(water splashing)
- With all the different types of filter media available
choosing the correct media can be a little confusing.
When keeping a reef aquarium this is especially important
because using the wrong media or using it the wrong way
can have some pretty nasty effects in your tank.
Carbon, GFO and Bio-pellets are currently the most popular
types of filter media and this is for a good reason.
They're inexpensive, they're easy to use
and they're proven to keep your tank clean,
clear and free of impurities.
Stay tuned to learn precisely just how
these different filter medias can benefit your aquarium
and how to use them correctly.
Activated carbon is the most widely used type
of filter media and the benefits of using carbon
are pretty amazing.
Carbon effectively removes medications, organics,
chemicals, color contaminants, odors
and other impurities from your tank.
Most hobbyists use carbon at all times
but it can also be used situationally
to remove medications or chemicals.
In fact, many of the medications and algae treatments
on the market actually recommend the use
of activated carbon to help remove any residual chemicals
from your aquarium after the treatment is complete.
Many of the corals we keep inside our reef aquariums
release toxins into the water as a form of defense.
Carbon removes these chemicals from the water column
which allows hobbyists to successfully care for
a variety of corals in the same aquarium.
With regular use carbon can help you achieve
crystal clear water for better light penetration.
With less dissolved organic waste in the aquarium
your fish and coral are more likely to thrive.
The best way to use carbon is to fluidize it
inside a meteor reactor with moderate water flow.
Adjust the flow so that the carbon is tumbling
and slowly boiling on top.
Carbon can also be effective when placed inside
a filter media bag and dropped into a media basket,
canister filter, sump to hang on power filter.
Just rinse before putting it into your tank
and place it where water will constantly flow through it.
Under normal circumstances carbon should be changed out
every three to four weeks.
Now, if you're using it to remove medications
or algae treatments,
you'll probably want to switch it out
after just a couple of days.
Now, it's important to remember that you shouldn't
leave carbon in your tank for too long
and if you don't have any new carbon available
to replace it out, just remove the existing carbon
from your tank until you have more available.
GFO or granular ferric oxide is pretty magical stuff.
GFO filter media is one of the best defenses
against algae outbreaks and lasts
a surprisingly long time when used properly.
Phosphate is the leading cause
of nuisance algae in aquariums.
It also inhibits the growth of calcareous corals.
An elevated phosphate level may even cause
your prized SPS corals to brown out or perish.
Phosphate enters your aquarium mainly through fish waste
but also via supplements, food and even top-off water.
GFO binds to the phosphate in your aquarium water
making it unavailable to fuel algae growth
or adversely affect your corals.
You can use GFO filter media at all times
in any reef tank.
Fluidizing the media inside a reactor
yields the best results.
It helps prevent clumping and ensures a maximum contact time
with your aquarium water.
Adjust the flow inside the reactor
to the top flow of GFO is simmering.
You do not want it to tumble or move too fast.
High flow my turn the media into a fine dust
which could potentially be released into your aquarium.
GFO should be rinsed thoroughly
before being placed into your aquarium.
Testing your phosphate levels frequently
is gonna help you understand when the media
needs to be changed out.
Once you see your phosphate levels start to rise
you know it's time to change out your GFO media.
Now in a system with elevated phosphate levels
you're gonna need to change that first batch out right away.
Once the phosphate level drop to an acceptable level
the GFO is going to last much longer.
Last but not least we have BioPellets.
The way BioPellets work is pretty cool.
The pellets are made of an organic-based plastic
that acts as a food source for bacteria.
As bacteria grows on and consumes the pellets
nitrate in your aquarium is also consumed.
The bacteria colonization on the pellets
soon creates a biofilm.
As the BioPellets tumble inside a reactor,
the biofilm sheds off the pellets
carrying with it the bacteria and nitrate.
The film is then removed by your protein skimmer
and the nitrate goes along with it.
You can't use BioPellets without a media reactor.
Adjust the flow into the reactor
os that the pellets gently tumble.
Place the fluid or outflow from the reactor
in close vicinity to your protein skimmer intake.
This allows the skimmer to remove the biofilm
immediately after exiting the reactor.
It's important to note that it takes time
for bacteria to grow so be patient
and be sure to keep your pellets tumbling.
It generally takes four to six weeks
for a BioPellet reactor to start working effectively.
You should slowly introduce your system to BioPellets
starting with one half or even one quarter
of the recommended amount for your aquarium size.
As time goes on you can slowly add more pellets
until you reach the full amount.
Filter media is pretty much a fundamental part
of keeping a reef aquarium.
If any of you aquarium keepers out there
have questions about filter media,
please leave us a comment or contact us.
Our team of experts is always happy to talk tank
and share our experiences with you.
We do appreciate you guys watching.
Please don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel
to stay up-to-date with all the latest aquarium news
and until next time,
take care and happy reef keeping.