Help me understand filtration.

What you want is nutrient export not more filtration.

We like fish in our tanks. Fish like to eat. We like to feed fish. Fish food has proteins and other wonderful things in it. The problem is that all that food get digested and eventually turned into nitrates an and phosphates. Nitrates and phosphates are fertilizer. They produce algae heaven. Most people do not like their reef tank looking like a green mess.

So we have to get rid of the nitrates and phosphates by nutrient export.

One way is filtration. The filter captures particles. You remove the filter media, clean it and replace. That exports the nutrients before they dissolve in the water. The problem is that you need to clean your filters often or the stuff in them will just break down and pollute the tank.

The next way is a protein skimmer. The bubbles cause organic molecules to clump and get skimmed off. It is a great way to export nutrients.

Another way is to have a refugium with macro algae. The algae absorbs nutrients and as it grows you remove the algae. The problem is that it takes a bigger refugium to really remove enough nutrients than most people use.

Yet another method is water changes. You just take out the high nutrient water and replace it.

You can also just have fewer fish and feed them less. But we love our fish so that is usually a non starter.

 

A+ for the summary Pat.