Question about pros & cons with chemical filtration.

[Drakan]

I'm about to set up a 75 gal FOWLR aquarium. After all my research, I know the filters I need. The only thing i'm un-clear on is if I should put chemical filtration in my fish only salt water aquarium to supplement the biological and mechanical filtration I will have.

What are the pros and cons about chemical filtration in a FOWLR aquarium? and do you recommend including it?

[IBEW41]

what filters are you going to use?are you going to run carbon

[Drakan]

If I do include chemical filtration, I guess it would be active carbon. But there's plenty of information on the different kinds of chemical filtration available. My problem is that I can't seem to find ANY info on the pros and cons of using chemical filtration and if it's a good idea or if I should stay away from it.

[Ninong]

It is a good idea to run carbon (GAC) in a FOWLR aquarium. Some people (not many, but some) are hesitant to run carbon 24/7 in a reef aquarium because they're afraid that the carbon will remove iodine. Even those people will usually run it one or two days a month so that the water doesn't start turning yellow.



P.S. -- I don't think it's necessary to run GFO in a FOWLR tank. And I don't see any reason to run Poly-Filters unless you are trying to remove something specific after treating with certain medications, etc. What other chemical filtration did you have in mind?

[Ninong]

If I do include chemical filtration, I guess it would be active carbon. But there's plenty of information on the different kinds of chemical filtration available. My problem is that I can't seem to find ANY info on the pros and cons of using chemical filtration and if it's a good idea or if I should stay away from it.

You are going to have to be very specific here. Please list each different form of chemical filtration that you are wondering about. Most of the cons apply to reef tanks, not FOWLR tanks. And most forms of chemical filtration other than carbon are not really necessary in a FOWLR tank.

[Drakan]

The only chemical filtration I would use is carbon. However, I don't know if it should be bagged(passive) or not, which is something else I would appreciate any help on. From the research i've done, it seems passive is not as effective and yellowing might still occur. Therefore if I was setting it up now with the info I have, I would use active carbon.


*If it helps, here's what I will have in the tank. 75 gallon aquarium with live rock and probably a fine aragonite sand substrate.

The filter I plan on getting is the Fluval 405(According to research, the water should go through the mechanical filter first, then biological and finally active carbon). This of course is just to supplement my hang on skimmer(I won't have a sump).

I'll probably include a UV sterilizer on the filter's return tube.

Depending on the return flow of the filters, i'll include 1 or 2 pumps to meet the recommended water flow.

[CharlotteSteve]

If you are going to use a UV sterilizer it has been recomended to carbon treat the discharge. UV sterilizer will kill any diseases and basically anything it comes in contact with. For a FOWLR, a high concentration of nutrients is not really sought. You will be fine with the filter and carbon and even better off with filter, uv sterilizer and carbon. There really are no cons to too much filtration in FOWLR. In my case I would rather not have to replace any filters or cartridges so I went with a refugium and skimmer, no filters at all or carbon. If I was just starting the tank out I would consider UV due to diseaeses and algae blooms.

[Drakan]

Are you saying I should use the filter before the UV sterilizer? Because my research shows that the water going through the UV sterilizer needs to be very clean and clear to be effective.