Filter Media

[Santa]

What biological media (if any) have you found to work best in a saltwater FOWLR tank? I currently have activated carbon in my 55g, but I'm not sure if its the best.

 

[CoolWaters]

i heard that all u really need is good flow like some powerheads (30-50 turnovers) and lots of live rock and live sand helps.

some recommend bio wheel correct me if im wrong...

 

[Lotus]

If you have live rock, you shouldn't really need additional biological filtration. Most of the time, biomedia will increase nitrates, which isn't a good thing.

 

[Santa]

so no more carbon. For some reason I thought it was really important.

 

[Lotus]

Carbon isn't a biological filtration, it's a chemical one.

 

[Lorna]

Carbon is used by many sw enthusiasts to polish their water......remove yellow etc. There is nothing wrong with running carbon. It isn't used in biological filtration, that is done optimally by live rock and a live deep sand bed. Many still use bioballs and a wet/dry trickle filter also....though these have proven to be nitrate traps over the long term. The live rock/dsb method is pretty much the way to go and is virtually maintenance free once established with a good protein skimmer and frequent water changes.

 

[TRe]

virtually maintenance free once established with a good protein skimmer and frequent water changes.

theres no such thing as a maintenace free saltwater tank

 

[Lorna]

I didn't mean that the tank was maintenance free, but the rock definitely is. As in you don't need to change it or wash it or clean it etc........

I told my husband that sw was maintenance free, that was how I wrangled him into letting me do sw...........he is now of the opinion that you need a masters degree in marine biology to run one.........but if I didn't enjoy it I wouldn't do it.