filter media question

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JoshsReef

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Messages
250
Live rock is going to be here tomorrow, i cant wait, lol . Now for my question, currently i am running a marineland emperor 400 powerfilter. it has four spots for filter media (two for carbon, the premade bags they sell you) and two for what ever you want. I was wondering what, if anything should i be puting in those two extra compartments as filter media. More carbon? something else or nothing at all? I know power filters are not the best way to get fitration however i didnt know this at time of purchase. in the next couple of months after my tank stabalizes and i have a few fish in i plan on adding some type of canister filter to go with my emperor and seaclone skimmer.

Thanks
 
If I`m not mistaken the other compartment is for a basket that is supposed to hold bio media like biobeads or similar. I just run GAC in mine on my 29 gallon FOWLR tank. I dont run any filter on my 125 reef. If you need to run GAC then the filter is OK. If not then just use it for surface aggitation that will help to aerate your tank. Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion.
 
You could run purigen in there instead of GAC.
 
If you have the space, ie under your tank, I would add a sump with a fuge. You can put one together for very little money. The added water volume makes a huge difference in keeping things balanced. The fuge will help with natural filtration and nutrient export as well as a safe place for pods to multiply.

Just my thoughts.
 
ive been considering that but i think i am at least a few months away from adding a sump. Should GAC been ran all the time? Are the filter cartridges they sell have GAC in them or are they different. I was thinking that maybe since i have four filter media compartments in this emperor 400 is use the first two for the filter catridges that they specifically sell me for the filter and on the third catridge i will use GAC and purigen (swithching back in forth every couple of weeks) and on the last filter spot i am thinking about filling the basket with lr rubble. Does this sound like a good idea?

Thanks for the help guys
 
If you run purigen you don't need the GAC and you don't need to change it nearly as often. Some people run the GAC all the time while others run it part time. Maybe someone else can chime in here. My cannister has three chambers. I run purigen in one, and rowaphos in the other. The last is empty right now though at one point I ran GAC in it with the other two. Have since removed it since I have purigen and the GAC had to be changed too often for me, weekly to bi-weekly.
 
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