Filtration

[Jrid1997]

Why doesn't anyone just use hob filters like the emperor 400? I have a 20 gallon quarantine tank for smaller fish and use a hob filter and my nitrite stays at 0 and my nitrate stays low when I keep up on water changes. Could I use like two hob filters on a 75 gallon tank and keep easier corals?


Sorry if this is a dumb question I'm trying to learn lol

[Dkuhlmann]

Live rock is the filtration for reef tanks, you don't need any HOB filters or canister types. The addition of a protein skimmer gets rid of unwanted waste

[heathlindner25]

Live rock is the filtration for reef tanks, you don't need any HOB filters or canister types. The addition of a protein skimmer gets rid of unwanted waste

This, unless you want to run a hang on the back for carbon, but I wouldn't run any mechanical filter pad through it. It's just uneeded work. Let the sand be your filter and keep your sand bed clean

[Natereef]

Why doesn't anyone just use hob filters like the emperor 400? I have a 20 gallon quarantine tank for smaller fish and use a hob filter and my nitrite stays at 0 and my nitrate stays low when I keep up on water changes. Could I use like two hob filters on a 75 gallon tank and keep easier corals?


Sorry if this is a dumb question I'm trying to learn lol

A lot of people run HOB filters but not for filtering per se, but for running chemical filters like carbon, gfo etc and maybe the occational filter floss to polish the water.

[Jrid1997]

Has anyone had success without a protein skimmer

[cloak]

Yeah, lots of people do. I'm not sure if you frequent the Nano Forum, but there should be all kinds of examples there. You can go skimmerless on a large tank too, but you will have to work a little harder. Just as an example instead of changing out 5 gallons on a regular basis for a nano, you'll probably be changing out 10 or 15 gallons instead. (maybe more) The overall husbandry is basically the same though. GL.

[sde1500]

I ran a HOB bio wheel filter on my nano. Worked relatively well, but after running a skimmer on my current tank I'd never go back.

[Pigpen17]

I run a HOB skimmer and a media reactor for GFO or carbon. I've even filled it with filter floss. As far as running without a skimmer, I wouldn't, but there are alternatives. Macro algae can act as a natural filter, but unless you have a lot of it, it won't really help that much. Also it's not a choice between a HOB filter or a skimmer. They have totally different functions. Like the others have said, your live rock will do the work your HOB filter would.

[GaG8tor]

I ran an Aquaclear 50 HOB on my 20L several years back and had a really nice little reef. Just set up another 20L and bought the same filter for it as well. They are made by Fluval now and I highly recommend them. I;m running all the media in it at the moment until I get some more live rock. Probably will add a skimmer also because I think I have a couple of clowns that wanna have babies and that is going to be their tank. All a matter of personal opinion and choice I suppose. Every situation and every tank is different.

[CStrickland]

They work differently. The filter catches larger stuff in the water, and the skimmer pulls out what it turns into after it rots. But a filter doesn't take it all the way out of the water, it just traps it in one place underwater to rot. Unless you clean the filter like every other day, it's worse to trap it there because when it rots it produces nitrates that feed algae. Thats not a problem in fresh water tanks, so filters are better used there. Reef tanks can't have as much nitrates, so it's better not to use filters that can't be cleaned often.

If you skip the filter, you can avoid the nitrates, and all the spendy media to deal with it. The bacteria that live on the rock can do alot of that work if you let them. If you can't afford a skimmer, IMO the best thing is to go easy on your livestock until you can. Whether it's 5 or 50 gallons, the amount of poop and pee is based on the number of fish. Less fish, less waste, simple :)

[JJCriss]

Im running a BH50 Reef Octo. Have about a 1" sand bed and a decent amount of live rock in my 65 gallon reef. Should I consider using a GFO/Carbon reactor?

[Pigpen17]

I'm not sure. My philosophy has always been, if you don't need it, don't get it. But I ended up needing to get a reactor to run GFO for algae control. Some people really like running carbon, and if you were going to do that, I would suggest a reactor over a filter.