Best filter for a 10g WLR?

[Nuclear Queen]

Just like the title says, I'm looking for a CHEAP filter to fit my needs. I already know what powerhead and lighting I want, but I'm having trouble with the filters

 

[aquandrew]

if you keep up with water changes, you do not need a filter

 

[Nuclear Queen]

if you keep up with water changes, you do not need a filter

Really??? Because it's live rock?
This will be my first SW tank, and freshies are just "filter, filter, filter!!" so it sounds a bit weird to me.

 

[Terrance]

If you want to use GFO, carbon, or any other media, then a filter is a decent option for a nano tank. Its not ideal for all those media to be in a filter, but it has worked for many hobbyists. I like the aquaclear series. A filter also helps my tank for mechanical filtration even though I do weekly water change. Explore your options.

 

[aquandrew]

Really??? Because it's live rock?
This will be my first SW tank, and freshies are just "filter, filter, filter!!" so it sounds a bit weird to me.

yeah, the live rock does all of the biological filtration. the powerheads push the water through the LR and it filters it. on tanks that small, a protein skimmer is not needed, just water changes.
better?

 

[Terrance]

powerheads dont do mechanical filtration. it just moves water.

 

[Nuclear Queen]

yeah, the live rock does all of the biological filtration. the powerheads push the water through the LR and it filters it. on tanks that small, a protein skimmer is not needed, just water changes.
better?

Much! That is wonderful, thank you.

 

[Ingy]

there is a plus and minus to going it without any filtration. A fish only tank can handle higher nitrates. But if you rely on only partial water changes, your only going to remove a partial amount of the nitrates. A 10% weekly PWC will leave 90% of the weekly nitrate build up behind in the tank. Your nitrate levels will climb. Even a 50% PWC will leave 50% of the nitrate behind. Alas, if that's all you do, you will suffer a nitrate issue. In my first FOWLR tank, my nitrates climbed to about 90ppm. Kinda high and I couldn't keep a turbo snail alive at those levels.
Fortunately an simple filter with a resin media bag should control your nitrates just fine. The LR will convert all ammonia to nitrates and resin will take it away. But you will not require the bio filter pad in the filter as that is what the LR is for. So just the mechanical filtration and nitrate resin.
Good Luck

 

[dmolavi]

I have a 20 gallon FOWLR with a Penguin 150 HOB with 2 floss pads and Purigen, along with 2 powerheads (Koralia 425s) that alternate in their on/off cycles.

If I had a smaller HOB laying around, I probably would have used it instead, but it's what I had.

 

[Nuclear Queen]

I'm going with a Penguine 200 witha bio wheel, then. Thanks for the help! I really want my tank to be healthy

 

[dmolavi]

Are you going to have powerheads in there? If so, that's a heckuva lot of water movement. Your fish might feel like they're swimming up the Niagara...