Remove Foam Filter? Cycling

[Yellow17165161]

Hey,

so my AIO tank came with 2 large foam type filters, I don’t like the idea of having foam filters and want to eventually replace both with media baskets. However I don’t have any yet.

The tank is fishless cycling currently. I was worried that a lot of the bacteria will settle in the foam filters, and when I do eventually remove them (might be after getting fish) I will be removing a large portion of the bio filter with it. Is this a valid concern? Should I remove both filters now and get media baskets asap?

Otherwise my plan was to only replace 1 filter at a time.

 

[brandon429]

will not matter. the sand and rock surface area up front handles all

regardless of what happens to surrounding surface area in the back, even if you stripped it to none instantly with a full fish load, it will not matter.

*even the sand isn't required. You can remove all back filtration, sand, and the rocks will still carry the established fish load as an extreme proof behind your main question. We do this for 5 years running in the sand rinse thread...we remove full aged sandbeds from old reefs, giving rocks no ramp up time, and the whole system skips cycle always, because in the end live rock bacteria are all you need.

Understanding how bacteria work greatly alters your allowed procedure/care approaches in reefing. You're free to clean, remove, upgrade or downgrade 100% of your filter surface area as its extra, and is not needed, to run the reef.

what you need to always preserve is the bacteria on the live rock. its your transferable filter base.

The habit of grossly packing in surface area in addition to what live rocks carry is a holdover from the freshwater aquarium world; the prime reason people run barebottom setups just fine (with fish) is still because in the end only live rock bacteria matter. it is absolutely not the truth that bacteria build up to a given fish bioload, and then removing the surface area like sand or filter areas leaves a deficit on rocks. Rocks carry their max bacteria always, simply preserve it and you'll never be in deficit.

here's an exact same analogy to paint the picture: imagine taking an established reef and hooking up 6 canister filters with floss inside them. Allow to be plumbed into tank, and they self-cycle in 30 days time to the point you can remove one and it can clear a test bucket of light ammonia water overnite; they're active loading on the reef tank now, plumbed in.

You can go remove all 6 installed filters, with bac, and the ammonia control is the same as it was before you installed the filters.

surface area is surface area; doesnt matter if you qualify it as a canister filter, or filter foam in back, or your sandbed. SA is SA. removing sand from a reef (or removing your filter floss) is like removing a few of the canister filters, it doesnt affect ammonia control, those bacteria were mere extras.

 

[DaddyFish]

I did not see where the OP specifically said anything about having live rock, or sand or anything such???

 

[W1ngz]

Factually, yes, you will diminish some of your biofilter post cycle if you remove the foam after the initial cycle. How much is the question, and that will depend on how much rock and/or sand you have in the tank.

Practically, the bacteria will likely be anywhere and everywhere, so it's most likely irrelevant, but there's really no way to know. On a brand new tank that's gone through only the most basic cycle, it's anyone's guess which area the bacteria will have developed the fastest and are most robust.

If your intention is to have media baskets and you already have the biomedia, you could just put that in a mesh bag in the rear instead of the foam, and put it in the racks later. That way you won't have any problem whatsoever, even if it's just a theoretical one.

 

[brandon429]

Nice call above. If someone is going to wait until cycle is complete to add rocks and sand that's a unique cycle. Surely this tank has rocks and sand now, in addition to rear filter area?

 

[Yellow17165161]

Thanks everyone for the great answers! Really appreciate it, and learned something new! Yes I do have around 30 lb of caribsea liferock and maybe a 2-3 inch sand bed.