Foam block in filtration

[Dominat0r]

Well, have been using foam blocks for a very very long time and have been reading about the pros and cons. I hear that they can strip nutrients and also become nitrate factories if not maintained. I was just wondering if you guys have experiences to share for either situation?

I am testing this myself. I have removed my foam and I want to see how my water parameters and my softies change.

 

[Big G]

Well, have been using foam blocks for a very very long time and have been reading about the pros and cons. I hear that they can strip nutrients and also become nitrate factories if not maintained. I was just wondering if you guys have experiences to share for either situation?

I am testing this myself. I have removed my foam and I want to see how my water parameters and my softies change.

Have a foam block in my sump just before the pump chamber/area. Works pretty good. It's very porous. It's really there to keep big chunks of stuff from getting into the pump. Like chunks of chaeto. That would not be good. So it's worth it. I clean it frequently. Easy peezy.

 

[Dominat0r]

Have a foam block in my sump just before the pump chamber/area. Works pretty good. It's very porous. It's really there to keep big chunks of stuff from getting into the pump. Like chunks of chaeto. That would not be good. So it's worth it. I clean it frequently. Easy peezy.

How often do you clean it? and how many cleanings before its replaced? Thanks for the info.

 

[Scrappy RN]

I was wondering the same thing about mine. It's starting to look gunky so I thought I'd go ahead and rinse mine out.

 

[Scrappy RN]

Do you think this thing keeps copepods from getting to the DT from the sump though?

 

[Big G]

How often do you clean it? and how many cleanings before its replaced? Thanks for the info.

When I dump tank water for a water change I just shake and squeeze it in 5 gal buckets until it's clean enough. So about once a week. The mesh/openings in the sponge are rather large. It's the one that comes with an Eshopps RS-200 sump. Don't know how long it will last.

 

[Dominat0r]

Well, I am on day 2 per say (remove it last night) with no foam. So far so good. Tank looks clean and just had a feeding today (every other day). Ill give it a week and see, doing tests tonight (Nitrite, Nitrate, Cal, Phosphates, PH, Ammonia) and another round in a week to see.

I am actually wondering how well this works. I am considering ditching mechanical all together. Will just run live rock (in media bag) and carbon a few days a month to polish, or some purigen if parameters start to jump.

 

[Gweeds1980]

I have that coarse foam just before my pump return chamber... as others note, just to stop lumps from the fuge getting into the pump. I last cleaned it in, er, never. The tanks been up since April 2016... never cleaned it and have no intention... until it stops letting water through. incidentally it's rammed full of pods itself, so they can get through it.

Dunno about a nitrate factory... I have the fuge and I run biopellets... had to reduce the biopellets as nitrate was reading 0 on salifert... now up at 10ppm which is where I want it.

 

[mfinn]

I use it to block chaeto in the refugium from going into the return area in my sump. I pull it out and replace it about twice a year.

 

[Dominat0r]

Well, day 4. Tested everything again and parameters have not changed at all. Live rock in my media bag has got a little tan color, which is leading me to believe its acting like a filter pad/screen. The tank looks great though. Clarity looks exactly the same so far. Will give it more time, maybe another 2 weeks and see how the water is then.

 

[Dominat0r]

FTS as of today. Yes I did some cleaning on the power heads and surface skimmer.

 

[Dominat0r]

NO changes at all, at least not detectable with my dye kits. Now will give it a few months and see. I am using some filter floss and carbon for a few days here and there, but only for a few days at the most.