fluidized media vs sand? Anyone using a K1 media filter?

[MoshJosh]

Just as the title says. . . I have been told fluidized filters using media (like K1) are a "nitrate factory" and told to avoid using them. On the other hand I have heard of people using fluidized sand bed filters? Isn't it the same principal? Anyone using fluidized media but NOT sand?

 

[brandon429]

You don't need them in reefing. They're for freshwater. They're a full waste of money in reefing since your live rock is all you need. To run one anyway isn't harmful a sandbed is equal nitrate factory and look how many of us run sandbeds

It simply doesn't matter if you run a fluidized filter or not in a reef tank, the outcome for ammonia control is the same with or without one.

 

[o2manyfish]

I run a 5' tall fluidized sand filter on my 1500g system. I have been running fluidized sand filters of one sort or the other for almost 30 years.

I'm not sure how they could be a nitrate factory, the sand is suspended in the water column, there are no pockets, deadspaces, or anywhere for detritus to collect.

A year ago when I was trying to tweak my system we found that we had no nitrates in the system and started dosing.

Numerous people have tested the water in my system for the last several decades and nitrates have never been an issue.

I like the fluidized sand filter because I like a lot of fish in my reef tanks. We had over 130 fish in my previous 400g tank for years without any issue. Our new 750g is over 120 fish and I still have a bunch more fish to add to the system. I like little fish so there are all kinds of little gobies and blennies and pseudochromis. But I also have over a dozen tangs in the tank.

My fluidized sand filter used a media which is not sand, but ground glass. A little pricey. But fluidizes much better, is much denser and provides a lot more surface area.

Dave B

 

[MoshJosh]

I guess that is something I don't understand. . . nitrate is byproduct of the nitrogen cycle and directly correlates to the ammonia production in the tank (food and poo) so how could one form of biological filtration cause more nitrate than another. . .

What other advantages from fluidized?

 

[Reefbeast]

I ran one on a 180 FW tank for years I loved it.. I cant imagine having the biological capacity of a fluidized bed filter would be a bad thing in a reef tank. Even with all the live rock you could fit in the tank the bed filter would just supplement the amount of surface area that beneficial bacteria could attach to. I'm just a noobie on this saltwater stuff but I cant imagine its much different than FW.

 

[Reefbeast]

I used a fluidized sand filter not K1

 

[Hats_]

used a fluidized k1 filter on my quarantine tank. since most ceramic media and liverock absorbs medication i decided to use this stuff and just have it constantly cycled. all worked fine, it was loud though

 

[Harpo]

Who makes fluidized k1 filters?

 

[Hats_]

I made it myself, relatively easily

 

[MoshJosh]

Who makes fluidized k1 filters?

As Hats_ said, can be relatively easy to make one DIY, otherwise could probably use a media reactor.

 

[Hats_]

Id go with a pump under a sponge instead of an airstone if you want to make a big sump chamber, the airstones are loud and produce a LOT of salt creep