Quote Originally Posted by MadReefer View Post
what normally happens is it works fine until its forgotten about for too long a period. its just complicating things honestly. why can filter when your liverock does that job completely all the way to nitrogen gas? yes a can filter can work, yes it has a factor of being an issue beyond what most people understand. not really here to argue this point because it has its pros and cons. but in my experience, less is sometimes better because this hobby doesnt have to be overly technical to scare off the people who just want things to be easy, simple, and enjoyable =)

anything that traps poo and passes water through it consistently is biological filtration. most can filters i see standard issue have a pleated type of filter, which does just that.
I agree. I wouldn't use it unless you need it. Yes, you have to keep it clean but if you end up needing to use GFO or carbon, it might come in handy. Just relying on a skimmer, live rock and water changes isn't always enough. I certainly wouldn't recommend loading it up with carbon or GFO until you actually need it though.