7g bow front nano

[Florida8]

I have been reading all night and day gathering information on setting this up. I have read about using the hang on filters with the carbon pads in them, replacing once every month or so depending on your bio load. But also read a great deal about replacing the carbon filled pads with a sponge. Anyone have a say on this?

***If you’re running a hang on filter with carbon inside replace the carbon every 2-4 weeks to keep it clean and running. Keeping it running longer will not do anything except clog your filter. Make sure that there isn’t any debris in the filter impeller or tubing that could cause it to stop pumping water and burn out. If your filter contains a sponge, rinse it every month but with luke warm water and do not scrub it or rinse it clean, you want to keep some of the nitrifying bacteria which helps improve water quality. ***

I don't plan on adding any corals anytime soon, if at all, and will be adding 7-10 lbs of LR and live sand. Adding only a Royal gramma and cleaner shrimp. Which snails are known to shuffle over rocks? The Turbo's? It's been a while.

TIA,
Kimberly

[BillyZ]

if it were me, and I've never set up a nano b4 so keep that in mind, I would just use a sponge and once in a while rinse with room temp RO water only (never rinse a sponge with tap water, the chlorine will kill all the bacteria almost instantly (this assumes your on a municiple water supply)) If you're going to use LR and LS that will do the majority of the biological filtration for you. As far as carbon, I don't think it would hurt to have a small bag of carbon in the HOB, replace once a month.

JMO

[wahoo_drew]

Well in my 10gal nano I have 2 HOB filters one is a fuge and one is for water movement. In the one for water movemeant I rarly use a filter pad or sponge in it, unless its cloudy then I use some pillow batting, but only use that for like 1 day at most. If you keep it in there to long it starts producing bateria that you dont want. The whole reason for haveing the LR and LS is so you dont need a filter pad.