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Coral Vue Hydros

Filtration/Clean up crew on this setup - would you, or wouldn't you?


stash98

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I just migrated to a Mr Aqua 12 gallon long. Holy cow, what a sweet tank. I don't think I can go back to the traditional 10-15 gallon shape ever again. The tank has so much more length for a fish to swim up and down and scaping it was 1,000 times easier.

 

I also went against my bare bottom preference and added an inch and a half of aragonite sand. The reason I did this was my bare bottom was killing my corals. Even though I had a lot of flow, there was still a ton of detritus on the floor of the tank that I could never catch up with, and it was causing issues. Additionally, there was a white slime outbreak in my AC70 filter that I ran floss in. No idea why that happened, but it sucked, and I couldn't get rid of it.

 

So now I have the tank set up with a Chalice, Hammers (one is probably dead. I placed the skeleton with just a little bit of flesh left after an iodine dip to see if it could recover in the new tank) Florida Riccordea, green Star polyps (which were not opening up, another red flag. They are already opening in the new tank) and a maroon clown.

 

I have no clean up crew right now. My two turbo snails died in my last tank after months of feasting on algae. I am not sure if they ran out of food, or what happened. It is a bit of a mystery, but I do know that I will need a clean up crew for the sand. I want to keep it minimal, but I'd like see what you all recommend there.

 

I'm not looking to drill the tank, so I went out and added an internal Fluval U2 filter, as I wanted something to get the water clear. It has 3 compartments (2 foam/carbon and 1 bio media). My other question is focused around this. Do I need to run this filter in the tank all the time, and if so, is the media I am using the best option? Since I have live rock, I was thinking I could just run foam and maybe put chemi pure blue packs in the bio slot.

 

Additionally, I have two Hydro Koralia Powerheads on the each end of the tank. They provide a lot of flow as my torch and hammer are swaying around quite nicley and the water is distressed. I change a gallon of water a week and plan to vaccum different areas of the sand bed when I do that, once everything is established.

 

I've read about people running tanks with no filter, so I'm just curious to figure out the best way forward. If I ran no filter I'd just be relying on water changes and water movement.

 

All these years of reefing and Im still unsure if the filter just becomes a trap that crap can grow in,or if it is beneficial. Any help and experience with the Fluval submersible is appreciated.

 

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Cencalfishguy56

I just migrated to a Mr Aqua 12 gallon long. Holy cow, what a sweet tank. I don't think I can go back to the traditional 10-15 gallon shape ever again. The tank has so much more length for a fish to swim up and down and scaping it was 1,000 times easier.

 

I also went against my bare bottom preference and added an inch and a half of aragonite sand. The reason I did this was my bare bottom was killing my corals. Even though I had a lot of flow, there was still a ton of detritus on the floor of the tank that I could never catch up with, and it was causing issues. Additionally, there was a white slime outbreak in my AC70 filter that I ran floss in. No idea why that happened, but it sucked, and I couldn't get rid of it.

 

So now I have the tank set up with a Chalice, Hammers (one is probably dead. I placed the skeleton with just a little bit of flesh left after an iodine dip to see if it could recover in the new tank) Florida Riccordea, green Star polyps (which were not opening up, another red flag. They are already opening in the new tank) and a maroon clown.

 

I have no clean up crew right now. My two turbo snails died in my last tank after months of feasting on algae. I am not sure if they ran out of food, or what happened. It is a bit of a mystery, but I do know that I will need a clean up crew for the sand. I want to keep it minimal, but I'd like see what you all recommend there.

 

I'm not looking to drill the tank, so I went out and added an internal Fluval U2 filter, as I wanted something to get the water clear. It has 3 compartments (2 foam/carbon and 1 bio media). My other question is focused around this. Do I need to run this filter in the tank all the time, and if so, is the media I am using the best option? Since I have live rock, I was thinking I could just run foam and maybe put chemi pure blue packs in the bio slot.

 

Additionally, I have two Hydro Koralia Powerheads on the each end of the tank. They provide a lot of flow as my torch and hammer are swaying around quite nicley and the water is distressed. I change a gallon of water a week and plan to vaccum different areas of the sand bed when I do that, once everything is established.

 

I've read about people running tanks with no filter, so I'm just curious to figure out the best way forward. If I ran no filter I'd just be relying on water changes and water movement.

 

All these years of reefing and Im still unsure if the filter just becomes a trap that crap can grow in,or if it is beneficial. Any help and experience with the Fluval submersible is appreciated.

 

after drilling my tank currently I'd say if you can possibly do it, drill it and add a sump to make life so much easier and the health of your tank will really benefit from it
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I am not familiar with that filter. I have always run hob with only floss and carbon.

 

The floss should be changed 1-2 x a week, carbon rinsed in water change water to remove detritus and replaced monthly.

 

The filters need monthly cleaning, the slime may have been bacteria or a buildup from lack of cleaning?

 

I wouldn't use sponges. Your liverock is the biological filter. Sponges even when washed and replaced trap detritus leading to high nutrient levels.

In freshwater, the sponge is used for biological filteration but its not needed for sw.

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Nano sapiens

Running a nano tank can be as simple, or as complicated, as you like. Personally, I prefer and use the 'natural' method (just a pump, heater, thermometer, lighting...no mechanical or chemical filtration) which is intended to keep things as simple as possible. I've used this method for decades and most recently on my long-running 12g nano.

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Running a nano tank can be as simple, or as complicated, as you like. Personally, I prefer and use the 'natural' method (just a pump, heater, thermometer, lighting...no mechanical or chemical filtration) which is intended to keep things as simple as possible. I've used this method for decades and most recently on my long-running 12g nano.

 

 

Very cool. I just read through your 12g thread and I subscribe to a similar schedule. Blowing off the rocks was something I did not do in the past and that was a mistake.

 

When you blow off the rocks, how do you remove all the floating detritus without a filter? My main issue I need to conquer is detritus. I do the same type of WC schedule you do.

 

I'd love to just pull out this filter and use it for emergency situations, but I need to figure it out pretty soon I think. I can't have the tank relying on it for bacteria and then I pull it out.

I am not familiar with that filter. I have always run hob with only floss and carbon.

 

The floss should be changed 1-2 x a week, carbon rinsed in water change water to remove detritus and replaced monthly.

 

The filters need monthly cleaning, the slime may have been bacteria or a buildup from lack of cleaning?

 

I wouldn't use sponges. Your liverock is the biological filter. Sponges even when washed and replaced trap detritus leading to high nutrient levels.

In freshwater, the sponge is used for biological filteration but its not needed for sw.

 

I'm not sure about the slime. It was a mystery. I have no air fresheners near the tank, which I have been told can cause that.

 

I did clean the filter a lot though. It was a bit of a hassle. Honestly, I'm leaning towards no filter and just the 2 powerheads for flow.

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Nano sapiens

When you blow off the rocks, how do you remove all the floating detritus without a filter? My main issue I need to conquer is detritus. I do the same type of WC schedule you do.

 

I'd love to just pull out this filter and use it for emergency situations, but I need to figure it out pretty soon I think. I can't have the tank relying on it for bacteria and then I pull it out.

 

Blowing the detritus out of the rocks is intended to disperse this material throughout the tank. Some of it will be consumed by organisms (including corals), but most will end up in the sand bed via advective processes or in a settling area. Removal of this material then happens during normal water change/vaccuming

 

Since it is impossible to know exactly how much the tank relies on the bacteria in the filtration media (if present), removal should be done incrementally in stages over at least a few weeks time.

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Blowing the detritus out of the rocks is intended to disperse this material throughout the tank. Some of it will be consumed by organisms (including corals), but most will end up in the sand bed via advective processes or in a settling area. Removal of this material then happens during normal water change/vaccuming

 

Since it is impossible to know exactly how much the tank relies on the bacteria in the filtration media (if present), removal should be done incrementally in stages over at least a few weeks time.

 

 

Good point. Ill just start pulling one filter at a time. I think I'll try filterless and see how it goes.

 

What kind of clean up crew would you suggest for this type of tank? I was thinking a couple turbo snails, but I want something that scavenges food in the sand.

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Nano sapiens

 

 

Good point. Ill just start pulling one filter at a time. I think I'll try filterless and see how it goes.

 

What kind of clean up crew would you suggest for this type of tank? I was thinking a couple turbo snails, but I want something that scavenges food in the sand.

 

I haven't had any store bought snails in years since the tank has it's own crew of small limpets and collunista snails. I found that larger snails like Turbos and Asterina can cause issues when they die (which can be fairly often). I prefer just a few of the small species of Hermit Crabs since most will clean the rock and the top layer of sand, too.

 

Keeping up with an effective maintenance routine is arguably most important when going filterless. Slacking off is what does in a lot of tanks...

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I haven't had any store bought snails in years since the tank has it's own crew of small limpets and collunista snails. I found that larger snails like Turbos and Asterina can cause issues when they die (which can be fairly often). I prefer just a few of the small species of Hermit Crabs since most will clean the rock and the top layer of sand, too.

 

Keeping up with an effective maintenance routine is arguably most important when going filterless. Slacking off is what does in a lot of tanks...

 

 

I agree. The snails dying is my issue was my hesitation as well. Hermit crabs seem like a better fit, and are more interesting. I think I may add a small piece of cured live rock from my LFS and a couple hermits.

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If snails are dying - there is a cause.

 

I have the same snails in my tank for over a yr. The ones that did die(2), my cleanup crew got to them before they could cause issues.

 

Lack of food is a usual cause, buy a cuc according to needs. Most buy more than they need.

 

If a snail dies and no one is cleaning up the left overs- then remove it.

 

A tank can be run without a filter. Most choose to have one for additional water movement and chemical filteration.

 

Carbon clears up water and removes toxins(toxins from corals) it helps prevent any issues if corals release anything, like leathers.

 

Filter floss is used to trap particles and left over food. Its not used for biological filteration. Most remove it every 2-3 days and replace.

 

After 4 tanks- i've never had an issue using floss

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Nano sapiens

Snails are funny things. Some I've had live for 2-3 years, some don't make it a month...while in the same tank. What I can say is that having a large Turbo or Astrea die in a small tank can be a problem (cloudiness, possible ammonia spike). For small nano/pico tanks, I don't see the benefits outweighing the risk as I don't see them as a necessity in a properly managed reef tank.

 

I've used floss in the past, but don't use it now since I want food and other nutritious items (such as eggs and larvae) to stay in suspension as long as possible so that my corals/other filter feeders have the best chance to consume them.

 

True that problems with coral allelopathy can arrise in mixed reef tanks that don't use GAC. Ergo, I don't have any soft corals just to be on the safe side.

 

And, the tank is never cloudy for long as the resident macro organisms, live rock periphyton and advective processes depositing detritus into the sand bed quicly clear things up.

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Snails are funny things. Some I've had live for 2-3 years, some don't make it a month...while in the same tank. What I can say is that having a large Turbo or Astrea die in a small tank can be a problem (cloudiness, possible ammonia spike). For small nano/pico tanks, I don't see the benefits outweighing the risk as I don't see them as a necessity in a properly managed reef tank.

 

I've used floss in the past, but don't use it now since I want food and other nutritious items (such as eggs and larvae) to stay in suspension as long as possible so that my corals/other filter feeders have the best chance to consume them.

 

True that problems with coral allelopathy can arrise in mixed reef tanks that don't use GAC. Ergo, I don't have any soft corals just to be on the safe side.

 

And, the tank is never cloudy for long as the resident macro organisms, live rock periphyton and advective processes depositing detritus into the sand bed quicly clear things up.

 

 

This is interesting. I do have soft corals - hammers, torch, riccordea. I also am thinking that I was not changing my floss fast enough in my AC70. I was changing it every week, not every 3-4 days.

 

Only issue with this fluval is replacing the foam. I have to figure out what I can fit in the little containers. I am still leaning towards going filterless, but maybe a HOB cannister filter or Protein skimmer could work. I'm still unsure.

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Could you cut a pice of floss to the size of the foam? And you could switch that every few days.

 

 

Yeah, I may be able to do that. And run Carbon in the middle compartment. I was kind of excited to pull the filter out, but this may work too.

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Nano sapiens

 

 

This is interesting. I do have soft corals - hammers, torch, riccordea. I also am thinking that I was not changing my floss fast enough in my AC70. I was changing it every week, not every 3-4 days.

 

Only issue with this fluval is replacing the foam. I have to figure out what I can fit in the little containers. I am still leaning towards going filterless, but maybe a HOB cannister filter or Protein skimmer could work. I'm still unsure.

 

True soft corals are Sinularia ('Leather'), Sarcophyton ('Toadstool'), Nephthea, and others. These are the ones that *can* produce nasty toxic compounds that can damage stony corals.

 

Ricorida (Corallimorphs) and Zoas (Zoanthids) are not actually coral, but are often referred to as 'False Corals', They usually don't cause issues, other than possibly some of the true 'Palys' (palythoa/protpalythoa).

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True soft corals are Sinularia ('Leather'), Sarcophyton ('Toadstool'), Nephthea, and others. These are the ones that *can* produce nasty toxic compounds that can damage stony corals.

 

Ricorida (Corallimorphs) and Zoas (Zoanthids) are not actually coral, but are often referred to as 'False Corals', They usually don't cause issues, other than possibly some of the true 'Palys' (palythoa/protpalythoa).

 

 

Ok, thats a good point. Im going to add floss for now and change it out every 3 days. I just want to see the tank stabilize for a few days. And then I will pull the filter and see how it goes. I can always put it back in if I have to.

 

I am subscribing to your concepts because I know they caused me problems - snails dying from lack of food in my old bare bottom caused issues. And I also think that not staying on top of the floss changing was a problem.

 

So hermits/no filter is still rather appealing.

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