What filter media to use?????

[dmyers557]

I am hearing alot of bad things (nitrates) about using the ceramic rings in our RSM's if its a reef setup. My question is what should I replace it with? Can I take it all out at once? Can I keep it and just rinse it off with the saltwater from my water changes?

My tank has been running for 8 months now and I have had a nitrate problem since I started.

 

[dmyers557]

anyone?

 

[Luukosian]

I wouldn't use them, they have a tendency to accumilate detritus and can cause nitrates in the tank. If you keep them and rinse them in tank water every week or so they will be fine but the benefits of having them probably doesn't outweigh the chore of cleaning every week.

I don't know much about the RSM but I would imagine they reduce flow as well.

 

[redsea reefer]

I removed mine all at once. My tank was running for 6 months and my nitrates were always around 10-20 ppm even after my 25% weekly water changes and light feeding habits. If you change your water weekly and don't feed too much and siphon detritus off rocks then i'd say pull them out. My nitrates are now 0 along with everything else. I just made a plastic grate and have only chemi pure elite sitting on it...

 

[mzreenie]

My ceramic rings are still in my 130D, since November. After the Nitrates experienced during the cycling of the tank, I have had zero nitrates since then. I rinse them only once a month, and I don't plan on removing them unless my Nitrate starts to increase.

 

[motocrosstcw]

i have no idea i really only have a canister and pillow cotton to catch food it gets cleaned once a week but no nitrates for this guy

 

[MatthewJ]

I say get rid of it, all of it. What purpose does it serve in a tank with lots of live rock? rinsing them off every couple weeks would be fine too, but why would you want the hassle? I don't have anything in that chamber because it's such a PITA to reach.

 

[dmyers557]

^^True, Can I remove it all at once? Or do I have to remove little by little?

 

[MatthewJ]

I'm not sure how you can remove bits of it at a time without cutting it open and potentially making a mess. Personally, I'd just take it all out and do a slightly larger than normal water change.