Marine Tank System Filtration

The main filtration of my tank is managed by the sump. I do however have two external Rena XP3 filters. Also in addition to this, I have 80kg of Live rock which really makes a big difference.

  • 200 Litre Sump
    The sump on my tank is the main form of filtration for the whole system, i have only had the sump running on my tank since the third week or March 2008. For information on my sump, have a look at the main Sump Page where you can see whats in each section. This is the main method of filtration in my system.

  • Dual Rena XP3 External Filters
    In the filters I have 4 layers or foam at the bottom 2 of a chunky foam and 2 a littlefiner, above that I have a bag of carbon then on that Dual Rena XP3 External Filtersthere is a thin phos layer. I have two of the Rena XP3 filters running on my system,they have a throughput of 1310lp/h each. I use the ouput from each one as a powerhead in the tank aposed to using a spray bar as they get bunged up and need cleaning more frequently,plus they dont have the powerhead affect within the water. I do however havemy filter outlets on the surface breaking the water to help stabalise the pH and oxygenate the tank but this will only do a minimal amount to increase pH but over time it should keep things a little more stable. These are really good filters and have an excellent mechanism for locking the pipes on and off. These filters normally go for aroun £90 in most places, but they are worth the money. I here people talk about other brands, but having only had these I am a bit biased. I also use Rena filters on my goldfish tank.

  • Rowa Phos
    The Rowa Phos is the ultimate in removing phosphates and silicates (PO4 & Si02). This just keeps the algRowa Phosae under control and brakes down any hairy looking algae growning on the rocks. I now have a dedicated Fluidised Reactor for my Rowaphos. This is a Deltec FR509 Fluidised Reactor. Rowa Phos is a really great thing to use on your tank, it does wonders and you can see the difference in a matter of days, its not cheap though as it costs about £35 per Litre.

  • Live Rock
    As a natural filter in the tank i have over 80Kg of live rock. The live rock is a very good natural filter due to the massive surface area that it has and all the goodness and bacteria contained within it. The rock probably does a better job that the two external filters do. The only downside to buying liverock is that it is very expensive, on average expect to pay about £12 per Kg for rock.

  • Carbon Layer
    The carbon layer is to remove organic waste produced from the tank, it also removes pollutants such as toxic gases and stops water discoloration and, fould odors and phenols. I have a couple of big bags of carbon in each of my external filters which i change every few months. This really makes the water sparkle! I am thinking of putting the carbon in an external fluidised reactor for convenience though.

  • Microfiltration Pads
    The thin phos layer also known as Micro Filtration Pad is basically just going to stop tiny particles from leaving the filter, in effect if is polishing tDeltec MCE600 Protein Skimmerhe water.The Microfiltration pads should be used as the last stage of the filtration process within the external filters. Its important that these are kept clean to avoid nitrate build up.

  • Foam Pads
    The chunky foam layers at the start of the filers are to pick out all the main larger waste that has been sucked into the filter, this it the trapped and cant get back in to the tank. I make sure that they get rinsed out regularly as they will clog up and trap nitrates in them otherwise.

  • Protein Skimmer
    I use a Deltec MCE600 Protein Skimmer on the tank, this is a hang on type that sits in my sump. The skimmer sucks through 300lp/h of air into the chamber causing lots of bubbles to rise through the water and taking out the waste. I empty the skimmer hopper once every other day and have it on thVecton V2 25w UV Sterilisere lowest setting to get the most waste from the water, but this does produce a wet skim aposed to a drier one that some people like. The MCE600 Skimmer normally sells for about £200 - £225 in most places. Its a lot to spend but its a very good bit of equipment and is vital in 99% of setups.

  • UV Steriliser
    I use a 25w Vecton (V1) UV Sterilser on my tank, this is left on 24 hours a day. This unit removes all nasty pathogens from the water, but equaly it removes some good stuff as well. It is very good at controlling disease and infection within the tank. Can cure whitespot on its own so long as your water parameters are correct. The lamp gets changed every 6 months to ensure that its working at its best. A Vection UV Steriliser generally sells between £65 - £110 in most places, your best off looking online to get the chepest deals.