Filter Media in the Tank's Early Stages

[TateLitts]

Hey all,

I should preface my question by stating that I'm rather lax with my freshwater tanks' filtration/water quality - I'm able to do essentially nothing besides water changes due to the high plant load keeping nutrients in check. That being said, I understand that reef keeping requires just a little more husbandry than 'essentially nothing besides water changes'.

I will be buying an IM10, with the intention on using filter floss, biomedia, purigen, and chemipure elite - all things generally recommended/listed in build threads. However, when reading these threads, I have yet to see anyone mention when they add the purigen and chemipure. I was wondering if these are needed during cycling? I was planning on dry rock and perhaps seeding with some live rock crumble.

 

[Spare time]

You want no media or filter pads when cycling except for biomedia. Your best bet when cycling is to initially use ammonium chloride (for fish tanks) and bacteria. Then once you have cycled the tank (between a few days to a week or more depending on nitrifying which bacteria you get), you should add other types of bacteria to promote diversity (ex waste away, pns probio, eco balance, etc). These can be done when you add fish (preferably at the same time as the fish if not soon before). Once you do all this, then go ahead and add your mechanical filters (filter floss), carbon, etc. They problem with adding filter media early is that they compete with the nitrifiers or can act as a surface for the bacteria that ends up getting replaced (in which you end up throwing out much of the bacteria when you throw in something like floss or carbon that was in when cycling.

PS I would recommend chemipure blue over elite.

 

[Oropher]

take it slow and no fancy stuffs.
actually with just dry rock and phantom feeding are enough to start cycling. those rocks (and sand) are your main biomedia. other biomedia in filtration is merely an addition.
in order to cycle faster then we add some bacteria and ammonia.

purigen, chemipure are not essential and can be a distraction.

 

[TateLitts]

Would chemical filtration (carbon, chemipure, or purigen) be needed if I run a skimmer? I will run one regardless for gas exchange. I like the look of certain leathers, but worry about a balance between stripping a tank of all organics/nutrients in order to remove toxins.

 

[BigRed78]

Would chemical filtration (carbon, chemipure, or purigen) be needed if I run a skimmer? I will run one regardless for gas exchange. I like the look of certain leathers, but worry about a balance between stripping a tank of all organics/nutrients in order to remove toxins.

It really depends on your bioload. Thats somthing you will have to figure out through testing.