mechanical filter importance

[mojo215]

How important is a mechanical filter in a folr tank and why is it important.

I am running an Eheim along with everything else I need and it is more of a headache than anything else tank wise. It collects detris like crazy and after I clean it and plug it back in it blows out all this other detris from the hoses which are impossible to clean because I cannot detach them from the hose nozzles. They where put on for keeps. I even had a service person come in for $100.00 and he could'nt seperate them.

I would like to disconnect the whole filter which cost me $385.00
(ripped off) and just use my sump and overflow.

If I need an additional filter please advise a good one the is easy to maintain on a bi-weekly level.

In the meantime I am still running the Eheim but without filter media, just the stones and I put in bags of charcoal to freshen the water.

I also had a Fluval years back and hated that to.

I'm at my wits end from this thing. I just bought it 6 months ago.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanx
Mojo :uzi: :uzi: For you Eheim

[DNO]

What size tank do u have. I have a 120 gallon and along with the live rock, wet/dry, and skimmer I also use 2 emperor 400's and they work great and I barley ever clean them, maybe once every 2 months all I do is change the filters and add new carbon( they r great for running carbon). They do a very good job of sucking up all the floating debrie from my fish food and do a good job of surface agitation. Some people say to remove the bio wheel because it rusts but I have not. So maybe u can give them a try.

[Little Reefer Boy]

Hang on filters are great for added circulation and versatility when you need occasional media like carbon. Canister filters though are a serious pain in the ***.

If you have a good amount of LR, a DSB, and a BALANCED tank, you should not need mechanical filtration except in the rarest cases. Like fish/coral spawning that could instantly overload your biological filtration.

Food that gets trapped in mechanical filters end up rotting. If you let it pass through, it will recycle through the tank and your fish and sandbed critters will eventually eat it. As long as you don't overfeed, leftover food will quickly be consumed by your critters, as long as you have a functioning DSB.