What does your reef tank filtration look like?

[Gumbies R Us]

Just a curiosity question. What are you using to filter out all the gunk in your tank? Maybe you are using filter socks, bio balls or perhaps you are using a fancy Reef Mat. I want to know what you are using for filtration and are you happy with your results!

 

[KrisReef]

Skimmer only.
I don't know what I would add that would make me happier?

 

[legionofdoon]

No filter socks or floss, just an oversized skimmer an oversized sulfur reactor and an algae scrubber.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Had dual filter socks, then to a skimmer, then a fully stocked fuge, a sponge to catch any fuge debris, then return pump. Worked pretty well :)

 

[Shnetts]

Fleece roller and a carbon reactor!

 

[Subsea]

Because my goal is biodiversity of filter feeders, I use bacteria, algae (coral zooanthelia is an algae) and sponges. Display tank has a reverse flow under gravel filter with 2” of aragonite substrate. I use GSP soft coral as a bio filter that provides a matrix for the pod brothers: amphipods & copepods.

Sponges are of special interest to me as both “Cryptic sponge loop” as well as ornamental sponges in display tank. Because my ground water at 1000’ is the middle Trinity which is an ancient inland sea that was full of diatoms and thus I have high silicates in ground water makeup.

I emulate Mother Nature.

 

[Tahoe61]

Skimmer only. I use sponge to polish after maintenance. Best thing I ever did was get rid of socks.

 

[corosato]

Innovative Marine Nuvo Roller Pro and a Sicce skimmer in the aio compartment.

 

[carri10]

Reasea 1200 for 10 hours. The rest for a noyos skimmer.
Also a cryptic sump of 10% of total Volume.

Very heavy feed and NO3 at 15ppm and PO4 at 0.1ppm.

 

[LiquidSpace]

Reef Mat 1200 and Deltec 100i protein skimmer.

 

[19Mateo83]

I have two 200 micron filter socks and an oversized skimmer on my 50g.

 

[Dragen Fiend]

IM 25 using floss pads, bio balls and refugium in another chamber. Keeps the display clean.

 

[reefpanda]

Skimmer only

 

[Nano_Tuners]

Sock>Refugium/Skimmer>Return pump chamber

 

[BriDroid]

Sock, then skimmer, then return pump.

 

[Formulator]

I have a reef mat but only about 80% of the drain goes through it. The rest goes to a separate fuge with sand and chaeto. The fuge drains into the sump, bypassing the reef mat. I like to think I keep my pod population up by giving them a clear path between fuge and DT. I have great nutrient control and the tank is doing great lately. I also run a reef Octopus skimmer, carbon in a canister, and GFO in a canister periodically when my PO4 test indicates it.

 

[danreef55]

 

[VintageReefer]

 

[VintageReefer]

My tank is as close to natural as I can be, and it’s extremely low maintenance and simple.

No socks, rollers, or mech filtration means nothing for me to wash, clog, or monitor

Have a skimmer but it’s offline unless I have a need. Such as a contaminant in the water, or removal of a medication etc

Filtration is from a surf2 algae scrubber and a cryptic zone consisting of live rock and sponge

Water changes are not performed or needed in my setup

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

What you cannot see in these pics is that I rerouted my two return pump lines. They use to dump in a traditional manor, meaning, the discharge was on the overflow side. I have recently plumbed them out of my overflow box, up to the ceiling and now they discharge between the two sea swirls on the short display side. This one change has made a meaningful change. For 2 days cloth my rollers fleece consumption went way way up, water became noticeably more clear. I had taken one of those wooden airstones and placed it in my return chamber. I was able to watch my return flow go into my overflow box. This due to my very very high flow water. Now that I am happy with this, I plan to permanently plumb it in place today. I added 3 pics with the plumbing change, not easy to see though.