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What is reef aquarium filtration and how does it work?

It’s a question that is asked over and over again.

The answer is almost too simple. Your live rock and live sand are the aquariums main biological filtering system.

Essential bacteria grow as your tank is cycling, something that happens when you first set up your tank. These bacteria populate the rock and sand. Their job is to break down all waste material, die off, decaying food and dead animals and turn it into ammonia, nitrite and then finally nitrate.

You may add to that a cleanup crew of various snails, shrimp and invertebrates. Macro algae, usually kept in a refugium, may be grown to remove nutrients. Many aquariums use this as the only method for keeping their system in balance.

Many others use some kind of mechanical means of removing organics from the water.

A simple filter sock placed over a drain line will effectively remove a lot of stuff. If you use one, please clean them at least twice a week. If they are not cleaned they will soon become a nitrate factory.

A skimmer is one of the best things you can add, to mechanically filter your aquarium. Just be sure to have one that is rated well over your actual aquarium size.

Regular water changes can also remove plenty of crap from your tank. Use a hose and siphon the water from the main tank. As you siphon the water out move the hose close the sand and it will lift any nearby debris right out of the tank. Water changes also replenish essential minerals and trace elements that become depleted over time.

A canister or hang on filter is sometimes a good device for cleaning the water.

Any media in these must be cleaned on a weekly or by-weekly schedule. Nitrate will grow in them very quickly. If not cleaned regularly, soon your tank will have very high levels of nitrate, not a good thing at all.

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