's, and a seaclone HOB protien skimmer (with the option to switch to an eshopps HOB if its better?) and the canopy is a eclipse bio-wheel 600 with a 4-bulb HO T-5 fixture. Everything seems to be working properly but i have never used eclipse stuff on a SW tank and got this one at a steal here at the LFS. My questions are what problems may i run in to while using this current set up and how do i decide ( if i should ) what i should change my filter method to? With all the info on the net all i can seem to figure is BIO wheels are bad, wet/drys cause nitrates, and refugiums arnt actually "filters". So what real options am i left with? TY all - RC

02/27/2011, 05:18 PM	#3
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	Sorry, but some of us have lives also. Let's see if I can answer for you. First, yes, remove the bio-wheel if you are going reef. You can leave the carbon cartrige in as long as you swithh it out every couple weeks and replace the carbon. On the seaclone, I've never had one, so I don't want to bad mouth it, but most give horror stories about them, , but I don't know the eshopps. Lastly, a refuge is a filter. You grow algae in it, (preferably chaeto),. It absorbes nutrients and as you remove it, so goes the nutrients. Hope that helps. Keep asking, I'm making pasta!!! And welcome to Reef Central!!!! __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

02/27/2011, 05:55 PM	#6
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	No problem. Just pop the Bio-wheel off. Changing the pads and carbon regularly, solves the nitrates bit. I'm a fan of sumps. This can contain a fuge and also gives you a place to put a better skimmer. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

02/27/2011, 05:59 PM	#7
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	On the skimmer part. I won't recomend any, but I love my asm-g3. Notice it's for a 250 gallon tank and I have it on a 54. For skimmers, I say, go big. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

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02/27/2011, 05:05 PM	#2
reefcreep Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 6	LOL ..... i thought i finally found a site that had some good respons turn arounds. i guess i asked the wrong question.

02/27/2011, 05:43 PM	#4
reefcreep Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 6	Well thanks for the info misled, i wasnt trying to be rude about the response time i was just trying to keep my post alive. But just to keep myself straight you said to yank the bio-wheels and leave the filter pads (to make that canopy the most benaficial i can).Also on the skimmer if the ones i hav available are not very good which would you recommend for my set up? Lastly for the refugium if i go that route do i go sump/refugium? or just solo refuge? and if you have time could you tell me good sizes for each of the tanks ill be using to create this system? I really appreciate all the help your giving me and anyone else who chimes in to help me out. -RC p.s. that dang canopy is causing an over abundance of microbubbles so any tips about that would be much help.

02/27/2011, 05:55 PM	#5
meatball87 tang freak Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: london oh Posts: 258	U can buy a HOB fuge and yes u can keep the filter pads its added filtration. As for the Skimmer I had a seaclone IMO they aren't that bad worked fine for me but there are some that's better I don't know of any for smaller tanks

02/27/2011, 07:35 PM	#8
JoeRonda Made in the U.S.A. Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Washington,PA Posts: 694	ASM's are awesome, and are probably the most affordable skimmers I've ever seen. I've had a G2 up and running for 5 mo. straight and only did a complete cleaning once.

02/28/2011, 05:36 PM	#9
reefcreep Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 6	Thank you all so much for the info im going to run my sea clone till i can spring for the asm , which will probably be when i go tot the sump/fuge im planning on bying. Ok one last question though when im dealing with the 4 main parameters ( PH-AMMO-NITRITE-NITRATE) is it the trites or trates i should be alarmed about bieng in excess? ty and god bless.