Do I need a filter?

[TheTrav13]

They guy at the LFS told me I no doubtedly need a filter. However, the guy I bought the tank from had it set up for a year and he said he had plenty of filtration with the liver rock and the cpr. Here are my specs:

It's a 29 gallon:

CPR Bak Pak 2R Protein Skimmer
25lbs of Live Rock
Coralife CP750 circulation pump (powerhead)

If so, which would be the best for my size tank with the amount of stuff I have goin on right now? Also, which is the QUIETEST, but most efficient for a 29gallon?

 

[nxb161]

With a 29G using powerheads for flow, and 1lb - 1.5lbs LR per gallon I think you should be fine without a traditional filter. Most filters (like canisters for example) become a big hassle. You have to do maintenance on them religiously (cleaning out the filter media) or else it becomes a nitrate factory. I have a 29G Biocube, I took out the media in the first chamber, and bioballs from the second. I put LR rubble in both of them. I added a nano PH on the opposite side of the pump PH. Lots of LR in the tank, not sure how much anymore, I just kept adding ones I liked
With that said, what kind of tank are you looking to have, Fish or Reef?

 

[TheTrav13]

I'm looking to have a reef. Like I said, my cp750 pumps 750 gph. Is there such thing as too much circulation? The clowns seem to enjoy it and I bought them a condi who seems to love it. He hasn't moved once. Thanks for the input nick. I have about 25 lbs. of LR.

 

[Fishguy2727]

I would have more rock in there, but it doesn't have to all start as live rock. You can add some dry rock and it will become live rock. I use Feller Stone's Antique Coral to supplement live rock.

If you added another powerhead point it behind the rockwork. Flow around the live rock will keep it working as a filter.

In a reef 80% of your filtration will be the live rock, the other 20% is from your skimmer and refugium. If you are willing to add something a HOB refugium would be the most valuable IMO. I am assuming the skimmer is a HOB as well. If you have or added a sump for the fuge that would be even better, but not essential.

You can definitely keep the tank going as is but water changes are vital. 10% weekly is the ideal water schedule for reefs IME. If you have ANY problems do water changes more often, not larger ones. When I came back from vacation a couple years ago my reef was covered in algae. I did daily wter changes for a week and it got the tank back where it needed to be. Use RO/DI water and a good salt (I use Tropic Marin, but not the Pro Reef).

How do you do water changes at this point? What water are you using? What salt? How much? How often?

 

[TheTrav13]

Powerhead Placement?

Where's the best placement for my powerhead? Notice the anemone is in the bottom left and has been there for almost 2 weeks now...The current powerhead (Coralife CP750 circulation pump) is in the top leftand I have it blowing into my cpr because I felt it was a little too strong before...

 

[TheTrav13]

Thanks for the info fishguy. I'm using both fresh and saltwater that I get from my lfs. I usually get 5 gallons of salt and 5 gallons of fresh. I do a 20% water change every two weeks and judging by the salinity, I add fresh or salt accordingly...your thoughts?

 

[Fishguy2727]

You should be able to ask for a certain salinity and they should check it with a refractometer. Then you should be able to use it as is and only use the fish for topping off. I would do a water change every week.