Taking ALL biofiltration out of my filter?

cdemoss01

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Hello,
I recentley took all my bioballs out of my tank and replaced them with Seachem Matrix. However I have been given advice to get rid of matrix AND purigen and just run cheato, carbon and filter floss. Is this a good idea? I have live rock. But I figured without matrix and purigen my filter would barely filtrate anything?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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It’s a fine experiment. I’m not sure why someone would say remove Purigen and replace with GAC as they mostly do the same thing: binding organics.

FWIW, I’m not sure most folks benefit from biomedia.
 
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cdemoss01

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It’s a fine experiment. I’m not sure why someone would say remove Purigen and replace with GAC as they mostly do the same thing: binding organics.

FWIW, I’m not sure most folks benefit from biomedia.
Im trying to lower nitrates and get rid of GHA. SO I'm starting a fuge but ive been advised to take my bio filtration out AND my purigen and just run fuge with GAC and filter floss. Should I do this? Or should I leave everything in and add my cheato?
 
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cdemoss01

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It’s a fine experiment. I’m not sure why someone would say remove Purigen and replace with GAC as they mostly do the same thing: binding organics.

FWIW, I’m not sure most folks benefit from biomedia.
Say I do do this will this cause a crash?
 

Tamberav

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If you have live rock, then the biomedia isn't needed... removing it won't crash your tank. purigen is fine to use.

On my AIO, I use carbon and floss.
 
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cdemoss01

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If you have live rock, then the biomedia isn't needed... removing it won't crash your tank. purigen is fine to use.

On my AIO, I use carbon and floss.
Interesting... So we are COMPLETELY sure it wont crash it I am not in the mood for that.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Im trying to lower nitrates and get rid of GHA. SO I'm starting a fuge but ive been advised to take my bio filtration out AND my purigen and just run fuge with GAC and filter floss. Should I do this? Or should I leave everything in and add my cheato?

Nutrients at any level are not generally a good way to control algae.

What is nitrate now?
 

Tamberav

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Interesting... So we are COMPLETELY sure it wont crash it I am not in the mood for that.

All it does is provide a place for bacteria which all your rock and sand also do. I think they just use it to have something to sell and make $$.

You removed all your bioballs and added sterile new matrix your tank didn't crash.
 
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cdemoss01

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Nutrients at any level are not generally a good way to control algae.

What is nitrate now?
Not sure haven't done a test in a bit. They were off the charts but about a week or two ago I was able to cut them and they were at 50. I wanna get them to 15. What would you reccomend I do in this situation? I'm also trying to put mesh in my Tidal filter to keep cheato in it.
 
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cdemoss01

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All it does is provide a place for bacteria which all your rock and sand also do. I think they just use it to have something to sell and make $$.

You removed all your bioballs and added sterile new matrix your tank didn't crash.
I removed my bioballs at diffrent times. About a handfull every week-two weeks etc.
 

GARRIGA

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Large enough Fuge could eliminate the need for biological media as well as amount of corals but other than bacteria stealing nutrients the plants and coral would otherwise use I can't see a reason one needs to remove it. Assuming nutrients contact corals first then fuge then does it matter there's bacteria to compete with the other two? I'd consider it a backup and why I'd keep it.

Know this much. Ran experiments without coral where pumice (matrix) constituted 25% of tank volume and carbon dosed without a skimmer or other mechanical means of removing the bacterial population explosion expected from carbon dosing. Fact is I often overdosed and saw little if any detriment due to it. Was because of the biological media? Don't know but anecdotally I'll continue this process.
 

Tamberav

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I removed my bioballs at diffrent times. About a handfull every week-two weeks etc.

can do that if you want and makes ya feel better. I kept matrix in my sump and removed it all in one go all the time to use in quarantine tanks. I did this with live rock all the time too. My display has sufficient rock.

:)

I doubt it is causing algae issues but I suppose it could be trapping crap depending where it is and flow. I am sure pods like matrix.
 
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cdemoss01

cdemoss01

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can do that if you want and makes ya feel better. I kept matrix in my sump and removed it all in one go all the time to use in quarantine tanks. I did this with live rock all the time too. My display has sufficient rock.

:)
Guessing nothing happened with it?
 

Tamberav

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Guessing nothing happened with it?

No, I don't even have my sump hooked up to my tank atm lol So no filtration outside of the displays live rock.

I moved and took everything down and didn't hook up the sump yet. Been that way since July.

I guess that means I removed my fuge/rock/biomedia and skimmer all in one go :) My macro and refugium are hanging out in a plastic tub in the garage.

I will eventually get around to it...
 

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Not sure haven't done a test in a bit. They were off the charts but about a week or two ago I was able to cut them and they were at 50. I wanna get them to 15. What would you reccomend I do in this situation? I'm also trying to put mesh in my Tidal filter to keep cheato in it.

I’d recommend a new measurement first. Macroalgae and organic carbon dosing are good methods.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I did do that with my bioballs but now people are telling me to take out the ENTIRE matrix should I?

can you post a picture of the tank and its creatures?
 

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