Tropical Fish Forums

[mel_41085]

Hi, I am setting up a small NR in a tank with a filter and light built in, now I was just wondering if the trickle filter will be OK for it along with a powerhead for water movement?

thanks
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- Mel -

[unissuh]

A trickle filter can be utilized as a form of exporting detritus and other waste from your system...just make sure to rinse it out with chlorinated water every week or so. Any longer than a week and you may end up with bacteria colonizing the sponge and converting large undesirable amounts of nitrate...

Perhaps this may be of interest:
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_small_aquarium_filter.php

Make sure you know what you're getting into before you start that nano-reef, it's not the easiest thing to do with most tanks crashing and burning before the 1 year mark.
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Fishing in the Rivers of Light

[mel_41085]

Yeh I am reading into the Nano side of things and getting more of an understanding of it all, I have had a 4ft reef up and running for about 1 year now so I have a pritty good idea of whats going on.
thanks for the info.
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- Mel -

[Jimbob]

[unissuh]

I assume that 68L tank has live rock/sandbed as a primary means of filtration?

If you knock out all the bacteria on the sponges, and remove media from the canister filter at the same time, there will be an increased risk of getting a nitrite or ammonia spike, yes.

I'd probably just line up the sponges behind the canister filter media for 'processing'. It's hard to gauge exactly how much you can remove without causing an ammonia or nitrite spike.
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Fishing in the Rivers of Light

[SLACkra]

Just thought I'd chime in. there is a risk of an ammonia spike if you remove to much of the media at one time also. only remove a smallish percent of it eg 10% at a time and always test your ammonia the next day or so to see if next time you should remove less etc. When you remove the material your removing bacteria. with the lowered amount of bacteria there is more ammonia and nitrite for the other bacteria and the population will begin to increase in other surfaces untill their population is back up to the size needed.