Overfiltration?

[tomanytanks]

Is it possible to overfilter an aquarium and if so what are the dangers?

 

[mattrox]

When your fish are struggling in the current you are over doing the water flow.

 

[NJGourami]

Also make sure you stay on top of keeping your filters maintained properly

 

[melosu58]

I personally think that you can strip your tank of necessary trace elements by by using GAC all the time. That`s why I occasionally use it. What type tank is this?

 

[fijiwigi]

I personally think that you can strip your tank of necessary trace elements by by using GAC all the time. That`s why I occasionally use it. What type tank is this?

Do you believe the same to be true for Purigen? I run it 24/7 do you think its a good idea? And if using purigen would it still be necessary to use carbon wouldn't the purigen do the trick. They are different and it is a user preference I am sure just curious about your take on the whole thing melosu58
Also regarding flow I wonder myself about the perfect balance. I have 2 hydor koralia2 on my 46g and it seems like not enough the hydors flow is pretty mellow. Different power heads have more direct pressure and make it easier for the fish to be pinned against the wall from the direct blast. Regardless of the ratings each powerhead seems to have a different affect. Hopefully when I add my sump return pump I will have a nice balance.

 

[melosu58]

I`m not to familar with purigen. I know that it can be used over and over where GAC only once and that for only about a week. Maybe some of the ones that use purigen can answer. As far as my flow 90% of it is my return pumps. I have a mag 12 and a mag9.5 and I have a seio PH in one corner for my SPS corals. But You can generally tell on the flow in a reef tank as you can see the flow on the corals as they move and sway to the flow.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I switched to Purigen running 24/7 after using Marineland's Black Diamond GAC 24/7. Can't say I've noticed any difference, good or bad. I switched because (1) you can regenerate Purigen, and (2) I was worried about GAC stripping the "good stuff" out of my water, along with the bad. Supposedly, according to Seachem, Purigen targets only the "bad stuff" and leaves the "good stuff" in your tank. I have no way of knowing if that's true though.

 

[fijiwigi]

I switched to Purigen running 24/7 after using Marineland's Black Diamond GAC 24/7. Can't say I've noticed any difference, good or bad. I switched because (1) you can regenerate Purigen, and (2) I was worried about GAC stripping the "good stuff" out of my water, along with the bad. Supposedly, according to Seachem, Purigen targets only the "bad stuff" and leaves the "good stuff" in your tank. I have no way of knowing if that's true though.

What is it exactly we are trying to remove and what is it exactly that carbon strips that purigen doesn't still a little unclear on the specifics of the purpose behind chemical media. Absorbstion of Nitrates and ammonia I believe what else does it accomplish???

I guess this is kinda related to the post topic of overfiltration maybe overabsorbtion of filtration media? Not trying to steal the thread.

 

[melosu58]

GAC and other medias are not just for what you can test for but also what you cant test for. Poisons that are released by other fish and corals. Stuff that might have been on your hands and other unseen and untested for products. As far as an example of over use I would say that there are over 89 different salts in a marine salt mixture. Most of them are very minute but they are very needful. Medias will pull them out of the water esp. GAC and cause problems if not replenished. That is why I suggest frequent PWC`s for replenishment of trace elements and using "periodic" GAC to polish the water. JMO

 

[melosu58]

Here is a little explanation from the good doctors.

Aquarium Water Quality & Filtration: Advancements in Aquarium Filtration

Aquarium Filtration & Water Quality: Remove Impurities & Improve Water Quality with Chemical Media

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

...Absorbstion of Nitrates and ammonia I believe what else does it accomplish???

Melosu's comments and links pretty much cover it. But I just wanted to add that GAC or Purigen really won't take out nitrates or ammonia itself. They will reduce the organics that will eventually turn into nitrates and ammonia though. Maybe it's just semantics, but don't expect to put GAC in a tank full of nitrates and expect the nitrates to go away.

 

[fijiwigi]

Melosu's comments and links pretty much cover it. But I just wanted to add that GAC or Purigen really won't take out nitrates or ammonia itself. They will reduce the organics that will eventually turn into nitrates and ammonia though. Maybe it's just semantics, but don't expect to put GAC in a tank full of nitrates and expect the nitrates to go away.

I totally understood that the GAC was not the magic bullet in nitrate control. I just never fully understood exactly why we use chemical media 100% I think I now have a better understanding of it for sure.