Fluid Bed Filters?? opinions needed please

[dazztee]

Hi there i got a fb300 fluidised bed filter with a job lot of equipment i bought.. ive had a 75 gal tank up an running for about 6 weeks. an i just started a hospital tank 24*12*18 with under grav an i put the fb300 on the side..Q is it too much,is it any good,,would like some opinions on it please all advice will be welcomed im fairly new to reef keeping but wish to learn more

• 75gallon,20lbs live rock,45lbs tufa rock,ehiem wetdry breathing filter,juwel internal filter with standard foam,redsea protien skimmer not fitted yet,2 clowns,6 red leg crabsOh and a big hole in my wallet

[aseidman00]

Never had one myself, but I recently walked into a store that ran all their sw tanks with a fluidized bed filter and a proitien skimer. According to the owner of the store, with great success.

I've got a 75 gallon Fish only tnk and am working on a 30Gal minireef... I plan to set my sons 10 Gallon tank up with one f these as well.

Given that you've already got a wet/dry, I can't see how this unit could possibly help !

[Jason McKenzie]

Hey Dazztee, I'm not sure if you have been WELCOMED yet so Welcome to 3Reef.
I will have to admit I have little knowledge on Fluidized filter units. They do sound like they are good nitrite and Ammonia removers. Are you planing a Reef tank with both fish and Coral or a fish only?
If it is going to be a reef tank I would suspect both the FB300, the Ehiem, and the Juwel are unnecessary. The live rock should be all the filtration you need. I would bump the Lbs. of LR in the tank to around 100lbs. do you have a sand bed or Crushed Coral?

Let me tell you the equipment I have in my 75G: Protein skimmer, Heater, 110lbs. LR, 3-5" sand bed.

Great to have you hear let us know how the set up is coming along, and of course any further questions you have are always welcome

J

[dazztee]

well the fb300 is on my hospital tank only. and im gonna be keeping fish only while the tank matures{trying not to rush things!!)then corals and inverts when the chemistry is stable,so are the ehiems wet drys any good as a filter then

[Craig Manoukian]

Wet drys can become nitrate sumps so would be in direct competion to the fuidized bed, eh, or am I missing something. Where is a link to a picture of the FB Filter? Thanks

[dazztee]

hi craig heres that link you asked for on fb 300 fluidised bed filter made by lifegard

[Matt Rogers]

dazztee i don't see a link. *what's up? [smiley=stars.gif]

(To do a link, press the 2nd button on the left side of the 2nd row of buttons that are above the smilies.)

Hey Craig I don't want to hear that 'nitrate sump' wet/dry talk here. * I like wet/drys! hehe. Seriously. BUt I gotta admit they are unnecessary with a good skimmer and some rock unless you think they are just cool like me. * *If you stay up on your water changes, they do add a ton of oxygen to the tank too and I have seen and maintained a lot of amazing tanks with wet/drys on them.

I have to go with others and say a fluidized bed would be redundant with your wet/dry

(ehiem canister? - I hear those are cool. wet/dry canister!)

And I have also heard that some fluidized bed filters do require some maintenance involving replacing the sand for what it's worth.

I think you asked about Q tanks, those are the best thing on paper. But the reality is most people are too lazy to set them up. If you are motivated, I say go for it and set a simple one up. THere are times I wish I had one, but ~most~ of time I get by with checking stuff out at the store for a while. As with most people I think, if I had more room and money I might do it. Maybe I should do it. *[smiley=uhoh.gif] heh...

anyway, thanks for joining! *

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[bawest]

Okay, after 3 years, whats the take on fluidized filters? Should I use a fluidized or a bioballs?