Filter Media

[ElitePirate]

Hi Friends,

So I'm using a 15G AIO tank setup. I;m just using whatever my LFS gave me - filter media, minerals etc.

Now, they have their own local brand. So they asked me to use 2 different filter media using some filter bags.

1) From what i understand it is to filter amonia / phosphate (screenshot attached)
2) Active carbon

so my filter setup is :

From bottom -> top (photo attached)

1 - Stones
2 - Stones
3 - Carbon sponge (change every 2 months)
4- Carbon filter media bag (change every 2 months)
5- Ammonia / Phosphate filter media bag (change every 2 months)
6 - a white sponge to filter dirt (change every week)

My question :

1) I heard it's really not important to use Ammonia / Phosphate filter media and I only need active carbon filter. (my tank is already cycled and it's almost 4 months old now). Is that correct? Can I just use only a carbon filter media? If that's true, can you suggest some good brands from amazon who can ship internationally?

2) What are the filter media you guys using? please share your experience

Thanks

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yes , you really only need to use carbon or a Media that binds some unwanted organics , like some coral toxins etc. chemipure is another of this type of chem filtration.

With Po4 , IMO , you don’t want to strip it blindly. If it’s eleveted yes , use some passively like in a bag , if it’s quite high many then use a reactor.

Changing your chemical media is also kinda like dosing too, depending on what’s in your tank and the bio load you may need to change it more often.


I right now am only running carbon.
It’s brs right now, but I’ve used a bunch of different ones and never really noticed any change in the tank.

 

[ElitePirate]

hm right now my phosphate level is low and nitrate level is kinda high. above 50. so im using NOPOX and redsea asked me to remove my phosphate filter media as it could interfere with the NOPOX. thats why im trying to see what other filter media options i have

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

There is no no3 removing media if that’s what you’re asking.

Changing your floss more regularly will actually cut that down. It traps things Before they rot.

Don’t know why Red Sea wants you to remove the GFO.
Oddly , they also use nopox in thier maturity kit and it just unusually gives new tanks cyano and strips the nutrients.

 

[ElitePirate]

There is no no3 removing media if that’s what you’re asking.

Changing your floss more regularly will actually cut that down. It traps things Before they rot.

Don’t know why Red Sea wants you to remove the GFO.
Oddly , they also use nopox in thier maturity kit and it just unusually gives new tanks cyano and strips the nutrients.

hm yea, im kinda confused.. from their point of view, with my current filter setup, NOPOX won't have that much effect it seems.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

hm yea, im kinda confused.. from their point of view, with my current filter setup, NOPOX won't have that much effect it seems.

Yea. I don’t get whatever they’re trying to say there.

Basically what I do know is what the media’s bind and the options and effect they are designed for.
I’m also pretty aware of what organic carbon dosing does. It is also btw much much more effective with good skimming.

Keep in mind every tank is slightly different for a number of reasons so different treatments and products will have slightly to wildly different effects. So testing while you do those things is kinda important to see where the tank is going and try to see where the tank balances at over the course of weeks while making few to no changes. That includes feeding.

As well, No pox is part of the Red Program, so testing is also important while following it. And if one reads the full program I’m sure they lay out thier interpretation of the science and direction they are trying to guide you to(parameters etc) by following the program.

So I’d kinda say that would be the question you could ask them. Why aren’t they concerned about it.
My gues is it’s because the assume you are testing and will stop use when you hit the numbers you want.and the gfo only helps thier “phosphate lowering product” results as it does lower nitrates faster than Po4.