HELP! What filter media to use?

ReefRob

New Member
Hi there, I just got my first Red Sea Max C130. The filter comes with carbon, but there are still three other spaces to put in filter media. Does anyone of you have any suggestions what to put there? Bioballs, other media? Thanks!
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't put anything in there unless you actually need it. Don't feel you need to fill them up just because they are there/

Some possible options are -

GFO
any mechanical media
Purigen

Some people like chemipure, but I'm not a big fan of this media because it's very expensive for what you get. I would also not add any biological media. You don't need it at all. That's why you have all that live rock.
 

frisbee

Well-Known Member
Chemical filtration aside, I wouldn't put anything in those compartments either. When you do a water change though and really stir things up, then you can use a sponge or perhaps some filter floss for a few hours to polish the water for you.
 

Rini

Well-Known Member
I'm not using any filter media in my Max. I started with the black sponges and the 2 bags of other stuff what came with the tank. I have removed it all since some months.
Was thinking to do something with the "open" space. But what,and why. So didn't do anything. The media rack has landed somewhere in the closet.
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
@ReefRob
Keep in mind there are three types of filtration for tanks: Biological filtration, Chemical filtration, and Mechanical filtration.

Carbon, GFO, protein skimming, etc. are chemical filtration.
Bioballs, live rock, etc. are biological filtration.
Sponges, filter floss, etc. are mechanical filtration.

The most important filtration in a reef tank is biological filtration, that is why it is suggested to have a certain amount of rocks in the display tank. Porous rock provides great biological filtration. If you don't have good biological filtration going on, then you will have problems from the beginning.

After that it varies on the other types of filtration that you would like to have. All can be successful as long as you are diligent in keeping up on the maintenance needed for the various types of filtration mechanisms to run properly (e.g. cleaning bioballs and sponges regularly to avoid buildup, pump maintenance on protein skimmers, etc.).

I use carbon and a protein skimmer. I also vacuum the sand w/biweekly water changes. I have a good amount of live rock that I blow off weekly to keep debris from settling in cracks and crevices. And that is it.

Here are some good articles to read up on:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/beginner
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+2148&aid=2933
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=552
 

Rini

Well-Known Member
jep een hollander:)

And indeed no other filter media.
Seems to work fine. Must say that my tank is pretty young, close to a year. So no idea how things are looking in a couple of years.
 
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