mechanical filter

[aznlovaboi3]

Hi,
Do you guys use mechanical filter on your tank? Because i've seen people without mechanical filter of any kind but what will trap the dirt and gunk? Also I do not have a skimmer on my nano so would leaving my mechanical filter on be a better thing than not having a mechanical filter?

Thanks
Dat Nguyen

[FishRme]

Well in salt water aquariums you dont use mechanical filtrtration. You dont need mechanical filtration because live rock acts as a mechanical filtration, you want 1 pounds per gallon. But since you have a 10 gallon aquarium you dont need to have a protein skimmer just keep up on your water changes also I would just keep the filter on and just use CARBON bags. Keep in ind to keep your bio load low.

[mr.wilson]

A mechanical filter is a bad idea on a marine tank as they trap detritus and force water through it. The mechanical filter would have to be changed daily to be efficient.

By not using a mechanical filter, you keep detritus suspended longer so corals can utilize it as a food source. Mechanical filters are non-discriminatory and will also trap microorganisms that serve a purpose in the system (copepods, amphipods, etc.).

The benefit of a nano tank is the ease of water changes. Skip the fancy filtration equipment, and set-up a system of storing pre-mixed saltwater so you can do quick and easy water changes. Remove detritus manually with a gravel cleaner weekly.

The frequent water changes will replace trace elements, calcium, and buffers, so you don't need to add supplements. The trace element top up will also allow you to use carbon on a constant basis. Big tanks should only use carbon for a few days every two weeks, due to trace element depletion.

I would also recommend skimming (removing) the top layer of your sand every three months as this will remove bound silicates and phosphate. The fresh sand will release more calcium and buffer as well. This is a good idea for a bigger tank as well, but it is a much bigger job, stressful for livestock, and expensive.

My 15 gallon tank has excellent water quality, clarity and chemical composition. All it takes is water changes, sand replacement, carbon filtration, and good flow. I use cheap medium socket (twist) PC lamps on a full 12 hour photoperiod. The snails keep the glass clean.

[Gwai Low]

there are skimmers for nano cubes out there they are called Fission Skimmers and they can be found at
www.nanotuners.com

[aznlovaboi3]

Hi,
Thank you very much for the descriptive reply. So now that I want to remove my mechanical filter, will that release the gunks into my tank making it cloudy? Or should I do it slowly, which I do not know how because I have a penguin filter.

Thanks,
Dat Nguyen

[twizttid1]

Mechanical filtration CAN be good..... ONLY IF you change the media every 1-2 days. Try doing this over a long period of time and you'll definetly be rewarded.....

Only problem is I'm waaaaaay too lazy to do that :)

[mr.wilson]

A problem you may encounter in removing your mechanical filter, is that the filter (penguin in your case) can still act as a mechanical filter as detritus is collected by your carbon bag or cartridge.

Carbon does not work if it is clogged with detritus. Place carbon bag or cartridge in a way that will allow water to easily by-pass.

[vaporize]

I would also recommend skimming (removing) the top layer of your sand every three months as this will remove bound silicates and phosphate. The fresh sand will release more calcium and buffer as well. This is a good idea for a bigger tank as well, but it is a much bigger job, stressful for livestock, and expensive.

Will removin the top layer of the sand cause another mini-cycle, I read in the past that one should not disturb a live sandbed when it's established. no?

[mr.wilson]

Disturbing the top layer of sand is no more harmful than a sleeper goby or serpent starfish moving it. The benefit of removing bound phosphates outweighs the disruption of nitrifying bacteria. Of course, phosphate adsorbing media will do the same thing, but at a greater cost without improving buffering capacity and calcium levels.

Aerobic bacteria doesn't actually live on calcareous media like sand and rock. 90% of nitrifying bacteria lives in detritus that is attached to the sand and rocks. You are only removing a portion of the viable bacteria when you skim the sand.

You can reuse the skimmed sand if you soak it in a 10% muriatic acid solution. Rinse it well and check PH and phosphates before adding back to tank.

Any reports that disturbing the sand will kill off substantial bio-filtration, are based on old, undergravel filter, technology.

[aznlovaboi3]

Hi,
Thank everyone for your inputs on this situation. I will remove the mechanical media but I need to get a seperate carbon bag because the one I have is like two in one media, with the mechanical and carbon on one case. I'm thinking about using Chemipure and the phosphate removing resin that I currently have.

Thank you for all your help, I really appreciate it

Dat Nguyen