Filtration Necessary?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Otherone said:
Filter-less aquarium - Beta Bowls.
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Technically there is filtration in the substrate, lol.

Side note, Betta's survive in bowls, but don't thrive. Even betta bowls should really have something to move the water.
 
Wiggles92 said:
I'd say that these UV sterilizers are about as budget-friendly as they get. Sterilizers are more for irradiating bacteria, algae, and parasites rather than reducing nitrates by the way.
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That is as budget friendly as they get, and it still isn't budget friendly. Buying a new bulb at least once every 6 months for UV's isn't cheap. I also believe it totally isn't necessary. UV's don't really remove nitrates. They will kill some parasites and algae spores, but that's about it. Plus, without a sump it will just be one more thing hanging on the back of the tank.
 
I have no problem hanging equipment from the left corner to the right corner of the back of my tank, as long as it's beneficial. With that being said, I know UV helps with algae, parasites, and bacteria, but I thought it also helped control nitrates in the same fashion. Yeah learn something new everyday.

So I guess the main thing I'm getting from this thread is the importance of a quality protein skimmer. Get a protein skimmer. Got it. ;)

Also, if anyone is interested in seeing how the tank is coming along so far, here's a FTS. I just added 22 more pounds of base rock from reefcleaners.org which is why you can see the two tones. The new stuff doesn't have the diatoms all over it yet. All of the rock though, is Florida reef rock from reefcleaners.org. Just had to make separate orders as the pocket allowed.

View attachment 729707
 
framcosco said:
OK, time for me to be blasted.... all aquariums with any type of fish need filtration. There is no such thing as a filter-less aquarium. In a salt water setup, the live rock and live sand is the filtration.....
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I'm glad you posted this. It's 100% true. FILTRATION IS NEEDED, and happening even if you dont' think it is. I'm going to toss some more info out there. There are three types of filtration: Mechanical, biological and chemical. Chemical can be skipped 98% of the time (things like carbon, phosphate sponges etc...)

A SUMP by itself is not a filter. It's just more water volume. LIVE ROCK is not a filter- it's surface area for aerobic bacteria to grow on. The bacteria is part of the biological filtration. It's using a living organism to break down the waste from other living things.

The canisters, HOB fitlers, pt skimmers/ foam fractionation and any type of sock/pad that physically collects waste is mechanical. Mechanical is designed to pull waste out of the water column so it can be removed prior to it breaking down. If you have enough mechanical, the load on your biological filtration is much less, and will help with stability in the tank. In my experience, the mechancial filtration is the key to any well sorted life support system (filter system).

Biological is the aerobic bacteria. Fluidized beds, bio towers (bio balls/barrels), rock etc.... all provide surface area for the colony of bacteria to grow on. If you have water touching something, it's a surface for bacteria. The key is to get a large enough (and stable enough) colony going to support breaking down the waste not removed by your mechanical filtration. Biological is not intended to remove debris and sediment from the water column (like rock breaking down, sand breaking down etc...). It is specifically going after bioloical waste from the living organisms in the tank.

The only reasons I run a sump on things is for the ability to do large volume water changes with tanks stocked to the top with coral and to run my pumps to the mechanical filtration.
 
honestly, I think everyone knows that filtration occurs via the substrate and live rock...

I think the op was referring more to external filtration or at least that is how I understood it
 
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