Reefer Baffle Foam Pad Replacement?

[aaron186]

I have a Reefer 425 that has a stock foam pad between the skimmer and return chamber. It seems to clog up pretty quickly and raise the water level in my skimmer section. I took it out and the waterfall sound was way too loud. My sump is silent with the pad My sump turnover is a bit high but I’m running a UV sterilizer and it’s tuned to the flow rate recommendations. I took the foam out and cleaned it 2 days ago. I’m running a filter roller but I have a refugium. It’s already clogged again and raising the water level again.

What can I put in the baffle that won’t clog quickly but will still silence the waterfall sound?

 

[blaxsun]

The black sponge is there to dampen the sound. When you say it's getting clogged up, clogged up by what? I typically clean mine out every 3-4 months and it doesn't really get that bad.

 

[aaron186]

The black sponge is there to dampen the sound. When you say it's getting clogged up, clogged up by what? I typically clean mine out every 3-4 months and it doesn't really get that bad.

The water will raise up. Right now it’s about .25 inches above the adjustable gate. Eventually it will start flowing over the bubble trap and directly into the return chamber. My flow is pretty high through the sump because Im running dual return pumps with one of them going to a UV and then to display (flow is 410 gph in that one with the second return tuned down lower)

 

[aaron186]

Aquamesh Blue 3 - Medium - Lifegard

Progressive density mesh mechanical filtration system can be used as a system or separately. Aquamesh #3 is great for use after refugiums and before sensitive filtration equipment. Aquamesh #2 and #3 are the most common used. Dimensions:19.5" x 24" x 1.5" The Aquamesh progressive filter pads...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I purchased this last night. I’m hoping it’s dense enough to silence the water but porous enough that let’s the flow go through it

 

[blaxsun]

Try pushing the black sponge down an inch or so - that's how low I have mine. Just a tip: I also have all my bio media in the chamber with my ReefMat. I found the flow was less than ideal so I added a Sicce XStream on one end to increase flow and circulation.

 

[aaron186]

Try pushing the black sponge down an inch or so - that's how low I have mine. Just a tip: I also have all my bio media in the chamber with my ReefMat. I found the flow was less than ideal so I added a Sicce XStream on one end to increase flow and circulation.

Do you have chaeto in that chamber? I had a Nero 3 in there to dose into but I found that it just pulled the algea into the fins. I moved the power head and the dosing lines to the skimmer chamber. Not ideal since my ph probe is there too

 

[blaxsun]

Do you have chaeto in that chamber? I had a Nero 3 in there to dose into but I found that it just pulled the algea into the fins

I didn't realize that was a refugium. Honestly, with a ReefMat, skimmer and bio media you probably won't need a refugium - unless you're running an obscene amount of fish like me (and I don't have a refugium).

 

[aaron186]

I didn't realize that was a refugium. Honestly, with a ReefMat, skimmer and bio media you probably won't need a refugium - unless you're running an obscene amount of fish like me (and I don't have a refugium).

Yea I’m not having the best luck with it to be honest. Tank is still young. I already replaced the kessel light with a submersible tunze. I owned the kessel from a previous tank. It was spilling over too much light and growing algea in the skimmer section. I’m doing auto water changes too so I probably don’t have the bio load for it. Considering taking it offline for a few months till I get my fully stocked

 

[reefadam]

Do you dose NoPox / carbon? I’ve noticed these sponges can become quickly clogged with biofilm and it gets exacerbated with carbon dosing. I normally clean mine about once a week and then soak it in Ro to kill any remaining biofilm.

 

[aaron186]

Do you dose NoPox / carbon? I’ve noticed these sponges can become quickly clogged with biofilm and it gets exacerbated with carbon dosing. I normally clean mine about once a week and then soak it in Ro to kill any remaining biofilm.

No dosing yet

 

[aaron186]

I pushed sponge down btw… doesn’t seem to have done anything. Hoping the aqua mesh sponge is the solution but have to wait for BRS to send it out

 

[FernBluffReef]

Curious how this alternative filter worked out?

I have a newer RS525 (three months old). Skimmer went crazy. Noticed the sump level was way high. Saw the bubble filter clogged with detritus. I cleaned the filter really good and all fixed - sweet.

A few days later my skimmer goes crazy again as the sponge is starting to clog again already - water level in sump has risen by ~1”

Interesting enough I also have an RS170 that is just over 4 months old. After finding the mess in the RS525 I checked it. There was zero detritus in the RS170s filter just a bunch of pineapple sponges.

Now I do have a decent bio load in the RS525 vs the RS170 (at this time I’m using the RS170 mainly for an observation/acclimation tank) so I can see why the 525 gets a bit dirtier but I’m really surprised of how much detritus is accumulating in the sponge filter.

I also notice that the RS170s water is much clearer than the RS525 (not to say the water isn’t clear) just observing which seems a bit odd as the 525 has UV and the 170 does not. Both tanks have ReefMatts and RS skimmers. Another oddity is the 525 has no problem raising pods while the RS170 is mostly barren. 525 does have rubble rock in the sump so that helps with the pods.

Anyway. I’m currently of the mind to remove the bubble trap from the 525 and try running bubble trap less but I am left wondering a bit still about why the detritus accumulation is so much greater in one tank and not the other, also concerned about folks commenting that when doing so the tank gets noisier. Reflecting the sponge filter on the RS170 is actually physically larger than the sponge filter on the RS525 given the sump design and that probably is part of the reason it clogs faster but again the filter in the 170 has zero detritus and the 525 is full of it. Didn’t have this issue until the last week or two - figured oh we’ll need to clean every couple months but nope, cleaned it and it’s partially clogged in less than a week

Anyway interested in how your testing with this new sponge worked or or others experiences / thoughts.

 

[aaron186]

Curious how this alternative filter worked out?

I have a newer RS525 (three months old). Skimmer went crazy. Noticed the sump level was way high. Saw the bubble filter clogged with detritus. I cleaned the filter really good and all fixed - sweet.

A few days later my skimmer goes crazy again as the sponge is starting to clog again already - water level in sump has risen by ~1”

Interesting enough I also have an RS170 that is just over 4 months old. After finding the mess in the RS525 I checked it. There was zero detritus in the RS170s filter just a bunch of pineapple sponges.

Now I do have a decent bio load in the RS525 vs the RS170 (at this time I’m using the RS170 mainly for an observation/acclimation tank) so I can see why the 525 gets a bit dirtier but I’m really surprised of how much detritus is accumulating in the sponge filter.

I also notice that the RS170s water is much clearer than the RS525 (not to say the water isn’t clear) just observing which seems a bit odd as the 525 has UV and the 170 does not. Both tanks have ReefMatts and RS skimmers. Another oddity is the 525 has no problem raising pods while the RS170 is mostly barren. 525 does have rubble rock in the sump so that helps with the pods.

Anyway. I’m currently of the mind to remove the bubble trap from the 525 and try running bubble trap less but I am left wondering a bit still about why the detritus accumulation is so much greater in one tank and not the other, also concerned about folks commenting that when doing so the tank gets noisier. Reflecting the sponge filter on the RS170 is actually physically larger than the sponge filter on the RS525 given the sump design and that probably is part of the reason it clogs faster but again the filter in the 170 has zero detritus and the 525 is full of it. Didn’t have this issue until the last week or two - figured oh we’ll need to clean every couple months but nope, cleaned it and it’s partially clogged in less than a week

Anyway interested in how your testing with this new sponge worked or or others experiences / thoughts.

The blue pad from BRS works well. It’s a little louder than the foam but it hasn’t clogged yet on me