Filter or no filter

[REEFreefLJS85]

I have a 20 gallon long that I am done cycling. I am on the fence of not having a HOB filter or having one.  I prefer not because in the past I have had HOB filter and they were a pain on a reef tank.  Do you guys prefer one or not?  I have always been told that a reef tank doesn't need a filter.  

 

By the way I dont have a sump and not planning on getting a sump because I am renting a place and I am trying to be very cautions on water damage. 

 

[WV Reefer]

43 minutes ago, REEFreefLJS85 said:

I have a 20 gallon long that I am done cycling. I am on the fence of not having a HOB filter or having one.  I prefer not because in the past I have had HOB filter and they were a pain on a reef tank.  Do you guys prefer one or not?  I have always been told that a reef tank doesn't need a filter.  

 

By the way I dont have a sump and not planning on getting a sump because I am renting a place and I am trying to be very cautions on water damage. 

 

 

Totally doable. I do not use filters or skimmers on my tanks. 😊

[seabass]

Not sure how they are a pain.  You mean cleaning them?  I find that HOB filters, besides general flow, provides surface agitation (to improve gas exchange), and a place to run chemical and/or mechanical media on occasion if needed.

 

Christy is right though; they are not required, nor always preferred.  Still, having one around in a pinch (to remove meds with activated carbon, or stirred up debris with the mechanical filter) isn't a bad idea.  You can break it out as needed, then tuck it away, out of sight when not in use.

[Clown79]

It's not a requirement but I prefer having filtration on my tanks, for all the same reasons Seabass listed.

 

If big enough, they add a bonus of hiding the heater in them.

[ef4life]

I’m a filtration fan, I use floss in my 29 biocube and a bag of carbon floating in the back chamber. Change the floss 2x a week. Carbon 3-4week

 

in the 40, I use a cheap hob  penguin 200? It has slots for 2 filter cartridges. 1st slot I use the filter floss sandwiched in one of the reusable cartridges changed 2x a week. Second slot i use the actual throw away cartridges with carbon. I change those 1x a week, sometimes go 2 weeks. I also use a felt sock in the sump, changed out 2x a week - these get washed and reused.

 

I use the pillow stuffing type floss, really gets out all the small particles and keeps the water crystal clear. A bag of floss is like $15 on amazon and lasts 1-2 months, penguin cartridges are $7 for a 6 pack on amazon. Changing the floss often = no rotting foods or poop to become algae fuel.

[Tamberav]

No filter is better than a poorly maintained filter and this hobby is supposed to be enjoyable. I have 5 tanks atm and I only keep up with them and enjoy them because I know exactly what I am willing and not willing to maintain. 

 

I personally hate filter socks... Most of my tanks are bare bottom because no way I can maintain multiple sand beds. I hate most hobs because of the noise...I don't like cleaning reactors...I don't want crap like matrix in the back because that is another thing to make sure is clean... 

 

Skimmers and floss is pretty much all I am willing to do besides water changes. I will change a bag of carbon every so often.

 

Make it as simple or complex as you want.

 

 

[A.m.P]

2 hours ago, Tamberav said:

No filter is better than a poorly maintained filter and this hobby is supposed to be enjoyable. I have 5 tanks atm and I only keep up with them and enjoy them because I know exactly what I am willing and not willing to maintain. 

 

I personally hate filter socks... Most of my tanks are bare bottom because no way I can maintain multiple sand beds. I hate most hobs because of the noise...I don't like cleaning reactors...I don't want crap like matrix in the back because that is another thing to make sure is clean... 

 

Skimmers and floss is pretty much all I am willing to do besides water changes. I will change a bag of carbon every so often.

 

Make it as simple or complex as you want.

 

 

Honestly as long as you have decent pre-filtration, like filter-floss or polyfill, matrix media shouldn't really even get clogged past needing simple agitation.
I like to at least have a HOB for a little phosguard, carbon, and purigen; at the moment I also have matrix and no3out just chilling in low-flow areas themselves as well... Consistency in nutrients just makes things easier for me, and having a bit of buffer via absorption-media means if I'm having a bad week I don't have to worry about doing a water-change or keeping the tank spotless.

[Tamberav]

31 minutes ago, Amphrites said:

Honestly as long as you have decent pre-filtration, like filter-floss or polyfill, matrix media shouldn't really even get clogged past needing to simple agitation.
I like to at least have a HOB for a little phosguard, carbon, and purigen; at the moment I also have matrix and no3out just chilling in low-flow areas themselves as well... Consistency in nutrients just makes things easier for me, and having a bit of buffer via absorption-media means if I'm having a bad week I don't have to worry about doing a water-change or keeping the tank spotless.

I have problems with low nutrients, matrix is another thing to shake out and of no use to me. I have live rock which does the same thing for me, shrug. My back chambers are empty voids and I like it that way. Marine pure blocks have even been shown to leech aluminum from BRS. Water changes probably mitigate that but no thank you. 

 

Every tank is different. 

 

I do have some matrix in my cold water tank since there is no reef rock in there. 

 

 

[REEFreefLJS85]

So I put a $20 Topfin HOB on the tank. I was going to buy a AC70 but its just a overkill for what I am going to use it for and the motor was loud. I took everything out the topfin and put some polyfill and some BRS carbon inside there. I have came to conclusion when I am away, I am not going to have media inside the chamber. Just like @Tamberav said no filter is better than a poorly maintained filter. I have had my best success in this hobby by not touching anything for a couple of weeks and just let nature roll.