Filtration

[SeanCraine]

I have a 30 gallon tank with a duncan with 2 heads and a couple of zoas. I currently have a corallife hob filter and a aqua clear filter. but the two aren’t doing such a great job on keeping my tank clean. A sump is out of the picture because I don’t want to build one. Is it necessary for soft corals and lps corals to have a skimmer? or can I get a canister for cleaner water?

 

[reef lover]

They make lots of hob skimmers that work great. I used that and a hob canister on the 55 before i upgraded.

 

[Nooooooooob1]

Look for a HOB skimmer. Reef octopus makes great ones. I actually use one of their HOB's on my sump.

I know you said you don't want to build a sump, but it's incredibly easy. You can get a small tank at Petco for wicked cheap, Lowes will cut the glass baffles for you(about $5 per baffle) and all you have to do is glue it in place. As for the plumbing, if you can build legos, then you can plumb your tank! Think about reconsidering that as it opens up so many more opportunities with the space under your tank as well as adding a lot more water volume to your system.

 

[Quietman]

No, a skimmer is not reqired. There are a few gorgeous lps/softie tanks out there with only hob filters and in tank equipment. But the bioload (fish and fedding) will have to be very limited. Go oversized on your hob filter..don't buy the rated size, buy the biggest that will fit and pack it with appropriate media for your needs. Weekly water changes too, without fail. Add new stock very slowly.

We all limit our tanks based on size and equipment...you'll just be at one end of that scale.

 

[Abdullah Al Faruq]

You should please have your water parameters such as ALK measured to keep it well above 7dkh at the least along with PO4, NO3 in check.
Introduction of Carbon as an added layer in one of the filters. Change with new.
Keep a check on your accumulation in the cotton filter.
A skimmer would have been great. A HOB version of Coralife merges a filter chamber with a skimmer. But, i am not sure of its efficiency.
Keep the light spectrum around 420nm mostly.
Low fish load equates to less fish-poo.

 

[lapin]

Howdy

I have a 30 gallon tank with a duncan with 2 heads and a couple of zoas. I currently have a corallife hob filter and a aqua clear filter. but the two aren’t doing such a great job on keeping my tank clean. A sump is out of the picture because I don’t want to build one. Is it necessary for soft corals and lps corals to have a skimmer? or can I get a canister for cleaner water?

What do you mean by "not keeping your tank clean"?

 

[BeejReef]

How long has your tank been running?
With just two small corals and no other critters (that you've mentioned), you wouldn't expect a "dirty" tank.
Is it a new system? Sometimes you'll get cloudiness in the water regardless of your filtration until it settles in.