MRRBW
Active Member
I have a DAS 60 gallon that I've had for 18 yrs. Ran it as a fowlr for 10 years until last spring and started to convert it to a coral tank. It has a box filter overflow set-up - kinda like a sump, but in the tank. Overflows, goes to skimmer, then through 2 vertical filter pads, (sponge then carbon pad), then goes through a cylinder filter pad and pumped out via return pump to tank. My question is this - if I look at it like a sump - it has a lot of filter pads, which often clogg up and reduce return flow - I then have to take them out rinse like crazy and put back. I'm good for a couple weeks and repeat. After doing this for years, I question it's actual use having the cylinder filter. It provides some bio-filtration, but so does my rock and sand bed, which are 10 yrs old as well. I do see pods on it which I rescue what I can when I clean the pads, but I wonder if the cylinder pad is actually necessary. So I guess my question is this - if you had this box system, how would you set it up? what kind of advice would you give about the pads etc. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!! (Here are some pics to visualize)
