do i need the carbon filter?

Big Dogs Little Pigs

i have the 29g oceanic cube. the stock filter is a carbon filter that lays across the top of the fuge chamber. i recently put some cheato in that chamber and also added a light to it. is the carbon filter still necessary? i do run a skimmer that does a really good job.

also, this tank and my 14g cube both have a sponge in the pump chamber. i do take it out once a week a clean it. it looks like it would be a nitrate factory. should i just remove them all together?

both tanks have the required amount of live rock as well as live sand. everything in both tanks is doing great! my snowflake clowns are joining weight watchers soon.

Reefing Madness

In reality, the required amount that everyone should run is 2lbs of LR per gallon. This is the biological filtration, the closer you get to that number the better your filtration. 1lb per gallon is the bare minimum.
You've got the idea on the filter. Just go ahead and remove all the sponge and carbon junk from the filter, and let the algae do its thing for you.

Big Dogs Little Pigs

thanks, brian! i'll pick up a few more pieces of live rock as i was going by the 1# per gallon figure.

there is (at least for me!) a design flaw in the 29g oceanic in that i have to unscrew the bracket that holds the halide light in order to wiggle the filter out to be cleaned/changed. it's a major pain in the buttooski so not having to deal with that will make my life soooo much easier! :)

Reefing Madness

Very nice!! Glad that will help out.

MetalArm3

I use filter floss over the refugium chamber just as you described. Except, I tore out the floss and carbon( just kept black backing) so I can cut my own filter floss (cheaper).

I think it's nice to have to collect solid debri. As for the HQI fixture, I have led strips laying on glass top so that's not a problem I face. You should suggest modifications yo oceanic. That great thing about this hobby is the manufactures listen to its customers.
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Big Dogs Little Pigs

that's exactly what i did with my 14g since, with the position of the skimmer, there is no room for the stock carbon filter. also, i've been putting filter floss over the top of the filter in the 29g to catch debris so i'll just do that after i take the other floss/charcoal out. :)

i did contact oceanic about this but all i got was an e-mail back that they hadn't had anybody else express this as being an issue. hmm...

MetalArm3

Interesting. What skimmer are you running, stock?
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Big Dogs Little Pigs

yup, just the little one that came with the tank. same with the 29g. actually, they are identical.

MetalArm3

If your looking to ever upgrade your skimmer, I highly recommend the Hydor Slim Skim Nano. Most people don't know this, but with a small modification it fits in chamber 1. All you have to do is remove the small inner trim going around the inside top on the 1st chamber. I have other pics but it will only let me post one on mobile.

MetalArm3

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beaslbob

IMHO you never need a carbon filter.

But that's just my .02