Need help with Nano Filtration!

[djulian645]

Hi everyone!

just started a new nano tank. 13.5 gallon reef, about 7 weeks old. How often should I be cleaning/changing out my mechanical filtration foam? I’m using the stock one that came with my fluval evo 13.5. Appreciate any help, thanks!

 

[shadow_k]

Hi everyone!

just started a new nano tank. 13.5 gallon reef, about 7 weeks old. How often should I be cleaning/changing out my mechanical filtration foam? I’m using the stock one that came with my fluval evo 13.5. Appreciate any help, thanks!

I clean my foam sponge once every 2 weeks only because I put filter floss on top of it and that usually collects a lot of the detritus. But I would clean it every water change in the old saltwater.

 

[Jedi1199]

+1 to water change day. Presumably weekly.

 

[Reef.]

Food etc starts to break down after about 2 days so the answer is, keep an eye on your po4 and nitrates, if they get anywhere near zero you can clean the filter less often, if your po4 go above 0.1 or your nitrates go above 10-15 then clean more often.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Get rid of it and use filter floss in chamber one. That foam gets clogged with detritus incredibly quickly (which impedes water flow) and doesn't do anything in terms of improving water quality. You can also also add a small bag of carbon or GFO underneath the floss. I use cut-up pantyhose for a DIY media bag, as the mesh size is perfect for this purpose. You don't even need an inTank basket -- the floss will float on the other side of the surface skimmer -- but it's preferable for ease of use.

 

[Azedenkae]

Hi everyone!

just started a new nano tank. 13.5 gallon reef, about 7 weeks old. How often should I be cleaning/changing out my mechanical filtration foam? I’m using the stock one that came with my fluval evo 13.5. Appreciate any help, thanks!

Mechanical? Just clean whenever it starts to clog and reduces flow. Replace when it seems like it may actually start falling apart.

 

[GHOSTLY]

Mechanical? Just clean whenever it starts to clog and reduces flow. Replace when it seems like it may actually start falling apart.

Agree

 

[MaxTremors]

I would replace the sponge with filter floss, which I would change every 2-3 days. That’s what I do on my Nanocube. Any longer and you’re just leaving detritus to break down, defeating the purpose of running floss in the first place.

 

[dk2nt9]

You will see how fast it will become dirty and starts impending flow. Some people can deal with foam, some not and replace it with clean custom filter media, easier to work with. Food, poop, pests, algae, detritus get inside and stuck there. Cleaning is done by squeezing sponge in the old tank water, removed at water changes, but there is only as much as you can do.

Majority of AIO nano tanks keepers replace it with (order in the flow): disposable filter floss, when necessary even micron pad can be added below it, activated carbon or other chemical media, then biomedia or a rubble rock. Weekly replacement for mechanical media, bi-weekly for chemical and nothing (as long as it is not clogged) for biomedia.

 

[nanoReeeeeferrrr]

Hi everyone!

just started a new nano tank. 13.5 gallon reef, about 7 weeks old. How often should I be cleaning/changing out my mechanical filtration foam? I’m using the stock one that came with my fluval evo 13.5. Appreciate any help, thanks!

I change filter floss everyday and completely clean return and replace all other filter floss and vacuum all back chambers out every week during my weekly 5 gallon change!

Hi everyone!

just started a new nano tank. 13.5 gallon reef, about 7 weeks old. How often should I be cleaning/changing out my mechanical filtration foam? I’m using the stock one that came with my fluval evo 13.5. Appreciate any help, thanks!

i have the same tank I change filter floss daily and completely clean and vaccum all back chambers and return clean and protein skimmer clean each week with a 5 gallon water change!

 

[Seymo44]

I 3d printed a media basket for chamber one. It has floss on top, then Gfo, then bio media. This basket actually makes the flow go down through media and then back up to dump into the top of chamber two. Chamber two has about 3” of fluval ceramic rings then a bunch of gracilaria macro algae. A cheap Amazon grow light on a reverse lighting schedule is my primary nutrient export. I change the floss weekly. Chamber three has a bag of carbon, heater, and return pump.

3d print files. (I did not design this, but I did modify mine a bit)

Fluva Evo 13.5 media Camber 1 by MervinRalph

This is a custom Media Chamber 1 for tha fluval Evo 13.5 with a return to allow flow back to the top of chamber 2. 2 trays are removable to allow for different media types.

www.thingiverse.com