Power Filter

Ive heard you shouldnt use power filters because the filter media turns into a nitrate factory. Is this true? Ive been running mine without any media just so I can get some flow across the top of my tank. I want to get some live rock rubble to put inside it. Is this a good idea?

 

Rick

IMO - no its not a good idea , nor is it required
cannsiter or power filters are not Nitrate factories, if they are maintained properly IME
What tends to happen with people is
when they buy it they clean it out weekly during the water changes
then some weeks they cant be bothered
then some weeks they dont do a water change
and then some weeks they cant be bothered again

the net result is a load of build up of waste inside the cannister which does break down and create the higher nitrate levels

the power filter is good for mechanical filtration as in it can collect any free floating stuff and on a weekly basis you clean the inside

the power filter can be a good place for chemical media, Carbon, Chemi pure, poly filters, Purigen, GFO (if you dont have a sump and reactor) etc

IMHO - put the biological filtration work on your rock in the DT - hence have 1.5 - 2lb or rock or abouit 1/3rd of tank space taken up with highly porous rock and leave you power filter for chemical filtration and water circulation

thats just my opinion anyway

Steve

 

Even without filter media they are still a bad idea? I took the media out so its just water flowing through the box

 

provided you periodically clean out the box , then as a means of water circulation they are fine IMO
but if your not running carbon, they make a great place to do so IME
Steve

 

I've definitely came to the conclusion that canisters and powerfilters are a lot easier if you ditch the mechanical filtration. So when that weekly cleaning passes you get a little more buffer before it becomes a problem. I clean mines on average once per month. Sometimes twice and it seems to not to give me too many problems.

As mentioned they are great from chemical filtration. Theoretically if you have no mechanical and chemical filtration for detritus to cling to when passing through the filter, I don't see why you have to clean the filter as often.