Filtration for my 180

[maryhm]

My 180 for my soon-to-be T. lineatus or T. pustulatus (or Pustulaka!) came with a ProClear 300 Wet Dry full of bioballs and a 850 gph pump. Proclear recommends a 1200gph pump on that filter, but can I get by with the 850gph? Is there some type of mechanical filtration medium that I can just stick in the wet dry, or do I have to go out and buy a canister filter or power filter, too?

[xrayjeeper83]

A bigger pump would be better, but i think you can get away with the 850 if you do 50% water changes weekly.
All I had with the wet/dry that I had at one point was some floss above the bioballs, then after the balls in the space going to the return side was a thick block foam.

Most people will agree that a wet/dry is better then a canister for big tanks. Plus a new pump would be a lot cheaper then a canister that would be big enough for that tank.

[J-P]

I'd go canister for bio only and wet dry for mechanical.. if I could

[maryhm]

What kind of mediums are being run in mechanical filters these days?

[J-P]

coarse sponge, pot scrubber (maybe just me) and filter floss

[maryhm]

Heck, there's plenty of room in that wet dry to throw some of that kind of stuff in there. No one using carbon anymore?

[Pufferpunk]

Carbon isn't necessary for FW tanks.

[jtbadco]

Carbon only to remove particulate matter (cloudy water),...definitely not with plants tho.

I'm also a fan of sponges, filter floss, (mechanical) and plastic pot-scrubbies (for bio-media)

I also suggest just buying a bigger pump rather than a seperate canister filter.

HTH
Blaine

[RTR]

"Carbon only to remove particulate matter..." Sorry, but this statement is contrary to fact. Carbon is a very poor mechanical medium, and if used it should be behind (downstream) of a good mechanical filter to protect it from clogging. Carbon is intended for removing undesirable dissolved materials from water, especially organics and dyes/colorants.

But I do agree that there is little use for carbon in FW tanks which are properly maintained (not over- or improperly fed, and given routine 50% partials. Carbon is just not cost-effective there.

All of my large tanks have been filtered by separate bio- and mechanical filtration. But then, so are all of my mid-sized tanks. I do like pre-filtered external canisters for dedicated bio-only filtration. My mechanical is rinsed weekly, and that is too much effort with even user-friendly external canisters. I use varying foam densities for mechanical. I don't like disposable filter media such as floss and will not use them.

HTH

[briguy44]

Just for when my GSPs go marine; is it important for saltwater tanks to run carbon? I don't run it now with them in brackish water.

[RTR]

IMHO, no it is not.

[Pufferpunk]

I agree--for FO, not as important as with a reef.