Filters

[Mil26]

Do I need any type of filer for my 20g reef tank besides a skimmer I used poly filters before also had an hob but heard lots people saying it's a phosphate and nitrate factory so removed

 

[Oscaror]

You can put carbon in them, that's about it. No filter media, that just clogs up with detritus. A refugium along with a skimmer do a great job of keeping a tank clean.

 

[Mil26]

What if I want to go refugium and sump less jw do I really need to run carbon ? Or can I just go with powerhead lr and skimmer and weekly waterchanges ?

 

[Oscaror]

What if I want to go refugium and sump less jw do I really need to run carbon ? Or can I just go with powerhead lr and skimmer and weekly waterchanges ?

You don't need carbon, it's just optional.
Carbon feeds the nitrate eating bacteria so it's population grows and it eats more nitrates, but if you're system is a low nutrient system you don't need it

 

[Mil26]

I'm kinda new only 2 months in what do you mean by low nutrient system and thank you for answering

 

[Oscaror]

Nutrients are nitrates and phosphates. A low nutrient system doesn't produce many of these (small amount of fish per gallon)

 

[Mil26]

Oh I see haha thank you very much

 

[fishboy15]

Unless your tank smells bad or you want to get out things like copper out you would use carbon I use a hob filter just to make sure nothing settles and my powerheads just push it around till my fish eats it or gets sucked up into the filter, I don't mind cleaning out the sponges, not a big deal for me.

 

[LetItReef]

On 29g, I have a HOB with no filter media and I run my granulated activated carbon (GAC). Gac also helps with smell and makes water clear.
I have no skimmer & no refugium.
Water changes and manual top off works for me.

 

[brandon429]

When they said your hob was a nitrate factory Mil I'd be more concerned about a sandbed in the tank vs an easily cleaned filter. Do you have a sb