natclanwy
Active Member
I run both a canister and a sump but I use the canister mainly to run carbon and help clear the water faster after I work in the tank or if one of my fish decides to build a new home and stir the sand up. Canisters do work well if you are diligent with your maintence but a sump/refugium works just as well if not better with very little maintenence plus you have the added benifits of more water volume and place to put your heater, skimmer ect.
You definetly don't need to have mechanical filtration I have always fed fairly heavy and I'm pretty lax on water changes, and have never had a nitrate problem to speak of never more than 15ppm and usually 5-10ppm. Even before I added the canister. After I redesigned my sump though I have since been able to reduce my nitrates to zero.
You definetly don't need to have mechanical filtration I have always fed fairly heavy and I'm pretty lax on water changes, and have never had a nitrate problem to speak of never more than 15ppm and usually 5-10ppm. Even before I added the canister. After I redesigned my sump though I have since been able to reduce my nitrates to zero.
