Tropical Fish Forums

[Barby Girl]

I'm getting annoying aren't I?

SW tanks for dummies reccommends for a reef tank getting both a canister filter and a fluidized bed filter... Based on what I've been reading on the forum, this doesn't match up. For a 30g reef does having both of those filters make sense? A lot of what I've been researching getting as stock (both fish and invertebrates) say excellent water condition is a must so I don't want to be cheap if it will sacrifice my animals happiness. What do you guys use or have had luck with in your reef tanks for filters? This forum seems too quiet so hopefully I'm sparking conversation and not just being a pain in the butt newbie
Thanks again!
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Barby Girl

[Pete Harcoff]

Skip the filters. Get a protein skimmer.

[Barby Girl]

I was already planning on getting a protein skimmer. I thought I would need both the skimmer and filtration? So I could just do one and not the other?
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Barby Girl

[Pete Harcoff]

Nope, you don't need the filter. The protein skimmer will be just fine.

[SLACkra]

technically speaking you need filtration as well as a skimmer, however their are many options for filtration. 3 basic types of filtration are mechanical, biological and chemical. mechanical is like filter wool which removes ditrus and small solid particles out of the water, biological is where bacteria can colonise the filter material so that when water is passed through it the bacteria break down the fishwaste->ammonia->nitrite->nitrate and chemical is like activated carbon which removes impurities from the water. protien skimming is simple a chamber where air and water are mixed. what happens is when tini bubbles are moving through the water organic materials attract to them, the bubles move up and eventually bubble up into the collection cup. some skimmers are more effective than others and I woudl advise not being to cheap when it comes to getting a skimmer.

now in a reef tank you generally have quite a bit of live rock. what happens is that the liverock gets colonised by bacteria which pretty much turns it into bacterial filtration media. so just providing good circulation in the tank with live rock gives you bacterial filtration.

so imo: get a good skimmer, provide good circulation in the tank and if you want to, have some sortof form of mechanical filtration just to keep the water clearer.

andrew

[Barby Girl]

Is there a particular brand of protein skimmer you guys would recommend? Are there advantages/disadvantages of doing just the skimmer, no filter or skimmer + filter? If having a filter as well would add any benefits what style would be recommended (not being over kill on price if it's not a necessity, I don't mind spending on the important stuff, but if you guys say it's optional then I don't want to spend an arm and a leg).
You guys have all been so helpful. This weekend I'm going to start tank/stand/canopy shopping. Can't wait
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Barby Girl

[sirreal63]

For a 30 gallon I would get an AquaC Remora...it is plenty of skimmer and will also work when you get a larger tank. I use a cannister filter just for chemical filtration.
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Out on the road today...I saw a DeadHead sticker on a Cadillac...
Jack
110 Gallon DSA Pentagon

[janjakk]

[Rocky33]

I just got a new protein skimmer from SeaClone, didn't cost much, but is doing a great job so far. I do not use a filter and everything seems great.
Just from my personal experiences.
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Reverse Osmosis Membrane

[allmost]

mechanical filtering as of floss or ... is not a good option for reef tanks, as if you have a good skimmer, it would remove everything from the water. also, if the floss is not cleaned daily, it will turn into a nitrate factory and algae bloom and .... also, I personally don't like mechanical filters, since they trap all sorts of planktons, copepods and amphipods ! which you want to keep in your tank.

skimmer and lighting at the most important parts of the reef tank
Tunze and Euro reef are currently the best. you want to go double or even triple on the skimmer size as it they are not rated correctly. for example for a 30 G you want a skimmer rated for 60 or up ... .

canister filters have one advantage in smaller tanks, and that is the extra water added to your tank. making salinity and ... more stable.

If you really want happiness of your animals, try to add a Sump/refugium to your set up. and if you don't want to drill your tank, you can buy a hang on the back refugium, which will add to your water volume, provide a good place for pods to repopulate (live food for your fish and corals) you can run 24/7 light on it to make pH more stable during day and night cycles, and many more.
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65 Gallon tank FW
1 shovel-nose catfish
1 Motoro Stingray
20 Gallon SW
2 clown fish
1 blenny
3 anemones
3 coral