I'm On The Edge!

[seffieuk]

Am I right in thinking that the sponge can potentially harbour to many nitrites/rates??

Indeed it can, needs careful and very regular cleaning and replacing to avoid this problem. Better to use the rubble imo, but that also needs cleaning and flushing through

Seffie x

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Am I right in thinking that the sponge can potentially harbour to many nitrites/rates??

Indeed it can, needs careful and very regular cleaning and replacing to avoid this problem. Better to use the rubble imo, but that also needs cleaning and flushing through

Seffie x

Sorry Seffie I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this one thing

The use of mechanical filtration (and bio filtration such as bio balls) in marine tanks is always dismissed as being a "nitrate trap".

The thinking is that you have a sponge in the tank it traps all the debris that rots down and causes nitrates/phosphates.

Now this in theory is true but if you think a little further where is all the debris coming from? That's right, the water column/display tank.

So you take the sponge out, now what happens? all the debris just floats around in the tank getting caught up under and in LR where it rots down anyway and you cant get to it.

Now if you had left that sponge in all the debris would be trapped in it and now to remove them from the tank you just need to pull out the sponge and rinse it off (or replace it) and all that crud has now been taken out of your tank.

I never used to run with any mechanical filtration because ever since I got into marines everyone has always said "no you will just get high nitrates/phosphates, ammonia spikes and possibly evil imps will spawn from it and devour your fish". Despite the fact that I couldn't see the logic in it I went with it anyway because everyone couldn't be wrong...

Since rescaping my tank though I'm now using a small internal filter (think its a fluval 3 internal filter) packed with filter wool and I have a load of sponge packed around the return pump in my sump. I replace the filter wool at least once a week and clean the sponges out around the return pump every few weeks (these don't actually collect that much, was more to protect the pump in case my cheato gets through to it again!). The filter wool pulls out a LOT of crud from the water and I would highly recommend using it (get big bags of it though and replace at least once a week).

The thing with mechanical filtration in a marine tank is that you have to be committed to regularly cleaning/changing it. If you aren't going to clean it/replace it regularly (like once a week) then don't use it, it adds no benefit. If you can clean/replace it regularly though it can do an amazing job of keeping your water clear and removing crud that would have eventually added to your phosphates/nitrates.


PS: Is Jenny still posting on here? Haven't seen her around in awhile?

 

[andrewguk]

Amazing tank Jenny!

I've just bought a Fluval Edge (1st aquarium ever) & I can't wait to get stuck in & get some fish in there!

 

[seffieuk]

Andrew - how about starting a journel

Seffie x