Filtration clarification

[dcc]

The question is, do I need a filter if I have a skimmer?

The meat: Converted a 55g fresh to salt. LFS said our 80g canister filter would be adequate. Sprung a leak, replaced tank with a 75g. DEFINITELY need a skimmer, plan on getting an HOB with some overkill. No room for a sump. The more I'm learning, I'm getting the impression we don't need the canister if we do this? LFS says we need both.

We have 60lb live sand, 16-20lbs LR, 50lbs reef rock, 2 power heads. Tank is 3 months old, water prams have (finally) stablized, residents seem happy. I dislike having to piece this together but working with what we can and correcting things as I learn more.

 

[lmforbis]

as long as your bioload is not too high I think you are better off using only the skimmer and lots of live rock. The canister, if not properly maintained, can cause you more problems than it solves.

 

[bang guy]

I've never used a filter except for the occasional use of GAC to polish the water. For a reef I believe particulate filters do more harm than good.

 

[flower]

as long as your bioload is not too high I think you are better off using only the skimmer and lots of live rock. The canister, if not properly maintained, can cause you more problems than it solves.

I used a canister filter on my 90g reef for 14 years without a hiccup. The ONLY time my nitrates read high... was when I used API test kits, once it was discovered that the API ran high on Nitrate readings, I switched to SeaChem kits...the nitrates were at 1. They don't cause problems, that is a myth. Truth be told, the sump leaked, and the lifter pump clogged all the time, it was constant grief. If I ever did a sump, I would only do so if I had a predrilled tank...otherwise a canister or HOB is just fine, with half the hassles.

By the way, I didn't always maintain the canister perfectly either, still no problems.

 

[dcc]

I appreciate all the responses. We'll most likely run both then, with an emphasis on a good skimmer and consistent maintenance of the canister. Recommendations on an HOB skimmer for a 75g that could do the job on its own but won't break the bank?

 

[lmforbis]

I use a reef octopus hob currently in one of my tanks and am pretty happy with it. Not as good as the in sump skimmer I use in my other tank. In the distant past I used a Red Sea prizm, it was a piece of junk. I also have a CRP back pack that is inbetween in quality. It is really only useful in a small tank. I use it on my QT sometimes.