Canister filter(s) instead of powerhead(s)?

[EddieW]

I am gradually amassing the information and equipment I am going to need when I go for a nano-reef in a 20 gal tank that I will convert from fresh water.

 

I have just ordered a compact T5 over tank luminere at 2 x 36w - it is going to be very difficult to stop myself setting it up on the fresh water tank Once I have the necessary bits and bobs over the next several weeks I will pass the fresh water fish off to new homes and throughly clean and dry the tank and equipment. Then fill up, add salt, agitate and heat until the appropriate temp and salinity reached, then get my live rock (1-2 lb per gallon?) .

 

Do I then wait for a while before adding live sand or do I add that straight away as well?

 

I have two Fluval 104 external filters - one in use on the fresh and one 'spare' - would if be OK to use these two instead of powerheads in the nano-reef setup? I assume I would need to REPLACE (not just clean) all of the media which has been used in fresh water?

 

Also what media would be appropriate? Use the mechanical pre-filters on the Fluval? Use the bio-media supplied or get marine specific? Use the activated carbon supplied or avoid it especially at the start?

 

TIA, Eddie

[onthefly]

Put the LS and LR in while you cycle......

 

I use two fluvals (303) on my 45ga.....however, I use no media!!!! They're just just for water movement.

 

Sponge and other medias can get very biological really fast! Then you have a dependence on that external source of filtration. When you remove it and clean the filter, you'll lose said filtration and probably see a spike. Now that being said, I do from time to time run phosguard or some carbon for a week or so to "clean" things up a bit.

 

HTH

[tcarlson]

If you ever ran fertilizer or copper through the tank or filter I would not use it.

[EddieW]

Many thanks for the useful feedback.

 

Eddie