Filtration 55g reef

[hardparts2]

On my 55 gallon I have 60 lbs of live rock and a coral life 125 skimmer. I am thinking on getting a Rena xp3 for chem and mech filtration. If I rince and clean it every week will it still give me trouble with nitrates.

Thanks Bob

 

[Meloco14]

I am not familiar with the Rena xp3. Is it a canister filter? What is the reason you are thinking of getting it? On my 55 I just have a Remora skimmer, and occasionally run carbon in a small Penguin hang on back filter. That is all that really is needed. Your liverock and sand along with the skimmer should do most of the filtration. When you do water changes you can stir up the crud on the rocks and this pretty much takes care of what mechanical filtration would do. If you need to run carbon every once in a while all you need is a cheap hang on filter. If you do need this Rena for something I am not thinking of, then yes, rinsing any filter pad or anything that collects waste is something you should do on a weekly basis and it will help reduce nitrate buildup. HTH

 

[tazdevil]

You don't need something like that. It's a canister filter, and for a reef tank, it would be a pain. Yes, cleaning it once a week would prevent the Nitrate issues, however, it would potentially give you ammonia spike issues as the bacteria in it are disturbed. I wouldn't want the hassle of something like that that would have to weekly cleaned. As long as your tank has liverock, a good skimmer, and you perform water changes as necessary, this would be an needless expense. I do use a simple hang on back filter for occasional carbon running, but that's a once in a while thing.