Filtration Question

[Bartman]

Howdy All,

I have a nano reef with 2 Aquaclear filters filled with foam and a powerhead 301. Information I have read on the net and info from at least one LFS suggest I should clean the foam in the filters every day, which I have been doing. Another LFS, which has a nano reef setup, said I should not clean or remove the foam for months. My understanding is that if I clean the filter foam then all biological filtration will occur in the LR and organic decay will not build in the filter. The suggestion is that if I leave the foam in then copepods and other organisms will look after the organics and the foam will help with Nitrate removal. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on this? I do not have a skimmer.

Best Regards,

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by Bartman

Howdy All,

I have a nano reef with 2 Aquaclear filters filled with foam and a powerhead 301. Information I have read on the net and info from at least one LFS suggest I should clean the foam in the filters every day, which I have been doing. Another LFS, which has a nano reef setup, said I should not clean or remove the foam for months. My understanding is that if I clean the filter foam then all biological filtration will occur in the LR and organic decay will not build in the filter. The suggestion is that if I leave the foam in then copepods and other organisms will look after the organics and the foam will help with Nitrate removal. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on this? I do not have a skimmer.

Best Regards,

That is a tough call, however, bully for you on the skimmerless idea. In my nano I have a DSB to remove nitrates, and take care of biological filtration. Therefore what I do with the foam is relatively immaterial. I usually leave the foam be as my current nano is in its early stages.

I am puzzled about your idea of the foam helping with Nitrate removal. I frankly have not heard of that, thus I can't comment. Where did you get that idea?

[Bartman]

My understanding is that once enough goop (I believe that's the correct technical term) had accumulated in the foam and been broken down that you would have a similar situation to your sand bed in terms of nitrate removal. I am no scientist so unfortnately I cannot give you a better explanation. I just didn't want to end up with a bunch of foam full of crap if it wasn't appropriate. BTW, how deep is your sand bed?

Thanks for the reply,
Scott.

[Bartman]

Also, I'm not running any carbon. Any thoughts on that would be greatly appreciated.

[CHEAPREEF]

If you leave the sponge too long it will become a nitrate factory, just like the bio ball idea. It would be good for a FOWLR but not for a reef setup. On my 7gal i run filter flose in my aquaclear 500, replace it every week. I wouldn't run carbon unless you have too, if you put medication in the tank ect.. If you do run carbon you have to change it out every few days.

Clinton

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by Bartman

My understanding is that once enough goop (I believe that's the correct technical term) had accumulated in the foam and been broken down that you would have a similar situation to your sand bed in terms of nitrate removal. I am no scientist so unfortnately I cannot give you a better explanation. I just didn't want to end up with a bunch of foam full of crap if it wasn't appropriate. BTW, how deep is your sand bed?

Thanks for the reply,
Scott.

That would be incorrect as far as I know. Nitrate is converted to Nitrogen by by anaerobic bacteria that live in the lower area of the sandbed where there is no oxygen. The foam in the filter has plenty of oxygen available, so indeed it would merely create Nitrates.

The sandbed in my nano is three inches. It should be four inches, but in a standard 10 gallon tank would only leave eight inches of water.

[Bartman]

Bob,

Thanks for the info.

Nitrate is converted to Nitrogen by by anaerobic bacteria that live in the lower area of the sandbed where there is no oxygen. The foam in the filter has plenty of oxygen available, so indeed it would merely create Nitrates.

That answers my question.

Regards,
Scott.

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by Bartman

Also, I'm not running any carbon. Any thoughts on that would be greatly appreciated.

Carbon removes the beneficial elements from saltwater, and freshwater for that matter. I never use it unless I've had something toxic die in the tank, then I also do a 25% or larger water change along with using the carbon for a day or so then discarding it.

Foam in our AC Mini is thoroughly cleaned in outgoing changewater weekly. The amount of grunge that is exported is unbelievable, especially since we're skimmerless too.

[Bob I]

[quote="Beverly"]

Originally Posted by Bartman

Also, I'm not running any carbon. Any thoughts on that would be greatly appreciated.

Foam in our AC Mini is thoroughly cleaned in outgoing changewater weekly. The amount of grunge that is exported is unbelievable, especially since we're skimmerless too.

This is merely an observation, and not to be construed as advice. My nano has a DSB, and therefore there is no need for using the foam in my mini for biological filtration. My nano is used as a grow out tank, and is experimental in nature, so as in my other tanks I do no water changes to speak of. I clean the foam in fresh water. No flames please.

[Beverly]

This is merely an observation, and not to be construed as advice. My nano has a DSB, and therefore there is no need for using the foam in my mini for biological filtration.

I don't use the foam for biological filtration, even though I treat it that way (rinsing in outgoing changewater). I, too, have a deep sandbed and lots of porous rock, but no skimmer. I simply use the foam to catch and export crud from our system, and lots of crud we have every week when I cleanthe foam.

Since out 7 gal is our primary tank, I just go the extra mile to keep it in tip top shape. Everybody uses their tanks in different ways, and each to their own.

Take care.