Completely Filterless!? POLL

[Jermz79]

**** PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS IF YOU VOTE***


I was just wondering how many ... if any ... run a tank completely filterless? Not including HOB refugiums, I am thinking more along the lines of just HOB filters, Canister styles, or Wet/dry and Sumps!

And of course going with the maximum amount of LR for tank size and PH's for water movement!

 

[Brenden]

I do not consider a sump filtration. I have a sump and refugium. HTH

 

[Jermz79]

Ok .... exclude the sumps then to. But Brenden, your Uber Tank probably doesn't need much Filtration as it is!! Over a 1000lbs of LR and I'm sure about 490 Powerheads!!! LOL

 

[Dr.Nate]

I run a HOB filter on my sump, but that's just because I run carbon.....I have thought about taking it off, however, as carbon has mixed reviews.

 

[Jermz79]

see .... hmmmm???

I have a 29 gallon and I was thinking last night that the only thing in my HOB filter is LR rubble. The HOB filter is just sucking water and running it over the LR Rubble right? So what if I was to remove that filter and just add another PH (already have 2 MJ 900's) for extra flow? I have about 60lbs. of LR in the tank and could possibly add another 20 if needed. The only downfall that I can think of would be no place to run chemicals if needed i.e. Carbon.

I just hate the HOB filter and at this point don't think a wet/dry is a possibility. I know there was a post from someone with a 29gallon recently that was just running a HOB refugium ... which is a definite possibilty.

Anyone think I'm crazy?

 

[Florida8]

I am with out anything on my 29g .

I have around 50+ pounds LR, very live LS now... I have a Millenium 2000 HOB with a Bio Grid. I removed and I only run carbon pad 2 weeks on 2 weeks off.... I do run the millenium. all the time, even with out the filter pads as it gives the center of my tank extra flow... 160gph soft flow plus I have 2 power heards (one at each end) and I have a place to drop a carbon pad to polish my water too.

I am adding a sump, only to have a place to sink the heater, add top off water and such.... no bio balls or antything.

I ran my 55g the same way whe I had that.

Whatcha got in your 29g?

 

[Marc118]

Ive got a 30g with nothing but lr and a hob skimmer and power heads.

600gph from the ph and about 280-300 fro the skimmer.

 

[Jermz79]

Ok so .... you run a filter but a very small one right? My main beef with the filter I have is it throws off micro bubbles like crazy and makes my water look dirty, I can't stand it!

Maybe I need to go with just a smaller filter? Then only thing that turns me off about filterless is no place to run carbon if needed!


and in the tank I have ....

Approx. 60lbs of LR
3.5" - 4" of sand
2 MJ 900's

Livestock includes ... (as you can see a very very light bio-load)
Perc. Clown
Royal Gramma
dozens of snails and hermits
3 heads of Candy Cane
shrooms
Zoo's
Closed Brain (favites)
and thats about it ...

 

[Marc118]

For FOWLR you have plenty lr to just add a skimmer to have ample filtration. Butimnot sure about reef.

 

[Jermz79]

The tank is a reef tank. I do have corals just not many!

 

[tecwzrd]

I have enough lr (90 lbs main/20 lbs in the sump) with my 55 gal to run filter less and I could just run GAC and other media in my sump but I’ve used the bio-wheels for 10+ years now and feel more comfortable with them then without

Since I haven’t had any no3 issues as others have I see no reason to take them off since I also like the capability of just transferring the wheel to my QT as needed. My 350 Magnum runs completely empty most of the time with the exception of some lr rubble. I don’t use the media container or any filter sleeve unless running GAC or other media.

I’m wondering why you are having the micro-bubble issue or why your canister is making your water dirty. Which HOB did you go with?

 

[Florida8]

Jermz,

I think you would be fine.

I am not sure but my HOB filter only throws bubbles when the water level is below the lip rim... not if it's just above and it flows right on the water surface.

 

[Jermz79]

Hey tec!

I went with the Marineland Penguin 350B and I keep the water level above the outflow lips by about 1/2" .... the bubbles are really really bad. My water isn't dirty, what I was saying is that the Micro Bubbles make my water look dirty.

What do you think I should do?

 

[tecwzrd]

Still trying to figure out where it’s sucking air from :? Only thing I can think of is the intake strainer isn’t seated on tight enough. My canister creates micro bubbles when I first turn it back on after a pwc but it fills up again and goes away after a couple of minutes.

You only have lr rubble now in the canister? I’ve seen this filter in action but have never observed an excessive bubble problem but they had the standard carbon filter.

The FAQ at wetwebmedia.com might help

If you can’t get the bubbles under control I really can’t see the harm of taking it off and adding another ph or only using the HOB when wanting to run media since you don’t have a sump. I assume your tank has room for the lr rubble.

 

[Jermz79]

Well I don't have a canister style filter, it's an HOB Penguin 350B w/dual Bio-Wheels. I don't know either where it's coming from but I do know that it's really pissin me off!
And yeah ... only running LR rubble in one side of the filter, the other side was left empty incase I wasnted to run some carbon.

 

[Florida8]

Maybe pull it off, take it all the way apart, clenaing everything and making sure all is secure... and see how that goes... or you can get a different HOB... The Millenium 3000 is a super choice and you can get it new 1/2 off on Ebay

 

[Jermz79]

Well the HOB is brand new and I'm sure everything is set good, I made sure because I've had HOB's leak before and it's not pretty!

I don't know what to do. I'd love to go filterless if I knew it wasn't a risk, I'm getting a lot of mixed reactions here so I don't think it's the best idea.

 

[tecwzrd]

I'd love to go filterless if I knew it wasn't a risk, I'm getting a lot of mixed reactions here so I don't think it's the best idea.

I think the majority of the replies are that you would be fine since you have 2 llbs of lr per gal in the tank and the ones who do use a HOB or canister only do it so we can add filter media if we want.

Bacteria develops on all surfaces within the tank and on your bio-wheels. I really don’t think it would be an issue but I would not remove it all at once. Get down to one wheel for a couple of weeks to a month so bacteria can develop more within the tank and then remove the other wheel and only use the HOB (without the wheels) when you want to run filter media.

Have you had any no3 problems? Did the wetwebmedia FAQ help at all? (saw a couple of posts about micro bubbles) If you can’t solve the micro bubble issue (which could be harmful to your tank) and/or you have trouble keeping your no3 below 10 ppm then I’d get rid of it without hesitation.

 

[noteworthy]

I voted no filtration but that is saying skimmers don't count. I think you should count skimmers because they are pulling out DOCs.

 

[AMANIQU77]

I don't have a sump. Just HOB Powerfilters by Topfin and a cheap skimmer. Then three powerheads for filtration.

I know of another person who only has powerheads and a good skimmer. No sump or wet dry. 1 lb/gallon live rock in his reef tank. Unless you are stocking heavily on fish, you may not need anything else but water movement and skimmer. If you are going to have a heavy bioload along with your reef, you will want to have filtration and things that bring down your nitrates to zero.

Good luck