How do you know if you are "over-filtering" your tank?

Have you ever had problems as a result of "over filtering" your tank?

  • YES (tell us in the thread)

    Votes: 115 39.4%
  • NO

    Votes: 170 58.2%
  • Other (please explain)

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BAMatter

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How a fuge ( refugium with algae?) is able to overfilter the system? A fuge ( photo-autotrophic) not actively managed just will use what is left over by faster growing organisms. My opinion a fuge can never be too large, this if it is actively managed, maintaining the growth rate needed at all times.
Certain dinoflagellates (Prorocentrum spp)) are epiphytic on seagrasses and do produce the toxin okadaic acid, which can be a tumor promoter for seagrass consuming organisms. How do you know you had both Ostreopsis and Prorocentrum Dino’s? What about all others? How did you bottom out NO3 and PO4? Is the reason for having dino's linked to the low nitrate and phosphate level or to the method used to bottom out some nutrients creating a nutrient unbalance favorable for the growth of dinos. Did you use growth to clear the water of nutrients ( having a fuse) or did you just focus on nitrate and or phosphorus only ( GFO)? Having a large fuge it should have been easy to remove most nutrients by growth, allowing competition. Adding nitrate and phosphorus only, how do you see the future keeping on doing this?
If the water is cleared of nutrients using photo-autotrophic growth competition is allowed. What I do not untherstand is the combination of promoting photo-autotrophic growth to clear the water using a fuge and running GFO, limiting growth and leaving all other essential nutrients behind, only usable for PAO having build up a phosphorus reserve, this until the reserve is used up ( promoting selective growth in a small biotope). How the growth rate in the fuge was maintained because I would expect the algae to die off?
Yep, sure were Dino’s. Microscope slides confirmed Ostreopsis and Prorocentrum, although it also could have been LCA. Handled the ostreos and took another slide of lingering algae on the sand and it was a different cell.
 

Diesel_woody

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Nano tanks are a great example. Many don’t realize that adding something like a Protein Skimmer to a small tank can cause more trouble than it’s worth when water changes will export built up nutrients just fine.
Can you go into more details about this? Just bought a nano with a sump and I'm curious to know more
 

ClownSchool

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Can you go into more details about this? Just bought a nano with a sump and I'm curious to know more
 

ReefGeezer

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If over-filtered means a lack of dissolved organics, I have been there. For me, it was due an effort to get to a ULNS system. Light feeding and a big, super efficient skimmer was the order of the day back then. Pale Acros and ever shrinking Zoas were the order of the day back then for me.

Fast forward to today... The skimmer is much smaller, the bioload is much higher, and "food" is input much more liberally in an effort to keep dissolved organic carbon available. I understand the interaction of that DOC with varying organisms in the food chain better and encourage the growth of those that are desirable. While always a work in progress, Acros are much brighter and grow faster and Zoas grow big and spread quickly.
 

Aaron75

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While on the topic of over-filtering. I'm starting a 15 gallon Nano and just ordered a protein skimmer... Was that a mistake? Is it unnecessary on such a small system? Chemically, what does a protein skimmer remove, NO3 and PO4?
 

Nano sapiens

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One BIG mistake we have seen over the years, and have more recently been educated on, is that you can "over filter" your tank. Or your reef tank can be TOO CLEAN! So let me get this straight. Don't filter and you run the risk of an algae explosion, over filter and you run the risk of an algae explosion? Seems about right for keeping a saltwater reef aquarium! :p Let's talk about it!

How do you know if you are "over-filtering" your tank and how do you keep a good balance?

Two part answer to this one.

If you have 6 different filtration methods...you are very likely over filtering! ;)

On the other end of the spectrum, a successful reef aquarium can be had without any man-made filtration system at all, just using live rock and live sand.

Experienced reefers use their system's organisms, especially their corals, to inform above and beyond what a test kit can tell them. Not to say that testing isn't helpful since it can be, just that by observing a coral it can tell you whether conditions are poor, acceptable or advantageous to it's health and growth. In a sense the organisms can tell you if your filtration method(s) are sufficient and successful...or not.
 
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Nano sapiens

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While on the topic of over-filtering. I'm starting a 15 gallon Nano and just ordered a protein skimmer... Was that a mistake? Is it unnecessary on such a small system? Chemically, what does a protein skimmer remove, NO3 and PO4?

The short answer is that for a balanced nano aquarium a skimmer is not necessary as regular water changes are often all that's needed. It can be helpful for those that don't do water changes regularly or have a high bio load (especially fish).

Basically, a skimmer works by creating tiny air bubbles who's surface tension attracts various molecules/particles. In this way it exports substances out of the system that would otherwise need to be broken down biologically. Depending on the system and the organisms kept in it, this may or may not be desirable. It also adds some aeration/oxygenation which is helpful if the system is oxygen limited (too high bio load, limited or no surface skimming, fully enclosed top, insufficient flow, etc.).
 

Piscans

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i run my tank more to look at the fish behaving naturally. i have designed an enviroment with lots of soft corals and lots of algae & somewhat turbid water. it seems conducive to growth of coral and invertabrates & that is conducive to fish health & behavior. i feed phytoplankton and i do not run much filtration outside of chemical filtration. i focus more on flow.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

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  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 32.8%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 13.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

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  • Other.

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