Media without a canister filter??

[Mpfaff77]

So for all the years I have had my 90 gallon reef I have had a canister filter with only live rock in it. I only recently added my sump. About 2 years of the 6 my tank had been setup I have had the sump/refugium. I ran nothing as far as media in the camiater that came with it. No sponges or filter floss. I occasionally put a bag of reef carbon in one of the trays and I recently started running chemi pure in another tray. Still always with live rock rubble that will be going into my refugium.

I have recently started to breed phytoplankton and rotifers and most recent my pod breeding tank. I am running out of floor space in my tank room and my canister filter has to go. Now my questions.

Can I put a bag a chemi pure in my baffle in my sump? Will it be as effective? Can I run a few scoops of carbon in my phosban phosphate reactor with my phos media?? Is the flow too slow for carbon? I would only run carbon every other phosphate media change.

 

[carey]

If you keep a good steady flow going through the media you should be good, though I would suspect that the flow will be less if just placed in your sump.

I wouldnt run carbon AND GFO in the same reactor though, the particle sizes are too different and it may clump. You could run one every other month though, unless you have phosphate issues that should work just fine too.

 

[Mpfaff77]

Oh ok. So I'll alternate media in phosphate reactor? That is what I'll do. I have no phosphates so once in while no phosphate media wouldn't be a problem.

 

[MikeYQM]

You could:

A. Setup a second reactor daisy chained to the first
B. Place the media in line with the overflow into your sump to maximize flow through

 

[Mpfaff77]

You could:

A. Setup a second reactor daisy chained to the first
B. Place the media in line with the overflow into your sump to maximize flow through

Good idea too. Phos reactor pretty cheap too. I'll check tonight to see If I could fit another one. Sump already packed.