Need advice on running media in Skilter 250

[D.D.]

Do you need to run the filter in the Skilter 250? My tank has been set up for eight weeks and my nitrates were at zero last week. I change out one gallon a week and I take the Skilter off once a month and clean it out. All I have in the tank are two Ocellaris clowns, three blue legs, one Astrae, and a little colony of green star polyps. The tank is 11 gallons. Everything seems to be doing well but I have read that the filter media can become a nitrate factory.

[Satchmo]

I would let it run empty. You can always throw some floss in there short-term to polish the water every now & then. That's how I've been using the AC200 on my 10g.

[Dave ESPI]

Just keep the pads clean. I give them a good blast cleaning in the sink with the sprayer head every week or so. It also kills off most of the bacteria if ya have chlorine, so it will be merely only mechanical filtration. just be sure to shake them dry before re placing them in the tank.. OH and ya can re use the pads..... they are damn expensive. Ive also seen the Skilter BLACK pads leach phosphates sometimes as they are a carbonish pad.