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A few notes about reef filtration

© Winston Vaughan Schoenfeld

Often I am asked about filtration for reef aquariums. Are wet/dry filters useful? How about UV sterilizers? Do I need substrate? While not all decisions are cut and dried for reef aquariums, there are a few things that can help a new reef aquarist make decisions.

Filtration is a major decision. Most aquarists will agree that wet/dry trickle filters are one of the easiest and best filtration systems that a saltwater aquarist can have. This is true, but it defeats the idea of what a reef aquarium is. The fundamental characteristic of a reef aquarium is that it is in many ways self-sufficient. Unlike other aquariums (salt and freshwater), reef aquariums contain both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. So, while wet/dry trickle filters are ideal for saltwater aquariums, they are not preferable for reef aquariums. The reason for this is that one wants nitrifying bacteria to colonize on the live rock in the aquarium. With a wet/dry filter, the bacteria tend to colonize in the filter rather than on the live rock. This same idea applies to substrate in reef aquariums. Personally, I consider the live rock as the substrate. Many people tend to prefer to add some crushed coral or sand to the bottom of the aquarium, but this is mainly for looks, and it is not necessary to use more than a half inch or so.

By now, you may be wondering what the preferable filtration system is for a reef aquarium. I have found that a homemade sump works best. This consists of a protein skimmer, followed by a prefilter (usually fiber-floss). The aquarium water passes through these and collects in a reservoir, where it is pumped back into the aquarium. This, combined with a regular cleaning schedule and good water circulation, is all a reef aquarium needs (provided it has proper lighting). This may not seem as intuitive as you may like, but a good reef aquarium reference should have a similar filtration system description. One will generally find that the best filtration component in a reef aquarium is the aquarists. Regular cleaning is a must. The next most important component of a reef aquarium is the protein skimmer - the bigger the better (up to a certain extent). So, consider a protein skimmer a necessity.

As for all other filtration devices, consider them just icing on the cake. UV-sterilizers, etc., are more about luxury than necessity. In fact, I have always tended to put the extra money I could have used for them into other things such as better live rock.

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