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Trickle filter are excellent for fish-only tanks...
why not reef aquariums?

On page 57, you indicate that a trickle filter is excellent for fish-only tanks and explain why they are not preferred for reef tanks. However, you state "If the plastic media were ever cleaned, the bacteria would die, sending the reef into an ammonia/nitrite cycle". Wouldn't that situation also be of much concern in a fish-only tank, given the sensitivity of all aquatic life to ammonia? Also, you continue with trickle filters on page 59 and explain that nitrate buildup is constant although slow with a trickle filter, but that eventually it gets unmanageable. Wouldn't that be true for a fish-only tank as well as a reef tank?

Yes it would. However, the concept is In a reef tank you want to discourage bacterial growth out side of the aquarium. This assumes you are using the recommended amounts of liverock (1 - 1.5 lbs per gallon) Many people come from freshwater (where the media is outside of the tank) and think they can apply it to the reef. When in reality one wants minimal bacteria occurring on media that is not part of the tank. This has benefits that I describe in the book.

I intend to start with a fish-only tank, so that's why these questions concern me.

Well this is where is gets confusing. *If* you are truly going to be FO then you can operate a trickle filter. (Using the same caution you normally would use) e.g. not changing all the media at one time etc.

However below, you are talking about live rock (and the lighting requirements etc) in the tank I suppose "some" is the key word

My interpretation of what I read suggests that a trickle filter even in a fish-only tank is not a long term proposition and that tank tear down would have to be done after maybe 3 to 5 years unless very significant water changes are done. And yet you stated that "The trickle filter is an excellent filtering system for fish-only tanks", so I am confused. Can you clarify for me?

Well FO tanks will certainly have substantial nitrate buildup over the course of 3 -5 years. The problem is the fish get accustomed to it, but the overall quality is poor so, one should perform substantial changes over the course of a few years. The reality is peoples interest fades.. as does the water quality so it usually is an issue. But one dosnt have a choice for a FO tank, the must use external media and rely on cleaning the media and performing water changes to dilute nitrate

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