Filtration System Help

[emricson]

Here is the deal I'm looking at starting a new saltwater tank, and I dont know which filtration system to go with. The tanks size is going to be anywhere from 30-50 gallons, and I know that I should by a filter that can handle more gallons then my tank has. Secondly I'm going to start out with just fish and then move to a reef setting, so I want it to be able to handle both.

Here is my question what is the best brand of filtration system out there, and which type should I go with? Wet/Dry, undergravel, LV, or a combination them.

Please help or point me in a direction were I can find some information. I just waiting to buy the filter then I can start my tank. Thanks everyone.

 

[Atari]

If you plan to move onto a reef later then the best thing you can do is start with natural filtration. Roughly 1-1.5 lbs/gal of LR will do the trick nicely. If on a budget then you can substitute some of the LR with base rock.

This will give you a great foundation to build on when you decide to go full reef.

You should also look into getting a protein skimmer eventually.

 

[ReefRaff]

I would use a 4-6 inch Sand base, and 1-2 LBS of Live Rock as The Bio-Filter. The combination of the two will collinate all the bacteria you will need to break down waste products left behind by the tanks fish, and other critters. You should also Have A good Protien Skimmer. I like the Aqua-c Remora. It is a 18" Hob model and lists Here for 163.95. This will remove DOC's. I just recently purchased a Skimbox Found Here. It will help skim the surface of the water were oil like slic forms from Doc's.

This should be all the filter you need. you could also sset up a Refugium Too if you wated. They also serve a purpose in cleaning the water of waste.

Hope this helps. Good luck! 8)

 

[8965]

if i may hijack this thread....i just purchased a complete acrylic sump system with the skimmer as well as bio balls, and i also purchased 30 pds of lr. my question is do the bio balls and the lr do the same thing? I will be setting it all up next week and would like to know if the both of these do the same job?

 

[Atari]

Yes they do the same thing, except the bio balls won't do it to quite the same extent and they will also need regular cleaning so they don't trap detritus.

 

[emricson]

First of all I want to thank you for the responses. Secondly I just want to make sure I understand you correctly. You are suggesting going with a LR with a protein skimmer. So, this combination is all that I will need as for as a filtration system?

 

[Atari]

Yes. The important thing with using LR is that you must have sufficient waterflow in your tank. This can be anywhere from 10 to 20 times the total volume of water per hour, so for the tank sizes you are considering I would recommend something like 2 Maxijet 900 powerheads placed on opposite sides.

The only addition I would make to that is GAC. This will help to give the water a nice polished look and also take care of any chemicals that may need neutralizing. It's quite common for HOB skimmers to have optional media boxes now, so you could just keep a small bag of carbon in there.

 

[jackdp]

I'll second that. All I use for filtration in my 20 gallon reef is about 30lbs LR and a Prizm skimmer running GAC. I have a maxi-jet 900 and a aquaclear 402 for flow. High flow is very important along with a good invert cleaner crew.

 

[malkore]

Yep, a 40gallon breeder here, with 2 maxi-jet 900's, and a prizm skimmer (Deluxe) with GAC in the media basket.

 

[8965]

how do you guy's hang your jet's? i'm cycling a tank right now but have no idea where to put my power jets. i realize that you have to "tinker" with all of this based on how your lr is set up but are there any suggestions like one jet on either side of the tank.

 

[jackdp]

I keep a jet in each rear corner of the tank, both aimed towards the middle front of the tank. This makes the two currents collide in the center and creates some chaotic motion. I also have a mini-jet near the bottom in the rear of the tank to get some flow behind the LR. As for hanging, most powerheads come with either suction cup mounts or a hanger to fit over the top lip of the aquarium. I suggest using the hangers otherwise the PH 's will eventually fall and cause trouble. HTH