External Filter

[kennygater]

hi i have a juewl lido 120 litre, half filled with live rock. i have a eheim external filter sitting in the garage and was wondering if it was worth useing it for my tank? any help would be great thanks

 

[Harry1996]

you dont need one your live rock will be the filter just make sure you have plenty of flow in there and you will be fine.

 

[Anguilla82]

they can be useful on small tanks.
i ran one with my 24g nano, and it contained some peices of live rock (acted as a cryptic zone - growing sponges etc.) and my rowaphos in a filter bag.

just don't use it with any of the filter pads as they can become clogged with detritus and become nitrate factories!

 

[kennygater]

they can be useful on small tanks.
i ran one with my 24g nano, and it contained some peices of live rock (acted as a cryptic zone - growing sponges etc.) and my rowaphos in a filter bag.

just don't use it with any of the filter pads as they can become clogged with detritus and become nitrate factories!

so if i just fill the filter with live rock and a filter pad, that would be better? there does seem to be a lot of stuff building up even though i do a 10% water change every week. or would it be better to get a skimmer or mud filter?
thanks

 

[Anguilla82]

as i said, DON'T use a filter pad they will get clogged quite quickly and unless you plan to change them every week its not worth it.
The external is useful in 3 ways: 1-it will add a bit of extra volume, 2-you can put live rock in it to aid filtration, and 3-its somewhere you can put your phosphate remover.

You say there is some stuff builing up. what is it and where is it building up?

 

[kennygater]

as i said, DON'T use a filter pad they will get clogged quite quickly and unless you plan to change them every week its not worth it.
The external is useful in 3 ways: 1-it will add a bit of extra volume, 2-you can put live rock in it to aid filtration, and 3-its somewhere you can put your phosphate remover.

You say there is some stuff builing up. what is it and where is it building up?

just seems to be a lot of crap floating around and the top is full brown stuff on top?

 

[Anguilla82]

what sort of CUC (clean up crew) have you got?
Is it a newly set up tank? if so, the suspended particles will settle.
If you are getting a film on the water's surface then you need more surface agitation. try pointing a powerhead towards the surface so that it moves it. This is important for gaseous exchange.

If the brown stuff is on the sand then it could be a diatom algae outbreak. Quite common for a newly cycled/cycling tank. Make sure you are using a good phosphate remover and decent flow over the sand should help to clear the algae up along with some decent CUC.

Many people have problems with algae but it is a sign of a maturing tank and i you let it run its course your tank will be fine in teh end, (but it can look a right mess for a while!!).

Sorry if i'm telling you to suck eggs with some of this, but i don't know you or your tank's history LOL!

 

[kennygater]

what sort of CUC (clean up crew) have you got?
Is it a newly set up tank? if so, the suspended particles will settle.
If you are getting a film on the water's surface then you need more surface agitation. try pointing a powerhead towards the surface so that it moves it. This is important for gaseous exchange.

If the brown stuff is on the sand then it could be a diatom algae outbreak. Quite common for a newly cycled/cycling tank. Make sure you are using a good phosphate remover and decent flow over the sand should help to clear the algae up along with some decent CUC.

Many people have problems with algae but it is a sign of a maturing tank and i you let it run its course your tank will be fine in teh end, (but it can look a right mess for a while!!).

Sorry if i'm telling you to suck eggs with some of this, but i don't know you or your tank's history LOL!

no thats fine, i have had marine tanks before but they was a lot bigger with a sump so it was a lot easier, i have never had a skimmer or filter so im not to clued up on them.

i have only got a few snails and crabs and have ordered a powerhead for the tank as the one in there isnt very powerfull

what i do need to know is it better to get a skimmer, a hang on mud filter, or just use a external filter filled with live rock?
any advise would be great.
thanks