I Need Filtration Recommendations?

[jpeggerling]

I have a 20 gallon tank that has been up and run for about 3 months. I have been using a Bio-Wheel mechanical filter on it. I have been looking around a some hang-on refugiums. Im not real sure what would sufficient for this is size tank. I really don't want to drill my tank. If I just used a protein skimmer would that work? Please help.

[grenaria]

Protein skimmers and hang-on refugiums do not perform the same task. In order for a sand bed to be efficient at denitrification it has to have a large surface area and a diverse fauna population. Most hang-on refugiums are just a few inches wide and provide very little surface area. What do you want to do with the tank and how much natural filtration (live rock) does it currently have?

Also, a Bio-wheel is not mechanical filtration, it is biological. I assume it's connect to a canister filter which would provide you with mechanical and/or chemical filtration.

I'm currently running a 50g tank with a canister filter for chemical filtration (carbon) and live rock and a DSB for biological filtration. Mechanical filtration in reef aquariums require very high maintence to not become a problem.

[truthdesigns]

DSB?
I have a protein skimmer and two powerheads, I was also planning on upgrading filteration systems. I was looking at the refugium set ups.

[DarkFORCE]

DSB = Deep Sand Bed

[grenaria]

I forgot about one method that refugiums can use to export nitrates and phosphates, bio-mass extraction. I've never had a setup like this, but in theory you could have a refugium that reduces nitrates with macroalgae, but I don't know how well that would work as a sole means of export.

[sundevil_brian]

hey jpeggerling i also have a 20 gallon tank and right now im using a modded ac 110 filter as a diy fuge and it is working great. I have to split the clump of cheato in there about every week and a half to two weeks. i have had 0 nitrates since i started using it. the diy is very simple and a lot cheaper than buying a fuge from Drs. F&S

besides the fuge, im only using live rock for filtration.

[sir_dudeguy]

ya the skimmers and refuges dont do the same thing as a filter...skimmers just pull out as much crud out of the water as possible i think...and a fuge is more of a place for you to have algae like chaeto, and to give a place for pods to grow...

neither of these 2 will take care of your filtration (the converting of amonia to nitrites, and nitrites to nitrates....i think its called biological filtration? cant remember)

thats where the live rock (or in your case the biowheel) comes in...the rock is what most people try to go for...how much (if any) live rock do you have in your tank?