45g Filtration Question, Reverse flow gravel filter

[28scarab]

iAm ready to start my first reef tank. I been doing all sorts of research and decided on what I want for a tank, but I don’t know where to start with the filtration.

 

A friend of mine with an Extremely Large reef tank said he could supply me with rock and corrals. He is currently using a form of natural filtration and only uses a protein skimmer. He referred me to this board to ask on what to use for filtration on a smaller tank.

 

I am not sure if a 45g is considered a nano here, but to my friend it is. With so many members on this board someone must be able to assist me.

 

There are so many deferent choices of filtration that I don’t know where to start.

 

One thing that I was interested in was a reverse flow gravel filter along with a canister filter with a wave maker attached to the return water flow from the canister filter. I would also use a protein skimmer as well.

 

I heard that a gravel filter is not recommends for reef tanks but a reverse flow is deferent.

 

Anyone use a reverse flow gravel filter?

 

What is your opinion on this Good or Bad

 

What should I use???

 

 

Thanks

Paul

[dyazdani]

I assume by reverse flow you mean having a power head with its discharge pumping into the filter instead of the traditional way. If I had a undergravel filter, that is the way I would do it.

 

I don't think you really need one though, I've tried it both ways and I like the live rock, i.e. "natural" type better.

 

I set my mom up with a simple system for a 45G a few years ago. I used an aragonite sand bed and live rock. I also had a large power filter and a CPR BakPak skimmer. I'd get a prizm now, but they weren't out back then.

 

There's so many ways you can skin this cat and I'm sure you'll get lots of opinions.

[JohnnyMTB]

With a reverse flow system you won't be able to use live sand, it'll just blow all over your tank, so you'll have to get a very large crushed coral substrate. The crushed coral coupled with the constant water flow in the gravel bed itself would be inhospitable to a lot of the creatures normally used in a live sand bed (burrowing snails, sifter & brittle stars, burrowing worms, etc.). If you want to run a natural setup I'd skip the reverse flow and just use a live sand bed.

[Aiptasia]

I'm with JohnnyMTB, skip the reverse flow and go without the undergravel filter, unless you're considering doing a Jaubert-style plenum (for all of the above reasons).

 

You can put an undergravel filter plate to work as a plenum plate, or skip it and use a 3"-5" sand bed of live sand. The jury is still out on plenums but a lot of people (myself included) have used them with success. It's a natural way to reduce nitrate, the final by-product of the nitrogen cycle. Research it a little and decide if you want to do it or not.

 

A 45g. really wouldn't be considered nano by most people, but it's still a mini-reef. Your friend with the big reef tank can advise you on the right kinds of lighting, sources for live sand/live rock, and probably hook you up with coral frags once the tank has cycled and the LR has cured.

 

A skimmer is a great idea on this size tank. If the main tank is plumbed for a sump (overflow, pipes below tank, return), then use a good skimmer such as a Red Sea or E.T.S. sump model. If you need a hang on skimmer, go for a Prizm deluxe (with surface overflow and media basket) or a CPR bakpak II (the reef ready model, has empty media chamber and a bubble trap). Both of these skimmers are venturi driven (sucks air through a hose) and to cut down on noise, it's a good idea to use a noise filter that comes with most powerheads (the Prizm won't come with that).

 

You could use a reverse flow UGF, but you will need to use a chunkier crushed coral substrate instead of a sandy substrate. Larger chunks of crushed coral, and an adequate amount of LR, will still probably provide enough natural nitrate reduction (NNR), but you may still need to employ DOC loving algaes (caulerpa, ulva, etc.) in your sump or in the main tank display, to get those nitrates out of the water.

 

Your friend can advise you on the methods he uses with success to keep his nitrate down in his big tank. Ask him to help you think through the design and setup.

[onthefly]

I agree......DON'T DO IT!

 

I tried to run a reverse flow UGF with Chuck coral like Aiptasia states.......Nitrates sky rocketed (~80ppm) and even with water changes I couldn't control it. Removed the RUGF and went with a 4" LSB with a plenum and have never had nitrate probelms since

[28scarab]

Thanks a lot for all your help. I will be getting together with my friend this weekend to discuss what route I might take. Sound like the UGF is not a good choice. I just want to do my research and learn from others befor I start this hobby.

 

Thanks

 

Paul

[mattie]

i had tried the revers flow in the past by using a magnum cansiter with the return plummed down into the gravel filter it gave positve results but i have had better results just using a shallow very fine sugar araganite lots of LR and no filter just water movement 10-20x tank volume per hour