What type of filter is best for a reef tank?
The Penn Plax Cascade Canister Aquarium Filter is our pick for the best canister option for saltwater tanks. It provides all three forms of filtration thanks to its large-capacity, stackable media trays, ensuring your water is clear as can be.
Are wet/dry filters good for freshwater aquariums?
If you have a freshwater aquarium with live plants, a wet/dry filter will over-produce oxygen and push out the CO2 necessary for your plants to thrive. In a reef aquarium, the bio-balls will over-produce nitrates and can cause harm to your corals and other invertebrate animals.
What are bio balls?
Bio balls are spheres consisting of tiny tubes that provide a large surface area on which water-filtering microbes can grow. They are typically used in fish tank and fish pond filters to transform potentially harmful ammonia into benign nitrates.
Do I need a protein skimmer if I have a canister filter?
a canister filter isnt required in a reef, its a tool, a tool for filtration, usually live rock and flow is sufficient, however they can be useful for adding extra water volume to nano tanks and also if you need to use a chemical to aid filtration then very useful, if you had a sump then a rector or 2 hung on the sump …
Are sumps better than canister filters?
Saltwater tanks CAN be run with an external canister filter, but anything larger than a 100 litres may may require additional filtration capacity. Saltwater aquariums require good water flow as well as low nutrient levels, and for that reason sumps are generally regarded as superior in this application.
Are trickle filters any good?
Trickle filters provide excellent biological filtration, but do not do much for mechanical or chemical filtration.
Are filter socks necessary?
Do I need to use filter socks? A filter sock is not necessary for a saltwater reef tank. A filter sock can be used to remove larger organic debris but there is no need if you have other methods of removing them such as protein skimmers, clean-up crew, or healthy bacteria in your tank.
What can I use instead of filter socks?
The Filter Media Cup is an ideal and cost-effective replacement to filter socks as well. If all you want is to polish the water of free-floating particles, then place a few handfuls of filter floss in the cup and simply replace the dirty filter media every few days.
Should I clean my bio balls?
If you notice a thick green or brown gunk coating your bio balls, then you need to clean them. Cleaning bio balls is best done during a water change. Take some of the water you removed from your tank and swish the bio balls around in it. Don’t scrub or wipe your bio balls as this can remove the bacteria.
Can you over filter an aquarium?
An aquarium can be over-filtered because large filters have large pumps that can move the water too quickly. When the water is cycled at an excessive rate, spread sediment all over the tank, push the fish around, and more. The water should pass through the filter four times an hour.
Do filter socks reduce nitrates?
Filters socks can be nitrate traps/factories if you do not change them out.