Carbon Media for Nano Cube 28g?

[ktipp]

What are others using on the Nano Because Im having issues with the water flowing over the chamber instead of through the chamber. I feel this is due to media blockage limiting the water flow. The water is currently running through the gateway and it hits the filter chambers but part of the water runs over the chamber.

Anyone else have or had this issue? How did you fix it?

The link below is the media Im currently using.
http://www.acurel.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=12&Itemid=70

Thanks
KT

[350gt]

What else are you using for filtration?

If that pad is anything like a sponge, they clog quickly..

[ktipp]

Crushed live rock pieces.

KT

[koa25]

How small of crushed live rock? If its too small it could be limiting flow. When I had my little 24 gallon JBJ i ran a chemi pure elite bag. That helped a lot. Covered all the media needs in one bag.

[ktipp]

quarter size pieces. Did you have major chanages in ammonia, ph, nitrites, etc when you changed out the Chemi bag every 3 months (or how often did you change out the bag)?
How often did you do water changes?

KT

[koa25]

I'm not going to lie. I was and still am a pretty lazy reef keeper. I changed it out every 4 or five months. I would remove it once a month to rinse it. Some advise against that. But mine would get pretty dirty. No major changes in parameters. I've always had issues with Nitrates cause I run a dirty tank. I feed a lot. But no other issues other than that. If i rememeber right i believe it recommends every 6 months to change. Not too sure. I recently switched to Clear FX PRO http://reefbuilders.com/2012/03/10/blue-life-clear-fx-pro/ and have seen some great results from that. I'm actually pretty pleased with it. The smallest bag size I think is for a 60 gallon tank. But it is a passive media style. Water flows over it . Not forced like a reactor so it shouldn't be too much for your tank. As far as water changes. I did them every other week. Still do on my 125. I would probably recommend a weekly on a small tank. I should have. Didn't have issues. But I still should have done weekly water changes. Water quality can go south really quickly in a small tank.

[350gt]

Yup I used just the cheap filter floss, rubble, and chemipure in my nano for the longest with no issues till I got lazy with the water changes......

[koa25]

Darn water changes always get the best of you when it comes to nano's. My 125 can go a while. But I don't like to push it with the amount i have invested in livestock.

[ktipp]

Are you guys disturbing the sand bed when doing water changes or just changing 25% water?

[koa25]

depends. If i have algae or food sitting on the sand bed I will disturb the top little bit to suck it up. But normally no. Try to leave it alone. Specially a DSB. I don't even mess with my sand in my 125. My CUC and dragon goby takes care of that really well. I'll give the rocks a light dusting with a power head to clean them off. And If you do weekly i would only do a 10%. That will be enough. I did a five gallon every two weeks on my nano.

[350gt]

I use to hate my diamond goby in my nano......


That was until I took him out...... He did wonders for the sand bed.

[koa25]

Yeah. I just added that dragon goby a week ago. My cuc did a decent job but then the dragon goby steam rolled the sand bed spotless. Like pearly white. Love those guys.

[klwheat]

I have chaeto in the top, chemipure elite in the middle, and cheap filter floss in the bottom. I still have flow going over the top, but I'm sure a fair amount is going through it also. Does fine for me.

[350gt]

I personally would want the floss on top, to catch all the left over food particles and waste. Plus it would be easier to change. Then the chemipure, then the chaeto on the bottom....

[Scutterborn]

I'm running this setup. From the top down...
Stock sponge
Carbon
Ceramic bio rings

Under that I have the chemi-pure laying under the basket and free roaming chaeto filling the rest of that chamber growing all the way up the skimmer and heater chambers. I'll post a pic hen I get home tonight.

[ktipp]

thanks guys

[ktipp]

Is the Chaeto growing out of control? Is the Cheato doing good without light? Is Chemipure Elite better than the carbon and phosphate sheets that you cut to size?

thanks
KT