Newbie to the hobby and I need some help about filtration please

[MZTICTX]

I am concerned about the intank sump in my aio. I have 3 chambers. The first chamber where the tank water comes in the back chamber has stagnant water. I even see a little film forming. I had to turn the return pump down because I keep getting microbubbles. Im not sure if me slowing down the return pump is causing this issue but I would like advice. I have a pre-seeded filter, another sponge filter, satchel of purigen and a carbon satchel in the first chamber. The 2nd chamber i have a satchel of bio balls, a small piece of pre-seeded filter and more carbon. In the third chamber I just have the return pump. The water gets terribly low in the return pump chamber if i turn the pump on higher and creates microbubbles. I top off the water in the tank often but I'm not sure if my water level is too low or if I have too many sponges in the chambers. Any advice please

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Hi. I’m not familiar with your tank or filtration, but it looks like it’s low on water. Could this have caused the micro air bubbles from your pump? Check your salinity, and add Ro water if needed. How do you replace water from evaporation? Do you have an auto top off (ato)?

 

[MZTICTX]

Thanks for your response Skynard I dont have a auto top off i just had fresh RO to the actual tank. I top off often to the point like I feel one of two things is happening either evaporation is occurring rapidly or im not putting enough water in the tank when i do top off. Another concern I have is the saltwater I get from my LFS is at 1.020 salinty and I don't know how to raise it.

 

[ichthyogeek]

So I wouldn't say the water in the overflow section is stagnant. Rather, there probably just isn't enough flow going through it, and a biofilm is forming. Nothing too bad, it's just unsightly.

In order to fix the flow issue, consider maybe removing the sponge filter, and replacing it with something like pillow fluff/filter floss to grab all the particulate matter. It looks like your AIO has live rock (or at least, rock that's been seeded with beneficial bacteria), so the sponge filter is really there for mechanical filtration, which a small layer of filter floss can do. Change it out weekly or whatever so it doesn't get too clogged and you should be fine.

My main question, is why do you have two satchels of carbon, the pre-seeded filter, a satchel of bioballs, and a satchel of purigen? For what purpose do are all of those for? I want to know your reasoning behind everything.

 

[scabbedwings616]

Do you have coral in the tank yet? If so, raise the salinity slowly to 1.025-1.026 over a week or two and adjust as needed. Keep the ato and salinity at unless it’s a fowlr tank. You micro bubbles cone from you skimmer or not enough water in the chambers.

 

[Dysto]

That oil slick is usually a build up of proteins and organic remnants. Increasing the flow into that chamber, and thus the turbulence of the surface, keeps those proteins and organic compounds mixed throughout the water. These proteins can then be broken down by bacteria, bound by carbon, consumed by algaes, and sucked out with water changes. I dont know what model of All-in-one tank you've got, and there are probably posts about this specific model, but I'd increase your flow.

The micro-bubbles you experienced from the higher flow on your return pump is usually a indicator that your pump is pulling in some air, which means its either placed too high, or the water level is getting low enough to allow bubbles to be sucked down into the pump. From your pictures, it appears the water level in your final compartment is very low, so I'd definitely add more water to the tank.

 

[MZTICTX]

So I wouldn't say the water in the overflow section is stagnant. Rather, there probably just isn't enough flow going through it, and a biofilm is forming. Nothing too bad, it's just unsightly.

In order to fix the flow issue, consider maybe removing the sponge filter, and replacing it with something like pillow fluff/filter floss to grab all the particulate matter. It looks like your AIO has live rock (or at least, rock that's been seeded with beneficial bacteria), so the sponge filter is really there for mechanical filtration, which a small layer of filter floss can do. Change it out weekly or whatever so it doesn't get too clogged and you should be fine.

My main question, is why do you have two satchels of carbon, the pre-seeded filter, a satchel of bioballs, and a satchel of purigen? For what purpose do are all of those for? I want to know your reasoning behind everything.

Truthfully I was told by someone to stack up the filtration like that. I was told to put carbon in two chambers and the multiple filters to catch all nasties that bypassed chamber one and leaked into chamber two. I added the pre-seeded filter to help with my cycle as it was a new tank setup plus I thought the sponge filter creates a place for good bacteria to be housed in.

Can you recommend a normal amount of filtration need for a small 20g tank?

 

[MZTICTX]

Do you have coral in the tank yet? If so, raise the salinity slowly to 1.025-1.026 over a week or two and adjust as needed. Keep the ato and salinity at unless it’s a fowlr tank. You micro bubbles cone from you skimmer or not enough water in the chambers.

I have two small zoa frags. Ive been trying to get my salinty and PH up before I add more coral. I dont have a skimmer so I think the low water level is to blame

 

[MZTICTX]

That oil slick is usually a build up of proteins and organic remnants. Increasing the flow into that chamber, and thus the turbulence of the surface, keeps those proteins and organic compounds mixed throughout the water. These proteins can then be broken down by bacteria, bound by carbon, consumed by algaes, and sucked out with water changes. I dont know what model of All-in-one tank you've got, and there are probably posts about this specific model, but I'd increase your flow.

The micro-bubbles you experienced from the higher flow on your return pump is usually a indicator that your pump is pulling in some air, which means its either placed too high, or the water level is getting low enough to allow bubbles to be sucked down into the pump. From your pictures, it appears the water level in your final compartment is very low, so I'd definitely add more water to the tank.

Thanks im going to increase the water pump and water in the tank.

 

[ichthyogeek]

So over the course of a month or two, I'd go ahead and remove the satchel of bioballs, the second of the two sponges you have, and the preseeded media. They've done their job, and you have both sand and rock in the tank, which is ample biological filtration.

You can elect to keep the purigen and carbon in there if you wish. What they're doing is adsorbing larger organic wastes and keeping the water from yellowing. A protein skimmer does the same job (but I believe it's superior to carbon/purigen).

Finally, I'd remove the first sponge filter and replace it with a layer of fine filter floss or filter. Here's a random example from Amazon (Haven't tested it).

 

[littlefishy]

I believe the sponges are causing your lack of water in the return chamber. My nuvo 10 does that if I put too much filter floss in the 1st chamber (I upgraded my pump to a sicce 1.0)
Normally I only run filter floss when cleaning or changing water.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Both - sponges causing low water and low water causing micro bubbles.
Basket is fine but I would stage from top to bottom, filter pad-not floss, carbon source and a bio clock or even rock rubble. You should have room in the chamber for a small protein skimmer ( Ice Cap K-1) would be perfect.

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[littlefishy]

If you have no ato, water level getting low happens so fast in these little aio open tanks.
Also, only have rock rubble and a tiny bag of carbon in the 3 chambers.
What tank is it? Someone may have a more specific answer

 

[MZTICTX]

If you have no ato, water level getting low happens so fast in these little aio open tanks.
Also, only have rock rubble and a tiny bag of carbon in the 3 chambers.
What tank is it? Someone may have a more specific answer

When you say rock rubble in one of the chambers would I put like 10 small pieces in a satchel and place in or do I just place them in the chamber which more than likely I dont need to ever pull them out?

 

[MZTICTX]

If you have no ato, water level getting low happens so fast in these little aio open tanks.
Also, only have rock rubble and a tiny bag of carbon in the 3 chambers.
What tank is it? Someone may have a more specific answer

Its a 20g JbJ rimless cube

 

[MZTICTX]

So over the course of a month or two, I'd go ahead and remove the satchel of bioballs, the second of the two sponges you have, and the preseeded media. They've done their job, and you have both sand and rock in the tank, which is ample biological filtration.

You can elect to keep the purigen and carbon in there if you wish. What they're doing is adsorbing larger organic wastes and keeping the water from yellowing. A protein skimmer does the same job (but I believe it's superior to carbon/purigen).

Finally, I'd remove the first sponge filter and replace it with a layer of fine filter floss or filter. Here's a random example from Amazon (Haven't tested it).

I read the reviews on that product it seems to be good and just what I need thanks for the advice.

 

[MZTICTX]

Both - sponges causing low water and low water causing micro bubbles.
Basket is fine but I would stage from top to bottom, filter pad-not floss, carbon source and a bio clock or even rock rubble. You should have room in the chamber for a small protein skimmer ( Ice Cap K-1) would be perfect.

I was looking at a basket for my media but I might decide on a skimmer it just seems complicated to get the right amount of air coming into the system to create the bubbles. I think I need a 4 week course of reef keeping prior to starting my setup lol