canister filters
- Thread starter jay0705
- Start date
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
LOL...I call those who hate canister filters...sump snobs.
Properly maintained, they are absolutely not nitrate factories. All filtrating has one goal...to help break down the nasty stuff to nitrates, and then it is supposed to become a harmless gas to evaporate...but that last part takes way too long for our tanks, so we do water changes, or have macroalgae, or scrubbers to absorb it.
I ran my very successful reef for 14 years using two canister filters without a single hic-cup...my nitrates were always around 5 to 10. When I switched to the sump...exactly the same thing. The only time I ever had 0 nitrates, was when I went to seahorses and kept macroalgae in the display.
Don't misunderstand, sumps IMO are still the best choice, it adds water volume, hides ugly equipment, and allows for a refugium chamber (worth it's weight in gold). HOB filters cause lots of salt creep, but are the easiest to maintain, canisters are good, not only because of the media choices you have, but that spray-bar is also worth it's weight in gold. I'm not sure about wet/dry, to me they are just sumps with bio-balls, I never used one so I really don't know much about them.
LOL...I call those who hate canister filters...sump snobs.
Properly maintained, they are absolutely not nitrate factories. All filtrating has one goal...to help break down the nasty stuff to nitrates, and then it is supposed to become a harmless gas to evaporate...but that last part takes way too long for our tanks, so we do water changes, or have macroalgae, or scrubbers to absorb it.
I ran my very successful reef for 14 years using two canister filters without a single hic-cup...my nitrates were always around 5 to 10. When I switched to the sump...exactly the same thing. The only time I ever had 0 nitrates, was when I went to seahorses and kept macroalgae in the display.
Don't misunderstand, sumps IMO are still the best choice, it adds water volume, hides ugly equipment, and allows for a refugium chamber (worth it's weight in gold). HOB filters cause lots of salt creep, but are the easiest to maintain, canisters are good, not only because of the media choices you have, but that spray-bar is also worth it's weight in gold. I'm not sure about wet/dry, to me they are just sumps with bio-balls, I never used one so I really don't know much about them.
lmforbis
Well-Known Member
On my old reef tank which I had up and running at least 10 years had a canister filter. Never had an issue with it. I was out of the hobby for about 4 years. I used it again when I started up a year ago until January when I bought my first sump. I like the sump because I can stash equipment in it and add things to it. It is easier to reach for dosing. It does take more work than the sump.
lmforbis
Well-Known Member
Tree stand needs to be done right or no more Jay. Plumbing a sump is a bit more forgiving. You can buy flexible spa tubing that goes from your overflow to sump with no joints except at the overflow. That is 1 connection per overflow. Connect return pump to plastic tubing and send back to tank. I have a valve on my return pump to control flow (it came with the pump). On my small tank it took less than 30 minutes to hook up.
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
I personally like the Eheim return pumps, they can be adjusted and seem to last forever. In fact I have 2... 2000, and the 3000, one I used on my 56g tall tank and the 3000 I used on my 90g, if you decide to go sump, and you could use one of them... I would be happy to send it to you, just pay the shipping. Even if I got back into the hobby I wouldn't go sump, too much bending over for me.
I personally like the Eheim return pumps, they can be adjusted and seem to last forever. In fact I have 2... 2000, and the 3000, one I used on my 56g tall tank and the 3000 I used on my 90g, if you decide to go sump, and you could use one of them... I would be happy to send it to you, just pay the shipping. Even if I got back into the hobby I wouldn't go sump, too much bending over for me.
Austin Rodon
New Member
Hello fellow aquarists!
I am starting a 55 Gallon, originally was going to be FW, but now I would like to do a SW fish-only to start, possibly reef. But heres the deal, I have a Hydor 350 Canister filter. And my question is what other filteration systems would I need? I know most people use sumps for SW setups, and they have protein skimmers in them, so would I need a protein skimmer as well as the canister filter? I've been looking through the forums and haven't really found any true suggestions so I am posting this in request of any and all suggestions/advice.
I am starting a 55 Gallon, originally was going to be FW, but now I would like to do a SW fish-only to start, possibly reef. But heres the deal, I have a Hydor 350 Canister filter. And my question is what other filteration systems would I need? I know most people use sumps for SW setups, and they have protein skimmers in them, so would I need a protein skimmer as well as the canister filter? I've been looking through the forums and haven't really found any true suggestions so I am posting this in request of any and all suggestions/advice.
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Welcome to the site...
Your canister filter is fine, no white phosphate remover so the media is a little different for SW than fresh. You can put off getting a skimmer for a few months. You will need live rock with a SW tank.
geridoc
Well-Known Member
I agree about the bending over (I've reached that age when bending is tough, straightening up impossible
). That's why I am removing the sump from under my 220 and relocating it in the basement and re-configuring a 110 tank into the sump so that I can access it without calling the fire department to help me stand up.
flower
Well-Known Member
LOL...But I can't do stairs anymore either. Sigh, getting older is hard, but it beats the alternative.I agree about the bending over (I've reached that age when bending is tough, straightening up impossible