- Filtration Options -
Hi you have been great help in the past and I thank you for that. My question is, what are your thoughts for using a house prefiltration filter with a pump in the aquarium? <Mmm... not really something I would recommend.> If the media inside the filter is just for sediments (exactly what are these?) <Small particulates.> can I add other media, ex. Carbon, sponge etc for it to work? <Would rather see you use something made for fish tank filtration than general water filtration. While the basic concept of filtering the water is good, the maintenance interval would be too high to make it practical and you'd be so much better off with something specific to the job. A penny saved in this case will be two pennies spent later on.> Thanks beforehand for your response. Excellent informative website. You guys do a great job.
<Cheers, J -- >

Filter and Skimmer Questions
Greetings!
<Hi there, MikeD here>
I have read and read and read.  Now I need to ask questions based on my specific situation.
I purchased a 90g FO stocked predator tank<As in up and running from someone?>.  I have had it for 2 weeks<You ran into no cycling problems with the move? Unusual>.  The fish fared well<That's fantastic!>.  In the short time I've cared for this tank, I have quickly realized that the SeaClone 100 skimmer must be replaced immediately because it is insufficient (understatement)<Pretty much to be expected>.  
Also, the skimmer is in the "clean side" of the Sealife wet/dry model 100 sump... this is VERY BAD, right<Nope....that's where I'd put it>?  The skimmer needs to be on the dirty end<Why? Let the filter do it's thing, THEN the skimmer finishes the job>?  If so, how can I get there?  The wet/dry has a drip plate, blue plastic media, foam sponge and then the sump area crowded with a 500gpd submersible main pump (getting unreliable...needs replacing)<OK, if you think so>, the SeaClone, and bags of carbon.  The tank is doing a mini cycle from the move (most of the water came with it)<Ah, that explains some things. Just use care that it's truly as mini as you think it is>.  
For the skimmer, I was seriously considering the "Super Reef Devil" (rated for 180 gal) and maybe with a new sump (optional as a set from same company). Example: http://www.aquadirect.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=449&cat=18  Or should I attempt to reconfigure the Sealife Wet/Dry?  My biggest concern is that drastic changes will quickly adversely affect the tank and kill the fish.  Should I consider a different skimmer?  This seems like a very good product for the price.<Euro reefs are getting the best skimmer makers all over, as far as I know. I'd leave the sump until the tank is well established, and add LR to the main tank itself to assist WHEN and IF you decide to change it>
SO, now what?  How can I convert what's there, or introduce a new setup without doing harm to the fish?<I'd slow way down. An up and running system can be moved, but the cycling, depending on the fish load, can still be a killer. In marine tanks, haste doesn't make waste, it kills!>
And as if this weren't enough... I need a TWP system.  I have been buying water to top off and do mini water changes (slowly bring down salinity and get rid of some nitrates).  I have city water and am very interested in the Kold Ster-il unit, but there is a lot of negative buzz out there (mostly older posts).  I think you are fairly high on this?  Like many, I don't want the waste of RO and RO/DI appears to be such a hassle from a maintenance perspective, compared to the Kold Ster-il.  It understand that Kold Ster-il is more $ and prob. lower water quality, but there is something to be said for convenience if it is acceptable water for the fish.  Thoughts?<I'd suggest slowing down. Spending money is NOT always the answer, and often becomes THE problem. For a FOWL tank, I've been running tap water for 30 years and having pretty fair luck. Your test results are meaningless until your tank stabilizes, and you're looking in the wrong places way too fast. Time is time, and you can't buy that at any cost>
Tank Details:
Corner Dam, bottom drilled.  No dead or live rock.  Minimal sand bed (about 1"-2").  Lots of coral skeletons that are removed and sun bleached (not all at the same time), due to brown algae growth.  In addition to the Sealife wet/dry, there is a 9 watt UV filter (is this beneficial to this tank and its inhabitants?) It may or may not be...by destroying the "brown algae, you've also destroyed any value to the LR. It sounds like your fish are lucky to be surviving your method and haste>.
Water quality:
Visually clear, but bad.  Ammonia is finally under .25 and near 0.<Needs to be 0 at ALL times!>  Nitrite is under .25.<also 0 at ALL times>  Nitrate is off the charts (as in >160)<Not surprising as you killed all the LR>. pH hovers around 8.  Temp is 80 (steady). SG = 1.024.
Fish Friends (all are excellent eaters, but I'm careful not to overfeed):
Snowflake Eel - Echidna nebulosa 18"
Dogface Puffer - Arothron nigropunctatus 6"
Powder Blue Tang - Acanthurus leucosternon 4"
Blue (Hippo) Tang, Indo-Pacific - Paracanthurus hepatus 4" (BAD HLLE, but improving on his new balanced diet)<I'm shocked he survived the move. Count your blessings>
Cinnamon Clown - Amphiprion melanopus 3"
Tomato Clown - Amphiprion frenatus 2 1/2"
Volitans Lion - Pterois volitans 5"
Sorry for the long email.  I'm sleepless worrying over the creatures now in my care.<More sleep would be an EXCELLENT idea. Slow down and give everything time. The P. volitans lionfish WILL eat the clowns, you know, and will soon be too big for the 90 with all the other fish as well. A 90 would be fine for the puffer, the eel and the lion, and that's about the limit as these are large fish that tax filtration to the max>
Best regards,<Good luck and please, slow down and quit looking for instant answers. I'd suggest 5 gal/per day water change to get them through the adjustment. The biological filtration is perhaps the single most important factor in a successful predator tank, and that "brown algae" was worth its weight in gold!>
Greg Smith

Wet/dry and protein skimmer
This may sound like a dumb question but I am setting a 55 gallon reef tank
and I was wondering if you could tell me if I have to use a protein skimmer
and a regular filter or can I do with just a protein skimmer...I have a
seaclone100<Use both, IanB>
thanks

- Tank Set-up - Plumbing, Pump Sizes, and Sump Design -
Bob and Co.,
I’ve got tons of information but can’t seem to get stuff hooked up (in my line of work we call this “analysis paralysis”, where you have so much information you can’t get anything done).   I have a 125 AGA (still empty; nothing’s hooked up yet) that will drain ~1200GPH (4’ off the floor, no really bad angles in the plumbing), and an Iwaki 70RLT that’ll pump >1500 GPH.  I’m absolutely agonizing over this (everything else too; I know, it’s supposed to be fun)  My options, I think, are to get rid of the huge pump in favor of something that has a flow rate closer to the drain rate – and/or – put in a bleed line (i.e., branch off part of the return back into the sump?) –  and/or – valve back the return (although I think I read somewhere that isn’t good for the pump).  What’s the best solution? <Get rid of the pump, go for the Iwaki 40RLXT - you'll get a good approximation to your maximum flow rate, and you probably won't have to valve it back, which isn't bad for the pump but will push your electric bill a little higher.>
Given the above then, from the 1” drain bulkhead, I’d thought I’d increase the diameter of the drain lines to 1.5” (less flow restriction).  I’d run 1” return lines and only reduce them right at the ¾” return bulkheads.  Does this make sense? <Not really - the point of restriction will be your limiting factor regardless of the size of the plumbing around it. Might as well run those sizes and cut back on internal turbulence at the point of restriction which will further reduce the flow.>
The other source of anxiety is the sump.  Basically, what I think I’m reading is that all I have to do is drain into a box, run through a skimmer and what-all (UV, etc.), and 86 the wet/dry – dump in a bunch more LR instead of Bio-balls (do I need to have it lit down there?).  Is that pretty much it? <Yup... really doesn't have to be complicated at all.>
Thanks guys.  Much obliged.  I *know* I can do this. <And I'm sure you can.>
Mark
<Cheers, J -- >

HEAVY DUTY FILTER
Hey guys, <Hi Lacie, MacL here with you tonight.> my 55g is almost 3/4th's of the way done cycling, and right now I'm just using a simple Skilter. <Congratulations on almost being finished with your cycle.>
I was considering an Eheim Classic canister filter, but I had read somewhere that Mr. Fenner had recommended against it (for cleaning/maintenance reasons I think), so I was just curious as to what filter would be best to help combat an eventual big bio-load, dual Emperor 400's perhaps? <The question really is what you plan to keep that's going to give you such a high bioload. Canisters can give a build up of nitrates which isn't good for corals.>
Let me know if you there are any specific recommendations you can give me :)<It really depends on what you want to keep Lacie, if you can let me know that maybe I can help you better.  You might consider a wet/dry filter for a heavy load as well.>
-Lacie

Heavy Duty Filter
I am going to have a reasonable amount of corals: Rose anemone, a few leathers, an Acro or two, chili coral, gorgonians, etc, I'm mainly interested in a powerful filter(s) because I want to keep somewhere between 5-10 (haven't decided on the final selection yet) fish small/medium fish. <Let me start talking to you again by saying you are doing a great job researching in advance Lacie. I think when it comes time you'll need to do some additional research on the compatibility and difficulty of some of your corals.  That doesn't mean to discourage you in any way just to suggest that you might get some experience under your belt before you attempt a couple of them.> <Now about keeping the fish, the filtration system I'm assuming you have will be live sand and live rock and you are looking for something to keep your water moving and let your rock work efficiently as I understand your question.>
I was told to get two AquaClear 300s, do you think these would be do a good job, thanks! <I think that they will keep the water flowing quite nicely in the tank but you'll need to make sure you have a sufficient amount of rock in the tank to do the denitrifying. Good luck, MacL>

- Filtration for Non-Drilled Tank -
Hi guys,
it's been a little while since I have written in but I just had my Fluval 404 filter break down and am in the market for a new one. I have a 75 g Oceanic Bowfront and do not have it drilled - all equip runs H.O.T - I was wondering if you could recommend a reliable, efficient filter for this tank - I am looking into buying the Eheim Wet/Dry 2229 for my tank. I want to get the best filter I can so I do not have any problems with inadequate filtration or pumps breaking down. Can you tell me if this is a good choice for my tank or if you know of one out there that might be better please? <I go with either this model or the other Eheim that is the same size but not a wet/dry - I can't think of the model off the top of my head, but either of these would be a really good choice. A hang-on skimmer like an AquaC Remora Pro would be a good addition.> I am relying on your infinite wisdom to guide my choice here. Thank you kindly - you guys rock!
Jay.D
<Cheers, J -- >

How Much Sand and Filtration for a 1300 Litre Tank?
Hi Guys,
<< and gals, although not here right now >>
I'll be as quick as I can.  I do really have to ask these questions as you are the only people I will listen to.  The LFS are no help.  My 1300 litre main tank and 500 litre sump have just been delivered.
<< Excellent >>
1) I have read all the DSB FAQs but need a little clarification. I have bought some aragonite 1mm - 2mm size as I couldn't get sugar fine size (I'm in South Africa). << I don't like sugar size, so I think you got what you want. >> My aim would be for natural nitrate reduction.  Do I add a 5-6 inch deep sand bed to the main tank or  to the sump and how deep in the sump if so?  << I like about 4 inches in the main tank, and in the sump. >> A DSB in the sump only may be sufficient as I only have 3
Tangs, Niger trigger, Coris wrasse and a blue ringed angel plus LR and no corals.  << Actually the more corals you have, the less sand you need, as the corals are helping to filter the water. >> They are all around 4-5 inches at the moment.  I don't plan on adding anymore fish. In my 300 litre tank which is there current home my nitrate ranges from 0 to 10.
2) Is it better to add 2 x Turboflotor 1000 or 1 x Turboflotor 5000 shortly? AquaMedic is all that's available here? << Sorry, I'm not familiar with them.  Basically the more filtration and the more water motion the better. >>
3) If I put a glass cover on top of the tank to stop dust, evaporation etc. would it not stop oxygen getting in and gas exchange?
<< Yes, and no.  A glass cover isn't bad, unless it is like a tight seal and doesn't allow gas exchange.  A better idea is a glass shield right under the bulbs, but not all the way across the tank. >>
4) I have read sump FAQs as well, but do I add bioballs and those round ceramic things to begin with, or just more LR? << I would stay away from bioballs, and just go with more live rock. >>
Thanks so much.  I've just been reading the "Goodbye to Powerheads" article so I'm away to build a water return manifold.  My fish are going to love me for this.  I don't know how people can swap their fish around, I have gotten so attached to mine. << Me too, good luck. >>
Kind Regards,
James.
<<  Blundell  >>

Picking the Proper Power Filter
Is the Tetratec 500 a good filter? I have a FOWLR 135 gallon tank.  I was wondering what your thoughts are on the Tetratec 500? If this isn't a good one could you steer me towards another brand?
<I happen to like that filter myself.  It is well made and very efficient.  However, I would not use it for the sole means of filtration for a 135.  I would either supplement it with another mechanical filter, or (and this is my best recommendation) I would use a very simple sump system.  Be sure to include a protein skimmer in your system as this is your first line of defense of unwanted organics.  BTW, for a nice review of power filters including this model see Steven Pro's article in the latest issue of Conscientious Aquarist Online Magazine right here on the WWM site!  Hope this helps.  Regards, Scott F.>

- Refugium & Protein Skimmers -
I have a 3 month old 29 gal reef tank, 30 lb live rock, 20 lb. live sand, some small corals, a few inverts, and 3 fish (yellow eye tang, turf mower blenny & mandarin). The filtration is a small refugium and an Emperor 280. I just recently got the tang in trade for the starter fish, but have experienced a bad algae bloom (red slime & green fuzzy stuff) - the red is gone but the fish do not seem to be controlling the green algae. (I did start to scrape it off & siphon it out). <Ahh good, is what's required some times.> I know that too many nutrients cause these problems & want to know if I need a protein skimmer (which one to hang on back?? Aqua C Remora?) and should I take out the tang & get something smaller. <Well... for starters yes, a skimmer of any kind will help your overall filtration, but may not address the algae directly. In general problem algae has a number of causes and you need to address them all - overfeeding is just one. You should also examine your overall circulation, perhaps add powerhead or two.> I also have a 40 gal. that has been up just over a year with a heavy fish & coral load on which I have a 400 Emperor, SeaClone skimmer & 4 watt sterilizer - it is doing great & getting the coralline algae now.  I am just not familiar with the refugium system to be comfortable & wonder if the Emperor is undoing what the refugium does. <Probably not... should be fine, but if all goes well, you should be able to remove the Emperor at some point and just let the refugium take over.> Should I take off the Emperor & just add a protein skimmer (&/or another smaller power filter??). <That wouldn't be a bad deal.> I have 12 inches to work with. <Then perhaps, yes you probably should ditch the Emperor then...> Thanks, I have read lots of your articles & they are great. <Glad you find them useful.>
Marilyn
<Cheers, J -- >

Removing a Wet Dry filter.
Dear Adam,
Thanks for all your input. You have definitely helped.  We will add more live rock and more sand.  We will try to redesign the return assemblies to incorporate some sort of spray bar so that the water is better dispersed.  Hopefully that will help keep the sand off the rocks and out of the water.  (it is sand not rotifers (I wish it was) that are suspended in the water).  We are bit shy on using the powerhead permanently since it may give out some electrical current/stress.  We usually use it after water changes/cleanup (when everything is stirred up).  We will add a hang on protein skimmer (that is the only access to raw water at the moment). << These all sound like great improvements.  I hope they make sense to you, and you are not just taking my advice for no reason. >> Hopefully, in a couple months we'll see more improvement.  If things improve,  we will gradually replace the bio balls, otherwise that wet/dry is history!  << Sounds good. >> We'll keep you posted on what worked. Thanks again.
Sincerely,<< Good Luck. >>
Nancy and Rocco
<<  Blundell  >>

-Emperor Filter, Regular Maintenance-
Hi Crew, <Hello there, Kevin here tonight.> I have an Emperor 280 filter for a 30G tank <As do I on my quarantine; my favorite HOTB filter.>.  I have had my tank for 2 months and have not cleaned my filter via disassembling it. The only thing  I have done was change the carbon a few times and clean the filter cartridge (by rinsing it in some tank water). <Keeping in mind that the filter cartridge is filled with carbon, which will re-release goodies that it absorbed or that were present from the manufacturing process. Change the cartridge at least monthly as the manufacturer suggests, but keeping in mind that carbon's usable lifespan in an aquarium is only 3-4 days.>  As you may already know, the instructions  to the filter say that I should replace the filter cartridge if the "water level indicator window" is half full or higher-which mine is. <Water level indicator window? Sounds complicated, let common sense rule here. If the water level on the back side of the cartridge is reasonably higher than the water level on the aquarium side, then its all gummed up with bio-yums. No rocket science here, if you notice that it has a lot of gross on it, clean it off, more than likely it's been a month anyway and you simply toss it.> Should I replace  the filter cartridge? <Yep, every month if only to keep this old carbon rotating out.> At this point, I believe that the cartridge is an  established part of my bio filter (even though I have a bio wheel-which I  have never touched). <The bio-wheel is your bio-filter, toss the cartridge with a clean conscience since the bio-wheel is taking care of most of your nitrification.> Should I also disassemble my filter and give the  filter box, water intakes and spray bar a good cleaning? <As the theoretical ideal aquarist does, disassemble all pumps every month, cleaning out the impeller and the impeller chamber. Keeping the only moving part clean will add to the lifespan of your unit, keep it running cooler, and quieter.> Will this effect  my bio filtration?  How should I go about cleaning it? <No worries, simply keep the bio-wheel wet in tank water for the duration of the cleaning.> Thanks for you  badly needed advice.
<Enjoy -Kevin>  
Chris

Bio Balls in a FOWLR Set Up
<MikeD here again>
thank you Mike D.  for getting back to me so fast.<You're more than welcome>  thank you for the great advice, especially doing a 5 g/week water change.  I'll try it and see how it goes.  sounds like a winner to me.  I went to my LFS today and guess what they had.  a 3 in. clown trigger!!  its funny though, they have some pretty big tanks full of all kinds of fish, but in the clown trigger's tank, there was only him and a much larger equally aggressive trigger.  I wonder why?.... ;-) .....since my tank has a good equilibrium right now, I am going to take your advice and  not get him.<Congratulations on a wise decision. You're now an official "Conscientious Aquarist">  
I think he would tear up the tank eventually.<Me too>  I actually think I won't be adding any fish since, like you said I have a large bio-load.  one last question, though.  I know that I have a huge bio-load, but do you think I can help my nitrate problem if I got rid of my bio-bale and bio-balls?<Many hobbyists are reporting good results by removing the bioballs and switching to a lighted sump filled with LR and macro algae to actually absorb the nitrates as fertilizer>  I was thinking that they are doing more good than harm, but now I don't know.  let me know what you think.<I think it's a worthwhile idea, but one that you ultimately have to decide for yourself. I'm still using the old bio-ball systems, but that's a result of being handicapped and not being able to service the lower parts of the system regularly. Good results (me included) are also reported by removing the pre-filter sponges from these systems and using JUST the bio-balls and one main sponge pre-filter at the overflow>  thank you again for your
time and help.<My pleasure, I just hope it does you some good.>
Lucius

- Float Switch -
How are you... <Well, thanks for asking.> Thanks for taking the time... Here's the question... It is about a float switch I installed in a tank I have... Installed in the tank in case one of the siphon tubes stop drawing water it will shut the pump down... Problem is it works fine when I test it by breaking one of the siphons but then when the tank starts to drain it kicks the pump back on and off and on... because as you know when a pump is shut the sump fills up with water until it reaches the bottom of the slots on the overflow... anyway of achieving this?
<Well... what is it exactly you are trying to achieve. I'm confused as to where these siphon tubes are in the whole layout of things and why you might have such things if you have a regular overflow box in the tank. Please clarify and I'll do my best to lend a hand.
Cheers, J -- >

- Float switch, Follow-up -
It is an external overflow... the float switch is mounted in the tank (OVERFLOW HAS TWO SIPHON TUBES IN IT) I just figured if I wasn't home and somehow the siphon lost its prime the pump would soon run the sump dry so I wanted to install a float switch to shut the pump down if this happened... thanks again
<The two most common reasons for this type of overflow losing its prime is a power failure and less often because the siphon tube becomes clogged. Obviously, the float switch won't help you with a power outage. The other problem is easy to avoid with regular maintenance. Not sure a float switch will help you in your endeavor. That being said, it sounds like you can go through some experimentation to test this - perhaps intentionally breaking the siphon.
Cheers, J -- >

Kold-Steril Water Filtration -
I have been reading through the RO/DI pages and water4maruse.html at WWM. I have read the Kold-Ster-Il system is good and approved by the WWM crew, however, I am wondering what its unique filtering system is, since it produces no waste water??? <Well, if I'm not mistaken, the first two canisters are pretty typical of all filtration units - fine particulate and then carbon filtration. The last cartridge is loaded with PolyFilter disks.> is it only a DI unit, and not RO??? <Not exactly DI, but certainly not RO - it is reverse osmosis that results in the waste water.>  Also, the filters seem to require more frequent changes 5000g vs. 10000g for some others, will this prove to be substantially higher costs in the long-term??? <Perhaps, but hard to say as I've never used one.> price is $300 + $50 per filter set. Whereas a "Max 50 Maxxima RO/DI" 50gpd by Kent, is $275, while changing filters at 10000gals, on average at 6mos. where membrane is $100, not including sediment & carbon block filters... I guess I have provided all the information needed to do the math on my own, but I honor your opinions, and am mostly wondering about the KSI systems unique filtration...
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was thinking I had heard that charged particles (specifically phosphates) PO3/PO4 could not be removed via RO and due to its ionic charge required Deionization...
<The PolyFilter portion will get a good amount of this.>
Thank you...
Ben
<Cheers, J -- >

Avoiding Hang-on Filtration
You have a really great website here!  I have a quick question for you regarding choice of  filtration for my 20H - the eclipse 2 filter/hood vs. the Hagen Fluval 204 canister.  I want to steer clear of hanging filters.  In the past I have had problems with hanging filters and mold growth.  The excessive evaporation caused by eclipse space in the hood around the hanging filter seems to be conducive to mold growth in a humid environment.  I live on a 1st fl apartment in New York City and my apartment is pretty humid 6 months out of the year.   I would like a filtration system that would not require me to cut much if any of the hood away to accommodate it and thus limit open space and evaporation.  I was thinking of the Hagen Fluval 204 MSF canister system combined with the AGA 24" deluxe hood, this seems to be a good choice because it wouldn't require a lot of modification to the hood and it would be powerful enough for a bigger tank should I chose to upgrade in the future.  But what about an eclipse hood/filter system?  Would this be a better and easier (and cheaper) choice? I've heard canisters can be tricky and temperamental and more expensive and time consuming to operate.  Would the canister be a waste in an aquarium this small? < I try to avoid canister filters at all times. They are inconvenient to work on and have many potential problems. But sometimes they are unavoidable. I do like the Marineland products and the eclipse is a fine system. The hoods work very well and may contain some of the moisture you are concerned with. How about a hot magnum that hangs on the back of the tank but can be adjusted to reduce splashing? -Chuck>
Thanks!
Jeff 

Using Under-gravel Filters
Hello-
<Hi, MikeD here>
My situation is this I have a 30 gallon saltwater tank that houses fish, live rock, and invertebrates.<OK>  Specifically my tank is powered by an Eheim Wet dry Model 2227 filled with Ehfisubstrat Pro, a Penguin Bio-Wheel (also serves for quarantine purposes), a Prizm protein skimmer, two Aqua Clear Powerheads (a 201 and 402) these are attached to under gravel filter tubes connected to full sized single piece under gravel filter plate covered with 2-3 inches of crushed coral (when I set up the tank I also accidentally put 4 cups of sand in with the crushed coral) and 30 pounds of live rock sit on that. The setup is just about 1 year old.<OK>   The tank has 1 blue hippo tang, 1 coral beauty, 1 maroon clownfish, and a Scopas tang, I have 2 sea urchins, 3 emerald crabs, a cleaner and fire shrimp, a Sally lightfoot crab, two hermit crabs, a green brittle star, a chocolate chip star, and two Bahamas stars, and 5 Cerith snails.<You realize, of course, that this is SEVERELY overloaded. Not a little, but a LOT?>  I conduct 30% water changes every week and I siphon the gravel vigorously.<You'd HAVE to!>  
My ammonia, nitrite, and PH are never a problem and are at the lowest of levels - barely present.<Wrong again. Barely present is dangerous and a problem waiting to happen, while 0 is never a problem>  My problem is for the last 8 months Nitrate that is 80-100 PPM.  I have tried more frequent changes, even big changes 70% a few times, I have tried denitrate, and Nitrex.  Nothing has worked.  I am thinking that the UG filter is the problem.<Nope. Too many animals is your problem, and it will get worse as they grow.>  Last night I crawled under the cabinet with a flashlight and under the UG plate it is covered with some gravel and a lot of sand the whole bottom also there are worm holes throughout.  Is this problematic?<No, and in fact is probably highly beneficial.>
My question is should I get rid of the UG filter?  I read in Marine Fish and Reef in an article by Richard Harker that there are real benefits to sand beds. If so how should I do this - how would you do it?  What specifically should I replace it (live sand? brand etc.) with how much, what kind, what will happen, to the Nitrates?  What's the best.<There's only ONE real answer, my friend, correction one of two, with one being to radically lighten your bioload (they suggest 100 gals. minimum for a tang for a reason) or get a larger tank ASAP.>  Or if you don't think I should get rid of the UG then what?<Sorry, same answer>  
One last question -- Are sea urchins not good for live rock?<Sea urchins are fine for LR in all but strict coral tanks. They DO graze coralline algae, but it regrows, sometimes even better as other non-calcareous algae often smother it and are grazed off the top.>
THANKS<I hope you still mean that by now> -- Joe

Tank Filtration/Wet Dry
Dear Mr. Blundell,
<< Oh please, Adam or Blundell or Fish Nerd, but not Mr. Blundell >>
Thanks for your quick reply.  What we are really asking is, do we really need the wet/dry with the Perfecto overflow/return assemblies? << No you don't. >>
-  This system doesn't filtrate or circulate the water well at all without major supplementation << I like keeping the wet dry system running, even if it doesn't have bioballs, just for water circulation reasons.  But really, you don't need it. >>
-  The wet/dry make a lots noise and has no prefilter for a protein skimmer
-  The Perfecto return assemblies blow the sand off the bottom of the tank no matter   how they are adjusted
-   The Perfecto overflow assemblies seem to skim just the top water leaving most of the debris behind. << This is normal.  I think a lot of the time we skim the surface and the rest of the tank water doesn't move.  Therefore, I do like powerheads in the tank, and sometimes using a turkey baster to spray off the rocks.  On the other hand, lots of people like their detritus to sit on the bottom and not blow around in the tank. >>
We found that with the addition of the Eheim
-   Filtration improved greatly
-   Water circulated more evenly without sand being kick up and creating drifts.
-   The water is not crystal clear, it always has something suspended in it (sand, bubbles) Is this normal with a sandbed?  We usually only see fish only systems with gravel and they are always crystal clear. << Well I like the increased filtration and circulation.  That is great.  As for particles in the water... well it depends on what they are.  I love seeing rotifers all over in the water.  But if it is small sand particles, then I think the water flow needs to be spread out with a spray bar, so you don't get such a large flow of water in one area. >>
Should we eliminate the original filtration/circulation system (eliminate the wet/dry,  bypass the Perfecto overflows and return assemblies and add another Eheim)? << Well tough question.  You'd have to pay the money for another Eheim.  I do like any type of sump areas, I think they really allow for excess tinkering (not that we need more reasons to tinker with our tanks or anything). >> Are canisters advisable with large marine systems (will we lose the oxygen we create with the wet/dry)? or should we just stick with what we have (wet/dry and Eheim) and add another Eheim. << Canister filters help, but live rock and live sand are really the keys to marine tanks.  They filter far greater than anything else. I wouldn't get rid of what you have, just maybe add something else.  You could add another Eheim but for the same cost, I would consider adding more live rock. >>
Regardless of what we do to the original filtration system, we will definitely add more live rock and a protein skimmer. << Fantastic, just what I was saying. >> Where we add the protein skimmer depends on what we do to the system.  We know this is not an exact science. Each system has it's own personality, but we would rather make any necessary major adjustments to our system now rather than rely on the patches we've made thus far and regret it later.  We would like to add more fish in the future (like angels and triggers) but are afraid the filtration is still not up to par.
(The nitrates are still at 80 since the beginning.) << That is high.  A deep sand bed and live rock will help there. >> We welcome your input, we hope our intentions are clearer than our previous email << I hope this helps answer your questions, but feel free to write back. >>
Thanks
Sincerely,
Nancy and Rocco
<<  Blundell  >>

Marine filtration
G'DAY Boys,<Hi, MikeD here>
I am running a 750 VIA AQUA PROFESSIONAL from the sump of the large trickle filter with Bio-balls, I transferred this from my last tank to speed up the process. The VIA AQUA has not been cleaned for at least one year now, can I, should I give the filter a over hall .<I'm not familiar with that particular filter, but if it's one with a biologic filter I'd leave it be. If it has a medium for solid removal, then you'll wan to clean/replace that portion>
Also you have suggested that I can start up a bit of MACROALGAE in my sump, with a small amount of light in the sump, can you give me a bit more info on this set up, and what are the pro's and con's with doing this.<This can be a great idea for a FO or FOWLR system. In essence, the macroalgae utilizes the nitrate, the end of the chain that often gives fish people the most trouble, as fertilizer and can remove amazingly large amounts from the water. If you decide to try it you'll need to find suitable macroalgae for the amount of light that you have, with each kind having different requirements. In some cases NO fluorescents work fine if left on 24/7 (Caulerpa is a good example), while some types require better lighting right on up to the same level as corals, which I'd stay away from. The pros/cons are that if it works well sometimes you can have an amazing amount of growth, which will need to be cut back or harvested. This can either be disposed of, fed to fish such as tangs and rabbitfish or even sometimes traded in to local LFS where it can be sold for starter cultures or live food for vegetarian species. With some macroalgae it can go "sexual" under some conditions, where the entire plant rapidly breaks down and is spread through the water as individual new cells, a form of reproduction.  When this happens a water change is usually needed, but it can often be avoided as well.>
Thanks Mate
CHRIS (oz) <You're welcome. I can't be more specific on species as Oz has its own laws on what can/can't be imported, information readily available through any good local LFS>

DialySeas...
Dear Bob,
<Alice>
    I have been reading some of your question and answer forums and have a question of my own. I have a 125 gal tank that I will be setting up next week for SW.  I have moved to a relatively small living area and the water changes are going to be a real hassle for me. I was wondering if you know anything about this company and their DialySeas product http://www.seavisions.com.
<Do remember this when it first "hit" the markets a few years back... in essence an RO/DI device... "that reduces maintenance by about 75%">
The water change feature is what has my interest. The smaller model will easily handle a 300 gal tank. If this thing actually works and I can set up the water changes automatically, I would be a happy camper.
<Does work to an extent... water changes are still advised however>
    Any input you can supply would be most appreciated.
Thank you,
Ali
<For my money, I would buy a less expensive "off the rack" device (RO, DI or RO/DI) and set the system up to facilitate easy maintenance otherwise... many things (good live rock), great skimming, careful feeding... can reduce the time, hassle, money involved here. Bob Fenner>

Filtration Question
<Hi Barry, Mac L here>
I am in the process of setting up an 6x2x2 reef system. In my last system I set up about four years ago I used a trickle filter as the filter system but since then loads of new filter systems are available. I am asking you what would you recommend as a filter system these days for this type of tank, I have plenty of room under the tank and above the tank and could you also tell me what's the best NNR setup at the moment. <There are few different options for filtration that are currently in use.  One of the most popular methods of filtration is a modified Berlin method.  This modified Berlin method consists of live rock, protein skimming, a deep sand bed, and excellent water flow.  The live rock will biologically filter your water, the protein skimmer will extract all pollutants and waste, and the water flow will keep dead spots at a minimum and allow particulate matter to remain suspended in the water column allowing the skimmer to remove it or organisms to eat it.  The deep sand bed (or DSB) acts as a nutrient/nitrate sink.  
The DSB has an aerobic zone and an anaerobic zone.  In the aerobic zone, you'll find micro-organisms that will eat detritus and fish waste (and in turn provide the fish with food) and in the anaerobic zone, you will find bacteria that break down nitrates.  It's important to keep this DSB at a depth of 3-6 inches for it to be effective.  There are numerous brands of protein skimmers and prices can range from in the mid-$200's up to $500+ for a tank size of 180. And before I forget to mention it there are some majorly good articles on marine tank setups to be found here. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/> Many Thanks Barry Edwards

Re: What filter 
<Hi again Barry, MacL here again.> What are your  thoughts on the Ecosystem " miracle mud" filter system better or worse than Berlin system?? <I have to tell you that I personally have a refugium system. Not a true ecosystem but designed along the same lines. I have friends who swear by the system. Unfortunately I also know of one person who quickly comes to mind who had her mud system crash. That being said, I really believe your system type needs to come from what you want to keep in your tank. If you want fish only, if you want fish with live rock, if you want corals and then again what type of coral. What you think your ultimate goal is. Do the fish you want to keep need high oxygenation? Do they need a nitrate free tank? What exactly do the fish you want to keep need and then you use the system that you believe is going to accomplish this for you. I think you are well on the way to doing this by investigating the systems out there but I really want you to think more about the fish, coral, invertebrates etc that you plan to keep. What their needs are and what system or even COMBINATION of systems will help you achieve this.> Regards
Barry Edwards  <Good luck Barry, MacL>

Canister filters and tang choices 6/20/04
Hey guys, just me again,
<Hi Jim, Adam here this time.>
I appreciate the insights. My system will include a canister (NuClear with just an "air filter" type insert which I will clean every four weeks by trading out a spare and soaking in a chlorine/H2O mixture and air drying out until the next change). When you say adding a canister, what do you mean?
<I think that whoever replied before mistyped and meant to say skimmer rather than canister.  I would strongly agree.  You will be much happier and things will be much more stable with a skimmer present.  Although the Remora Pro is an excellent skimmer, it would be much to small for this tank.  Consider one of the EV series (180 perhaps?).  There isn't a hang on on the market that I would consider up to the job of a 129 gallon tank.  Do consider cleaning the canister much more often than monthly.  I generally advise against them because of the maintenance chore they create for what, in my opinion is minimal benefit.>
As for a substitute for the Naso, I had a list of alternates in case there was an issue with this guy:
Sailfin Tang - (Z. Desjardinii or Z. Veliferum)
Scopas Tang (Z. Scopas)
Kole's Tang (Yellow eye Tang)
Any other suggestions would be appreciated!!
<All of the Zebrasomas and Ctenochaetus tangs are generally very invert safe and quite hardy.  Any of them can be recommended, but please do quarantine!>
Thanks again and nothing but the best for you and yours,  Jim
<Thanks Jim, you too!  Adam>

Uupgrading 90 FO to 180 FO 6/14/04
I was hoping that you could give me some advice on upgrading my tank.  I currently have a 90 gallon FOWLR.  I will soon be moving and see it as a chance to upgrade.  I have had my eye on a 180-gallon tank, and would like your input on what I would need to add/change.  First, livestock includes: algae blenny, coral beauty angel, black and white Heniochus, yellow tang, dogface puffer, snowflake moray, and a Volitans.  As for hardware, I have a CPR 900 wet/dry with Rio 2100, Cascade 1000 canister, 36W UV sterilizer, 48" single fluorescent light, 48" single power compact strip, and the SeaClown 100 (which I have learned to despise).
<I have to disclose a bias...  Except in the case of heavily stocked predator tanks, I generally recommend that even fish only tanks be managed like reef tanks (no intense lighting needed, of course).  I generally suggest relying on live rock and a good skimmer for the lion's share of filtration and maintaining normal-high calcium and alkalinity so that coralline algae predominates over nuisance varieties.  Live rock is perfectly capable of handling the biological filtration and wet/dry's lead to nitrate accumulation.>
If I move up to a 180, would there be room for any additional fish, say a blue regal tang or more?
<Absolutely.>
I traded in my old blue tang after she began nipping at the fins of the puffer but I would like to have one again.  I have also thought about a large angel.
<You definitely have the space, but you must consider such unpleasant interactions when adding new fish.  Also, you may have to be prepared to give up a newly added fish or one of your old friends, depending on your priorities.>
I have only about 50 lbs of live rock and would like to purchase more for a 180, maybe another 50-100 lbs.
<Great idea!  Good quality rock (like Marshall Islands or Kaelini) is more porous and you get more for your dollar, and fill more space with less pounds.  It also has more surface area for biological filtration.  If you aim for an aesthetically pleasing amount of rock, you should be in a reasonable range for good function as well.>
Would I need to bump up the lighting for the live rock?
<Probably not, unless you want to encourage the growth of any hitch hiking corals or macro algaes>
Might it be okay if I kept the SeaClone and add an AquaC Remora Pro or Urchin Pro?  The sump of the wet/dry is about 9x9.5"... not really enough space for the EV series.
<I would forget about the sea-clone.  Even with modifications, it is only good for up to about a 20-30 gallon tank.  An urchin or Remora are way too small for a 180 with the stocking levels you are aiming for.  More evidence of my bias...  I would use some simple, central mechanical filtration in place of the wet/dry (micron bags or blue filter pad for example).  I would also probably consider a larger, basic sump (a 40 gal breeder would be a great choice).  This would give you plenty of room for a bigger skimmer (like an EV-180 or EV-240).>
Also, would I want to add another filter?  I thought about another CPR 900, but maybe I need a canister for more mechanical instead?  With all of these factors, what would you say is the order of importance for changing/adding?  Thank you for your help and time.
<I would eliminate all power filters/mechanical filter in favor of one simple central mechanical filter a described above.  Power/canister filters are maintenance hassles and along with wet/dries promote the accumulation of nitrate.  Any mechanical filter should be thoroughly cleaned every few days, and you are far more likely to actually do so with one easily accessible central filter.
Additional recommendations would be to get a "reef ready" tank, or better yet, have the tank drilled with several holes along the upper back edge for drainage and return to and from your sump.  Brisk water movement (at least 5-10x the tank volume per hour) will help keep wastes in suspension and moving toward your central mechanical filter.  Hope this all helps!  Adam>

Re: canister or wet dry?
Hey guys,
I have a question. I have a 100 gal tank that has been up and running for 6 months. I have a 4 inch live sand bed and 70 lb of live rock. I am running a CPR dual BakPak that pulls dark fluid needing to be emptied weekly. I have t-5 lighting and had two Fluval 404 s till one went down. I also have 2 802 AquaClears for water movement. I only have a few gobies (4) and two cardinals but want to add some corals. Should I get another Fluval or should I change to a wet dry? <I would definitely switch to a wet/dry or setup a refugium...I would actually do the latter.>If the sump option how much should it circulates I want to get rid of all heat producing pumps in tank. My tank is not drilled so I would need an overflow?.<yes you would definitely need an overflow>I'm at a loss and don't know which way to turn with this, but one filter down I don't have much time to mess around. Would like to go the best way to eventually have some nice sps and LPS corals as they have taken over my interest. (plus I have the lights and are a waste on fish only.) Help please you guys seem to be the only ones who know what's up. And are not trying to sell me something I don't need.
P.S the deep sand bed you recommended works great.<Yea the DSB works well, I would try to get a wet/dry but if it doesn't work out or isn't convenient I would say you're OK with 2 Fluvals>
<IanB>
thanks in advance.
Erik Lobe 

Polishing Water
Hello Bob, et al,
<Scott F. here today>
I am in the midst of moving my 80G marine tank into a new 125G. I am now using a Euro Reef  CS8-2 skimmer; an Iwaki MD40RXT pump (about 1150 GPH) for circulation, plus a MagDrive 700 return pump from a 20G sump and 30G refugium. I have a total of about 160 lbs Indonesian Live Rock in the main tank and in the refugium. The tank is currently FOWLR, but have aspirations to include a variety of corals in the future. Right now, during the move, the tank is very lightly stocked with a cleaner crew only, but I will be adding carefully selected fish when the time is
right.
<Excellent...Nothing wrong with going slow>
My question is this; I want to add a filter for the sole purpose of just polishing the water - I am a fanatic when it comes to crystal clear unpolluted water for my fish.
<A, a fellow clean water fanatic! I can relate>
BUT, I cannot decide between these two options:
1) An Eheim 2028 canister, which would add another 350 or so GPH
circulation. I am currently using another Eheim 2028 (love them) in a large freshwater tank I also have.
<Eheim makes excellent filters with a fine track record. They are easy to service, too- which is a huge plus when dealing with mechanical filtration systems, which need to be attended to frequently>
2) An "Ocean Clear" (in-line) Canister with a 25-micron filter. This canister (11" x 11") would then be added to the above mentioned Iwaki circulation system.
<Ahh...Another excellent filter with large capacity and great performance.>
Which of the above would you recommend, and why - I just cannot decide!
<I suppose that I would go for the Eheim, for it's simplicity and ease of maintenance. Micron filters tend to clog up  a lot quicker than other mechanical media, and it might just be easier to go with the Eheim.>
Any other suggestions or comments of how to obtain highest possible water clarity?
<I'm a big fan of activated carbon, which, if replaced frequently, does an outstanding job at "polishing" water. You could also use ozone, which is a super way of creating crystal clear water. It does require some degree of understanding as to how it works, or you could create problems, though! I also like the "micron filter socks" that you can place at the bottom of your sump's standpipes, to catch some finer particulate matter. They do require frequent cleaning and/or replacement to avoid becoming "nutrient traps".>
By the way, I don't know what I would do without your helpful FAQ's and my copy of the Conscientious Marine Aquarist! Thanks so much. Tage
<You're quite welcome, Tage! We have as much fun bringing the site to you as we hope you have visiting it! Best of luck with your new system! Regards, Scott F.>

Filtration & ditto
Hello My question is I have a 29 gal tank and a AquaClear 500 is my filter to big for my tank or is it fine. I am new to this and this is my first run so to speak.<The first thing I would do is read, read, read you can find tons of info on our site: www.wetwebmedia.com.  If you still have any questions after you look through our site just shoot us your question.  Cody>
                                           Thank you
                                                      RC

Best Filtration for a 110g FO Tank 
I'm setting up a 110 gallon fish only tank.  I work at a highly regarded pet shop where everyone is very experienced, 
<you're very lucky and so are your customers. I wish I had one of those around when I started> 
..and they are all telling me something different. 
<That is not all that unusual in this hobby. I am sure you have heard the expression "different strokes for different folks". There is more than one way to get the same or similar effect > 
For filtration for a fish only tank is it better to have a canister and a hang on filter, a wet dry with a hang on, or just a wet dry? What is the ideal filtration for a fish only tank? 
< Live rock, sand and a Protein skimmer would be very beneficial. The type of fish you want keep should be taken into consideration when making this decision. For instance Puffers, Eels and Triggers are much messier eaters, heavy waste producers and can have few if any clean up critters in their tanks as most will make meals of the clean up crew. So as a result require more filtration than some of the cleaner less messy fish. I am really not sure there is any ideal. As you can gather form your co workers advice there are different ways to do the same thing. The best advice I can give you is to do some research of your own and once you have done some reading, formulate some questions and ask for trusted friends experiences. You can start with this article Archetypal “Fish-Only Marine Systems" 
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fishonsetup.htm as well as the related FAQs http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fosetupfaqs.htm and 
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fosetupfaq3.htm  
You could also post here on the Chat Forums http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/ asking what has worked best for folks with your size tank and proposed stock list. 
There are also some good threads on http://www.reefcentral.com. 
What works well for one may not work well for another. I can tell you canisters are not my favorite filters. I have 2 high end canisters sitting in my garage. They came highly recommended by several folks whose opinions I trust. I find them to be a pain to get out from under the tank for cleaning and media changes and not only that, no matter how careful I was opening and closing them, I always had water on the carpet. Some might say I am just messy :). So guess what.....I didn't clean the darn things as often as I should have and I had some problems in my tanks at the time and lost some fish. It does not matter how ideal something may be if you don’t use it properly it could be considered be close to useless, as those canisters were for me. 
I am not sure which, if any of the hang on the back filters would be appropriate for a 110g. I have done quite a bit of research and most if not all are rated for smaller tanks. I did come across one hang on the back wet/dry trickle with a skimmer but have no experience with it. It seems from reading the posts on several boards that wet/dry trickle filters are preferred by most FO keepers Most of the folks with tanks over 50g seem to use sumps and refugiums. I can say I personally need something I can get to easily without making a mess. > 
Thanks! 
<Your quite welcome>, Leslie

New to Salt, but not to Water -II 
>Thanks for your previous help but now I have 2 more questions. 
>>Oy! Alright, lay it on me. 
>Since I am planning on keeping live rock I've read that the wet/dry isn't a good idea. 
>>Yeah, lots of folks like to call them things like "nitrate factories", as if nitrification doesn't need to take place, or the wet/dry units somehow produce more nitrates than wastes that originally went into the system. I say, "Pf!" 
>So I'm not planning to use bioballs but water will still be running through the built-in (actually built on the outside) sump or wet/dry chamber. I'm wondering if I could convert it into something beneficial? 
>>If you're going to do anything, study refugiums/refugia technology. It's much more a step in the right direction. You'll need to slow flow down in there, and if you decide to grow macroalgae you'll need to consider a bit of lighting. 
>The wet/dry measures 7"H x 11"W x 4"D, and the entire sump measures 13.5"H x 11"W x 4"D. The guy at the LFS told me to put some live rocks in there. 
>>Yes, but don't fill it completely, you'll need to ensure that water can flow THROUGH. 
>My other question is about protein skimmers. I did some research and the only HOT skimmers that would fit (it would go into the built in wet/dry chamber) are the Remora, Seaclone, and Visi-Jet. 
>>Stay away from the SeaClone! Of course, if you set up a nice little 'fuge, you can get away from skimming altogether. 
>Would these overskim in a 16 gallon tank (if that's possible), or would I just end up with excellent water quality? 
>>It's possible to overskim, but I don't think any of these units will do that. 
>If it's too much I am planning on getting a cheap internal air lift type. 
>>I would spend the time and money on getting a refugium going instead. If you want to skim (and LOTS of people really advocate skimming, some going as far as to say you can't have a salt tank without it - which is hooey, but another issue) then the Remora would be my first recommendation. A lot of people start off skimming, then set up a fuge and decide that skimming is more harmful than beneficial, as it can remove a lot of the creatures one is growing in a 'fuge. Generally, for beginners, skimming is recommended, though. 
>Thanks again. Thomas 
>>You're quite welcome Thomas. Welcome to the our world. Marina

Grandfathers Bearing Gifts - A Warning, and Condolences
>Dear Marina,
>>Hello Dana.
>Thank you so much for the advice regarding our Sea Clear System II aquarium. 
>>You're very welcome, though I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help to you, and sooner.
>While I haven't yet been able to thoroughly explore the websites you recommended (although I certainly plan to spend much more time on them), you've already been a big help. 
>>Big relief! Great.
>Even though I'm sure we've still got a way to go to perfect it all, you were right regarding the water pump - while it was still humming, it turns out that it stopped functioning properly, probably shortly after we added our fish - and there has been virtually no water circulation at all, thus no real filtration either. 
>>Not surprising after setting dry for those years. It may have not been doing well even when it was put way. 
>The decorative air pump crocodile my six-year-old added may be the only thing that has kept them alive.... 
>>Indeed!
>Since your e-mail, I was at least able to find someone in a neighboring city who was somewhat familiar with the system, and he replaced the pump and added extra filtration (more foam and bio-balls than we were initially advised) just last night. Already, the environment looks better!
>>Ah! Fantastic! He's worth his weight in gold.
>Thank you again, and I will continue to learn from both your and your recommended websites.... Dana
>>Again, most welcome.
P.S. Please accept my sincerest condolences regarding the similarities in our fathers' operating styles - what's the expression? "Beware of (grand)fathers bearing gifts.... ;-)
>>Thank you so much, as you have mine as well. Be thankful yours didn't show up with a pair of quadrunners. Or computers, or.. well, my own father sometimes doesn't know when to stop. Fortunately, my boys have suffered nothing worse than being extremely SPOILT by their grandfather. Marina 

Marine filtration-a-palooza
Marina, or anyone for that matter,
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
I am thinking of adding a 100 gallon Rubbermaid tub to my 65 hex tank by plumbing it through the floor to the basement. Do you have any recommendations for possible flow?
<to be determined by how many overflow holes you have and how much water they can physically handle. If you are drilling holes in the main display, seek enough to run 10-20X tank volume per hour through>
Sand bed, or crushed coral?
<in the sump? if so... likely no. Best to have DSBs and refugiums in dedicated/partitioned vessels. In this sump, your first partitioned section should simply be empty for collecting raw water to feed your skimmer from>
I have a plenum set up in the 65. Any advice that you have will be helpful as I've never set up a fuge. My tank is a 65 hex, 175w halide 2 55w actinics, CPR BakPak skimmer, Fluval 404 canister, 2 300gph powerheads, water parameters all great. I understand the benefits of a fuge but the upgrade in water volume, does it make my skimmer, and filter inefficient?
<no my friend... impossible. Please use all... especially the skimmer>
How about sell filter, get bigger skimmer?
<running two skimmers simultaneously is an excellent idea . Clean them alternately so as to reduce the interruption of skimmate production>
Like I said any help your fine crew can offer will surely help, and be taken as real live genuine wisdom. Beer warm, must go now! Thanks, Chad
<best of luck, Anthony>

Filtration Options (4/7/04)
  Dear Bob, <Steve Allen helping out tonight.>
  I know you must get millions of mail like this but after reading the FAQ's and chatting on ReefCentral and thereeftank.com I am a little confused with which avenue I should pursue. I have a 46 gal tank currently with only 20lb LR (cured) , 90 lbs LS, 2 powerheads, and an aqua C remora HOT skimmer. I need filtration--I understand that a sump is probably the best idea for a reef tank but because of space restraints I can not utilize a sump. <Bummer. Time for plan B.> I had planned on getting an Eheim pro II 2026 canister filter but apparently this filtration method doesn't meet the approval of practically everyone I talk to. <I agree that a canister is a pain. They need frequent cleaning to cut down on nitrate production.> Is a refugium a better way to go? That idea doesn't have mechanical filtration. <A refugium is a great way to grow macroalgae for nutrient export and nurturing microcrustaceans for food. However, the best ways to do a refugium are in a sump or in a second tank above the main with gravity draining the water back to the main. I really like the AquaFuge HOT refugium, but again no mechanical filtration.> My budget limits me to only spending 175-225 MAX for filtration. In your opinion, what should I do with this dilemma? <For mechanical filtration, I'd go with a nice HOT power filter without a Bio-Wheel. You can run carbon and other media in there and replace easily. Cost less than $50. Spend the rest on more live rock. A refugium would be nice, but it's hard to imagine a way to combine this with mechanical filtration in your system.> Any suggestions would be appreciated <Hope this helps.> Sincerely, Steve Marandola

Making the best of what you have 
Hi guys, <Hello! Ryan Bowen with you today> Your forums great and very helpful. <Many thanks> I am setting up a 120 gal fish only tank. It will have some live rock and use biological filtration and a remora skimmer. (Right now I cant afford the 120lb's of live rock.) <Understood> I will be using an emperor BioWheel 400 and a Hagen 300 with live rock in the filter box. <OK> My question is do the BioWheels put enough oxygen in the water and would I be better off using a Hagen 500 filter instead of the BioWheels. The Hagen filters seem to cause more surface disruption but the bio wheels have a spray bar to help rotate the wheels, which I assume would oxygenate the water better than the Hagen would. <I think that the bio-wheels actually keep the oxygen levels in the tank the highest...but I would point a powerhead in a way that it disrupts the surface water as well.> What's your take on this? I have another bio wheel its a penguin 330 filter and can use this instead of the Hagen but it does not have the spray bar. <Won't hurt> Buy the way, In 1 year I will be buying a s