Filtration Question

[aanthony]

Ok, so i have myself a 55 gallon, with an old fluval 403 canister filter, now this filter is hell trying to clean, its already had a leak and caused over $1000 in damages, water has squirted out onto my power bar, giving me one hell of a shock, and within one week its sucked up my target mandarin, and just an hour ago it sucked up my small clownfish, so ive had it, im done, im getting rid of it, now my question is, if i get rid of my canister filter, what do i replace it with? a skimmer? a wet/dry system?
but right now im going to bed, becuase its 3am, so i hope im able to get some opinions when i wake up, because tomorrow im planning on getting myself a skimmer, but which do you people feel is the best, i have in my 55, a blue hippo (i know, i know), a mandarin dragonette, a percula clown, 6line wrasse, and a small bi-colour angel. so its a decent bio load, along with 80 lbs live sand, and about 85 lbs live rock, with about 50 snails, 10 hermits, 2 cleaner shrimp, 1 cbs, and 2 emerald crabs, and a coco worm, and 2 feather dusters.

 

[puffer32]

Do you have a sump/fuge? You should if you want to keep your mandrin well fed with pods. I have a coral life super skimmer on my 55, you can put it in your sump also, or HOB. I like the Aqua C alot also.

 

[reefforbrains]

Invest the same money you would on fancy equipment on addittional live rock and more flow to replace what the canister was putting in.
Your bioload is not large. With 50 snails I would be worried of die off compromising water quality but otherwise you dont HAVE to run a sump/fuge/canister or otherwise.
A good skimmer would be recommended, again not absolutley manditory but it does make life easier. Cowfishrule runs a successful tank with no skimmer along with other members if you want to ask direct questions.
I agree the pod population will be difficult to maintain with a 6line and a dragonette in such a small tank but this is where the addittional rockwork helps dramatically.
JMO

 

[aanthony]

okay, no i do not have a sump, so are you saying that i can run my tank with just live rock, inverts, and a few powerheads? although you say its not the best thing, i have my mandarin eating vitamin enriched brine, and my 6line will eat anything i throw in the tank, and im pretty sure i cannot get a sump, unless its a hangon, since i dont have anywhere to put a sump, but if i get rid of this canister filter wouldnt a skimmer be a proper replacement?

 

[aanthony]

and since i have no real knowledge on what a skimmer does, is there any chance that one could overflow?

 

[reefforbrains]

Take a few minutes and read this article.
A bit dated but the basics are quite well spelled out for the different models and designs that are in use.
Calling them protien skimmers make them sound like fancy pieces of high tech equip. They are basically just small baffled chambers to inject air into the water column and turn the dissolved organic wastes into foam the way you see it on the beach.
This foam then rises to the top and overflows into a collection cup where it melts like soap bubbles and leaves you with very highly concentrated wastes that you would empty form the cup every week or when needed.
Different models have different styles of directing flow and/or injecting the air that results in different amounts of gunk they can pull out of your water volume but the article will explain everthing in very good detail to someone thinking about a skimmer.
Besides it saves me typing out a dissertation on it. LOL
Its a good article.
http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/skimmer101.htm