Filtration Advice needed, pls help

[PachoGinetai]

Hey community,

first thank you, nice Forum and nice people.

I have no store or other reef people here in my range. But I have a big question.

So I have a new tank:

40 gallon
Bare Bottom

Bioload:
1 Clownfish
1 Coral Beauty
Clearing Crew

Corals:
Only easy soft coral, who should growing the tank out

Now to the question, all my tanks have no Filter at all. But at this tank I have a canister Filter with integrated heater.

So I picked only 2 fish that I not have a very high bioload.

But with the ne big Filter I have place for media. I never used media before, So is there anything what is making the Filtration better? Now there is floss for mechanical Filtration. But should I add anything to it like carbon or something?

Also I do a 10 percent water change weekly.

Advices are needed

Thank you very mich in advanced

 

[peterhos]

Hi There. I am no expert, but for 20 years I ran a softie tank with an Eheim mechanical filter. Eheim sell their own filter media, bio balls etc Maybe you can get those online somewhere. Eheim filter were excellent but not popular with somecwho saw them as nitrate factories. I cleaned my filter every t weeks and had zero nitrates for years. Occasionally I put charcoal or Rowsphos in one section of the filter. All worked well.

 

[PachoGinetai]

So this is my main question. We have in our country a big dealer which run all his selling tanks at the start with the following in his canister ( he dont sell skimmers or support them, you buy a canister tank or nothing )

1.Bioballs which reduce Nitrat and Phosphate
2.Silikat and Phosphore Absorber
3.Another Phosphore Absorber
4. Filter Sponge
5. Carbon

He have selled this system over houndreds of times, but he is to far away from me.

Also in the tanks are 100 % Life rock.

He uses this all at the Start and over the Times at one year or so he reduce the Absorbers.

My question, is that a good way?

Im thinking with all of this media, the Nitrat and Phosphate must be at zero

So im confused what I should put in there..

 

[LordofCinder]

It is the rocks that provide the majority of biofilter for your tanks. As long as you have enough rock in the tank, it will support life.

A canister filter provides mechanical filtration with the filter pads which remove uneaten food before it can break down in the water. (but need to clean the canister often, before the food breaks down in the canister and fouls the water)

Canister also provides chemical filtration capability, in that it gives you the ability to run activated carbon if you want. Some people run carbon all the time, some do it occassionally, and others never run carbon.

I have 3 tanks currently, my main tank is full of filtration, but I don't use any filtration at all on my 15 gallon softie tank and for my 20 gallon fish only tank. Rocks and water changes only.

Regular water changes is also a source of filtration, and on a small tank, water changes are all thats needed.

So its up to you, if you want to add more filtration or maintain your current set up, but it should be test results that influence your decision. If phosphate and nitrate is too high, then you need to increase water changes, or add more filtration. You did not list your parameters, but if your parameters are in line now, perhaps you don't need to do anything.

 

[PachoGinetai]

Okay thanks for your help.

 

[PachoGinetai]

Okay, I tested now the Nitrat. It is the range 10 to 25. The tank runs now 6 weeks, so the cycling is not finished.

Would you add those bioballs to get it down or should I wait?