filtration options??

First of all, I know everyone favors a sump on here. So let me say that a sump is not an option for me right now. I don't have the space for it on my setup.

Just starting a 46 gal bowfront after expelling the previous FW inhabitants to a 10gal. I was running a eheim canister, which I am understanding is not favored as a rule for marine filtration. The impeller fins are kaput now, and though a new replacement is in the mail from eheim at no charge, I won't be sorry to see it go.

Currently have 55 pounds of dry Fiji rock. Tank is cycling. Used bottled purified water from the grocery store (TDS was 2-better then my household RO of 14 and tap of 140; may get an add-on DI unit later)
Substrate is CaribSea Aragonite sugar sand mixed with their live sand version.

So my question for you is if this setup is enough for filtration. I'm planning on starting with a FOWLR and moving to reef eventually.

I understand live rock does the bulk of filtration. A Reef Octopus BH1000 protein skimmer is on its way in the mail now also.

I am thinking of replacing the canister filter with a BRS GFO Carbon filter. To help reduce P and N. Would that be overkill? Also considering a biopellet reactor, would that be more overkill? Thanks for your time! ;D

 

Hi Tobi Dawg

IMHO a lot will depend on the species of fish you are keeping and their feeding habits

a external cannister filter is a useful place to capture debris in the absence of a sump
but as you imply above, if it is not cleaned regular that debris can eventually lead to nitrate issues

GFO and Carbon are great additions to any set up IMO and do not represent overkill
GFO removes phosphates and if you start using it before you get algae issues, then hopefully you will not experience much of an algae issue ( its a far better preventitive than it is a cure in that respect IME)
Carbon will help remove chemicals from the water that give it a yellowish hue, and in general help with water clarity, also if you add corals later, Carbon is very usefull for removing any toxins or chemicals released by corals for defence or aggresion purposes

the cannister filter could be utilised to run carbon and GFO ( Rowaphos for example seems to do perfectly well in mesh bags in cannister filters and seems resistant to the clumping that other brands I have used did)

the cannister could also be used to house some mechanical filtration media, such as floss or sponges, but these need to be removed, rinsed on a regular basis I only suggest this as my experience is on a sumpless system, that detrius, debris stays in the DT and gets stirred up and blasted around the tank which although harmless and is in fact coral snow but of the natural rather than bottled kind, it does detract from the aesthetics of the tank

you will not need any biological capacity other than the live rock/ sand/ other surfaces, in the tank IME so no need for noodles, or ceramic rings or plastic bio balls etc
they are all difficult to clean properly, many people get fed up of doing so on a regular basis and then they end up with very high nitrates etc.

I run a cannister for 24 hours every few weeks after 1st blasting the rockwork to get the trapped particles into the water column , 24 hours later the water has cleared and I remove cannister, take out media, clean it, leave it to dry (that way it never becomes biological and as such my cannister filter will never be one of the so called nitrate factories

 

thanks for the reply

after thinking more, I'm thinking of going this approach.

The GFO and carbon reactors are upflow reactors, much like a canister filter. My eheim ecco has three compartments for media, so I'm thinking of replacing the media with mesh bags of carbon, GFO, and biopellets. One in each compartment. This should work similar to the reactors, perhaps not as efficiently as it may not suspend the media as well.

So what order should I put them in, bottom to top? I'm thinking, biopellets, GFO, then carbon last. I think carbon is finer material and in a dual reactor setup, I believe carbon is at the top.

I should be able to get by with this setup for a while. If algae continues to be a problem, I may consider getting individual reactors, or when my canister goes kaput.

Coupled with a Reef Octopus BH 1000 skimmer and a CPR refugium, I think I should have the nitrate problem licked! Not to mention the live rock and DSB (3-4 inches average) should do the lion's share of denitrifying.

I can't wait to get this setup going! It's so much fun just planning and setting up the tank, I haven't even got to the point of thinking of adding fish, much less a CuC first! I want to do this tank right, and am continuing to learn much information here and elsewhere online! It's sad that my LFS is pretty much out of the loop here. Prices are much more reasonable online, and even purchasing through Amazon, etc.

 

I would leave out the bio pellets. They need to be tumbled agressively and produce a slime that would harm the other two. Also they do not need to be replaced like the other two and the constant on off to change the other two would clump the pellets up. Other than that I def would use the canister for a rowaphos type product and carbon.