# What is the best filration for FOWLR



## andy (Jun 26, 2012)

Beside of getting a sump what is the other choice of filtration for a fish only tank with a lot of live rock for just a 40 gallon tank.


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## kamal (Apr 21, 2009)

Skimmer either hob or in sump same for a phosphate/carbon reactor

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## Thoreffex (Dec 31, 2013)

Bio balls?


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## rburns24 (Jan 31, 2011)

Thoreffex said:


> Bio balls?


No. They will eventually end up producing excess nitrate.

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## andy (Jun 26, 2012)

kamal said:


> Skimmer either hob or in sump same for a phosphate/carbon reactor
> 
> Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk


What about a HOB fuge and a skimmer? A medium size 2.75 gallon fuge. 42 lbs live rock in the main tank.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

If you're going to do a HOB fuge and a HOB skimmer then you might as well go with a sump. I don't know the reason why you aren't going with a sump but it's well worth it to go with a sump.


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## andy (Jun 26, 2012)

altcharacter said:


> If you're going to do a HOB fuge and a HOB skimmer then you might as well go with a sump. I don't know the reason why you aren't going with a sump but it's well worth it to go with a sump.


The reason is sump is making so much noise and I am living in a condo so it really annoying in the middle of the night. I want to have a sump too but kinda hard for me.


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## andy (Jun 26, 2012)

I have two hob refugium. One is 2.75 gallon and the other one is 4.75 gallon. I am not sure about what fish only tank should need.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

The fuges are good for growing pods but not really that great for "filtration". The amount of cheato you could grow in either one of them wouldn't really make much of a nutrient export strategy. 
you could run an AC50 or 110 with some filter floss. Make sure to change the floss every couple of days... you could add carbon or phosban in there too 
I woud skip the HOB skimmer. Too much potential for a smelly disaster. 
You could run GFO in a TLF 150 reactor. 

The best thing you can do though is 10-20% consistent weekly waterchanges.


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## andy (Jun 26, 2012)

fesso clown said:


> The fuges are good for growing pods but not really that great for "filtration". The amount of cheato you could grow in either one of them wouldn't really make much of a nutrient export strategy.
> you could run an AC50 or 110 with some filter floss. Make sure to change the floss every couple of days... you could add carbon or phosban in there too
> I woud skip the HOB skimmer. Too much potential for a smelly disaster.
> You could run GFO in a TLF 150 reactor.
> ...


So a hob fuge and also a ac 50?


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## kamal (Apr 21, 2009)

Sometimes these things become trial and error and see what you like. I run a hob skimmer and love it although it is an eye sore 

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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

andy said:


> The reason is sump is making so much noise and I am living in a condo so it really annoying in the middle of the night. I want to have a sump too but kinda hard for me.


Do a Herbie overflow zero noise

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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

I just read back in you thread and if it's noise you are worried about then a sump is the way to go. Having all the equipement inside a stand not only is cleaner looking and safer it's way quieter! 
Setting up a full syphon Herbie drain is dead quiet.


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## andy (Jun 26, 2012)

coldmantis said:


> Do a Herbie overflow zero noise
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


I just google it and that seem like a lot of work to build one. it just like REEF SAVVY ghost overflow.


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## andy (Jun 26, 2012)

fesso clown said:


> I just read back in you thread and if it's noise you are worried about then a sump is the way to go. Having all the equipement inside a stand not only is cleaner looking and safer it's way quieter!
> Setting up a full syphon Herbie drain is dead quiet.


My aquarium stand is just a stand and doesnt have a cabinet. even is still noise if I have a cabinet and put everything inside.Having a sump in a condo is not a gd idea. I been running a sump for a week on my current tank then I took it off because is too loud.


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## andy (Jun 26, 2012)

kamal said:


> Sometimes these things become trial and error and see what you like. I run a hob skimmer and love it although it is an eye sore
> 
> Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk


I having a HOB skimmer and I love it too.


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## andy (Jun 26, 2012)

Actually what I have for the currently 29g mixed reef is a eshopp psk 100 hob skimmer and a 2.75 gallon hob fuge with some live rock and a lot of cheato in it. My NO3 is 0.1 and PO4 is 0.06. I have six fish and 32 lbs live rock in the display tank. I dont have any problem in my tank with these equipment setup. I have two SPS frags and they are healthy and growing.I am not sure if I can use the same setup on a fish only tank.


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