New filter question

[salt55]

I have a 55 gallon reef tank with a yellow tang, coral beauty, 3 green chromis, and a clarkii clown, and a snowflake eel. I also have 100 lbs of live rock, lace rock mixed and 60 lbs of live sand. I have several xenias, button polyps, yellow polyps, and a bubble coral along with various inverts. My question is that my fluval 403 canister filter has been great but is on its last leg. I was wondering what everyones reccomendation for this setup would be when the fluval dies? Thanks

 

[beattyr]

Just curious here... with that amount of LR and LS why do you feel you need a canister filter? Many people have the opinion they actually increase nitrites in a tank. I dont even have any sort of filter on my 37 gal reef, just a protein skimmer, and I maintain 0ppm Ni.
If you dont have a skimmer, now would be a good time to get one if your planning on replaceing the fluval. You could go with a CPR Bak Pak skimmer or some of the other high quality hang on skimmers.
Anyways, good luck
Rob

 

[salt55]

oh yeah,
i have a seaclone skimmer also. Of the 100 lbs of rock 50 of it is live rock if that helps at all also

 

[cboyfan2020]

with the reef tanks...the canister filters dont do that much. The media can harbor nitrates which are bad for a reef tank. With the combo of sand,rock,xenia you should be covered. I would suggest adding some more LS and either dumping the fluval all together or removing all the media and just use it as a powerhead of sorts. JMO