Filter Media

[andylee]

Hi bros, just restarted this hobby with a bigger tank.

wanna touch on the issue of removing impurities, maybe phosphate and even nitrates.

Have an old Skimz FR lying around somewhere which i dunno how to use.

Got a few choices:

1. Using a algae scrubber only

2. Use activated carbon in filter bag and just dump into sump with flow area (what to buy?)

3. Use the FR (What to put inside?)

4. Combination of any of the above.

Can advice me which is/are the better options?

And what to buy and it's for which option?

Current purchases contemplating are:

- AquaPharm BlackGold - high efficiency carbon

- AquaPharm PUR II - research grade carbon

- AquaPharm SORB4 phosphate remover

- Seachem SeaGel

- Seachem denitrate

- Seachem MatrixCarbon

- Seachem PhosGuard

- Rowa Carbon

- RowaPhos

sorry if some of the items are irrelevant. Previously only use Pur II and throw bag into overflow compartment.

Please advice. Thank you.

[teebs]

Activated carbon - My personal belief is that all brands are the same. Activated carbon removes impurities, smell and makes the water very clear but you need to change them every month. Again that depends on how much activated carbon you put into your tank and how much water & impurities there are in your tank. However, I don't think that activated carbon removes phosphates and nitrates.

Currently using activated carbon, Pura Complete and Pura Denitrate. Pura complete in my cannister filter & Pura Denitrate in my Skimz FR120. Henry from ML suggested this to me as he said that the Pura Denitrate will be most effective when used in a FR. But take note though, your flow rate must be really low otherwise everything will be blown out of your FR and into your tank/sump...

[andylee]

Hi,

I suggested using RowaPhos for your FR.

And since your tank just restart, try minimize the carbon usage... cause it will alter your PH & Alkaline drastically.. And also we do not know when the carbon effectiveness saturated, the effect will be reversal... Therefore, uses with precaution.

You may consider add more LR in your sump....

Cheers and Happy reefing...

one bro's pm to me. thanks bro

anymore suggestions?

got one more choice, the Chemi Pure filter bag

[andylee]

but rowaPhos very ex, wanna start out with something more affordable first.

sump already full of LR in 1st and 2nd compartment. 2nd compartment got skimmer pump, LR, and chaeto

thought of using Blackgold, or Seagel to remove impurities, make water clearer etc. or carbon inside FR.

and algae scrubber to remove phosphate and nitrate.

advisable?

[comycus]

but rowaPhos very ex, wanna start out with something more affordable first.

sump already full of LR in 1st and 2nd compartment. 2nd compartment got skimmer pump, LR, and chaeto

thought of using Blackgold, or Seagel to remove impurities, make water clearer etc. or carbon inside FR.

and algae scrubber to remove phosphate and nitrate.

advisable?

I have been using Sorb-4 for phosphate control and Pur II to polish water. Effective and affordable. But have to remember to change regularly.

If you are going to use algae scrubber, why not just start out with that first, before deciding what additional media you need? You have 4-6 weeks of cycling time to decide whether you need additional media.

[andylee]

I understand algae scrubber can help reduce phosphate and nitrate, but can it do what carbon does? which is to remove impurities and get clearer water. Else i'll use algae scrubber as well as carbon

I had actually started this new tank a month ago, before that cycled my tank for 2 months, so everything is running already. just have not used carbon.

see my FR lying around so tot of using it.

[comycus]

sorry, double post.

[comycus]

I understand algae scrubber can help reduce phosphate and nitrate, but can it do what carbon does? which is to remove impurities and get clearer water. Else i'll use algae scrubber as well as carbon

I had actually started this new tank a month ago, before that cycled my tank for 2 months, so everything is running already. just have not used carbon.

see my FR lying around so tot of using it.

1. Is your tank water yellowish in the first place? If running RO water, there shouldn't be impurities in the water in the first place right? There are advocates of running carbon 24/7, others who only run carbon when needed.

2. If your tank is doing fine, then I would suggest not changing anything unless you have strong reason to believe adding something will only result in a change for the better. You would also want to monitor your tank for any changes, good or bad. What's working for others might not work for you, best is to monitor and gauge for yourself.

[comycus]

bro paiseh, I take back what I said this morning about algae scrubber and carbon.

An ATS will remove large amounts of organic compounds, with large amounts of nutrient uptake. The drawback is the algae can yellow the water. Systems that run ATS will need activated carbon to keep the water crystal clear. One of the major benefits of an ATS is the amount of zooplankton that will proliferate in the turf algae, whose larvae make great zooplankton for coral food.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/9/diy

[andylee]

hmm.. so according to this article.. it'll be best to use algae scrubber together with activated carbon

thanks bro!