Temperate Aquarium filtration requirements.

I think a thread on filtration for Temperate Tanks would be a great idea ,its easy to get miss lead by information directed at tropical marine aquarists or spend dollars on things not required or better directed in other areas..

So what should we start with ?

Essentially, I might say, what is needed is more filtration. The biggest thing is that it takes temperate tanks longer to establish themselves upon initial set up. Otherwise filtration requirements can be near identical.

I agree more is better..

Im using a mix of both in my TM and Im about to add more Bio by adding a large bio sponge filter ,So its Algae bed in the CTC ,then DSB with live rock and weed, then filter media, Bio foam,bio balls mix,then charcoal and return, and Im adding more bio foam in the return section ,maybe a large pond filter attached to the pump so the flow is going through ,this will give me about 2 1/2ft square of bio for 75+15=90 gallons or 340 liters ..

I also used live sand and rock for my DSB to help establish the tank faster and Ive had no spikes even when I added fish ..



Do you think the Algae scrubber idea would benifit TM tanks ??

http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=487

I don't know about the algae scrubber, I've found a good clean up crew works the best.

Sumps would also seem to be an integral part of large temperate tanks but not a necessity for smaller aquaria.

Would the chiller be in the sump or hob?

~ocean wrote:Would the chiller be in the sump or hob?

It would depend on the size of the tank, but most likely it would be incorporated into the sump.

I like the chiller in the sump on the return tank ,keeps it cleaner..



Ive added small flat rocks with good algae growth to my CTC wier ,lots of light and lots of flow up their and the shrimp and ludrick wont eat it ,thats as close to an algae scrubber as Im making for now.

Another thing is to make sure there is plenty of natural filtration; provide lots of spaces on which aerobic bacteria will be able to grow. A good suggestion is to set porous rock behind granite. or dense, rock if one wants to simulate the look of natural temperate environments but have excellent filtration.

That one of the reasons I went with a rock wall of sand stone from the local shore reefs in my DT,lots of holes and groves ,

Good! I'm also thinking of doing something similar in my DT.

Ive just added Algae and rock to my sumps DSB and placed a CFL globe over the top ,Ive removed the shrimp from the DSB to give the mini critters a better chance to flourish ,I found a red algae that looks like a tangled ball of noodles and mixed that with some hair algae in there as well ,should be a great place for the baby pipes to grow..Im thinking of putting volcanic rock or bio balls in around my return pump chamber ,it seem like a waste of tank being only filled with water and a pump ..