15 g filtration

[aqua_aaron]

I am setting up a 15 gallon nano reef and am slowly accumlating the supplies. I've decided I'll have a refugium (12 inch) , but doesn't that only cover biological filtration. ?.?.For the basic mechanical and chemical filtration, do you think a 250 gph canister filter would be appropriate? If not, what would? Thanks for your help,

Aqua_aaron

[emokid]

Judging by one of your other threads, here, I think you may be misunderstanding the purpose of a refugium. Though a modified Aquaclear stuffed with macroalgaes and some liverock may assist filtration by providing a "refuge" for nutrient exporting organisms and other beneficial critters, the main workhorse in your filtration scheme is the liverock and livesand in your tank.

 

Christopher Mark's article : natural filtration

 

Water changes and maybe a protein skimmer will remove dissolved organics. The canister filter is not necessary.

[aqua_aaron]

So what then do I need for a 15 gallon nano? (Sorry, I'm still trying to understand all of this info, and I must switch my freshwater mindframe over!)

[seabass]

You don’t “need” anything more than 25lbs of LR, an inch of live sand, and about 300gph flow.

 

However you might decide to add a HOB filter; you could put media (like SeaGel) in a media bag instead of running the cartridges. A HOB filter breaks the water surface and provides flow.

 

I’d get 25lbs of LR, an inch deep sand bed, a HOB filter, and an additional power head. I’d shoot for about 400gph flow.

 

A fuge is optional, but a nice piece of equipment. Skimmers are more controversial, but a small skimmer can also be added.

 

*** EDIT ***

The LR is your biological filter, carbon or SeaGel is your chemical filter. Most peeps here don’t use a mechanical filter and let the biological filter break everything down. However, some use mechanical filters, but if you do, you must keep them very clean or they will become biological filters and produce excess nitrates.

[seabass]

The other thing to remember is (as emokid stated) that water changes are a critical component of your filtration system. With a light bio-load you can perform 10% weekly water changes to remove excess nitrates and replenish buffers and elements. However if you have a bigger bio-load (or livestock with special feeding requirements), larger and/or more frequent water changes might be required.

 

Another note on chemical filters, a number of people don’t use carbon on a regular basis. It’s common for people to use carbon “as needed”. However, I don’t see a problem with using it all of the time. Again, water changes are the way to replenish elements stripped out of your water by the carbon.

 

Hope that helps.