Mechanical filters required?

[rtc_reefer]

I have been reading a lot about reef tank setups. Many do not include a "filter".

I have an Emperor 400 in the tank. Should I remove the filter pads? Do reef tanks need machanical filtration?

I do indeed plan to keep a few fish. (3 - 4)

Seems as if they should just to keep things clean...???
Thank you,

[MattG]

filter pads arent needed.
They can be very beneficial though as long as they are removed/cleaned every few days. IMO If you arent willing to do this then they are best left out since the 'junk' they collect will just sit there and rot.

[rtc_reefer]

Interesting...

I'll make sure to clean/replace them. Thanks!

[MrRob]

is this true? I have been running an AQ 500 & clean i twice a month.

[Fenix]

Mechanical filtration is basicly a nitrate factory. Stuff gets cought in it and slowly decomposes.

If you have a lot of LR and a DSB then there is no reason to have mechanical filtration.

[FLpatty]

I agree with Fenix and others. I got talked into having a wet/dry AND LR from the evil salesman at the fish store and even though I insisted on taking the bioballs out, he kept saying "you don't want to do that" yet my nitrates were off the chart. As soon as I gutted the wet/dry and made it into a simple sump/fuge, my nitrates were under control. I leave a sponge in there to quiet the "waterfall" noise but I even have to remove that every few days and rinse it out.
Live rock and a deep sand bed are the way to go.

[rtc_reefer]

Wow!! that's what I figured!!! I do not have enough LR yet only about 38# for a 46 gallon so I'm going to rid myself of the Crushed coral / sand on the bottom and go with a DSB. (4 inches). I will be going to the Home Depot and getting "southdown" sand? Is this correct? I will seed it with some "live sand" I purchased from Petco a while back. (30 # in my tank for 30 days now.)

After that I should not vacuum the sand in the DSB right? Just let it go?

Thanks!

[MrRob]

i guess I should look into turning my aq500 into a refugium

[rtc_reefer]

yeh... all that money ... "fuged!"

[Ti]

Originally posted by Fenix
Mechanical filtration is basicly a nitrate factory. Stuff gets cought in it and slowly decomposes.

If you have a lot of LR and a DSB then there is no reason to have mechanical filtration.
Why would live rock and a DSB replace mechanical filtration?
Mechanical filtration is ONLY a nitrate factory if YOU LET IT.
I run mechanical filtration 24/7 and nitrate = 0.
Just wash it out.
The mechanical filtration is very helpful in capturing all the floating particles, rock and sand won't do that.

[Benny Z]

Originally posted by Ti
The mechanical filtration is very helpful in capturing all the floating particles, rock and sand won't do that.

floating particles = food for everybody you don't see

[SteveC56]

skimming does a lot of what mechanical filters do but it keeps it out of the water flow so look into that. Most mechanical filter have chemical filters (carbon) along with them so don't over look their usefullness.

[Ti]

Originally posted by Benny Z
floating particles = food for everybody you don't see
And it is a darn shame you see it and it takes from the clarity.
Mechanical filtration is ONLY a nitrate factory if you let it.