Sump/fuge w/ Canister filter?
- Thread starter shinny
- Start date
racinereef
Member
i get most of my corals from the coral corner off hwy 20 andthe fish i get from haveaheart by stines off 20 you can get some fish from coral corner but most of the fish i have gotten there have die within a few day after you get them home but the corals are great and good prices :happyfish
maybe we could get together some time and talked about are tanks
mikeyjer
Active Member
Originally Posted by shinny
Would a person use a canister filter with a sump/ fuge? I would think that the more filtration the better. If I do this where should I have the canister filter? Or should I keep it in the tank where it is now? Thanks for the help.
I'd do both...To me, more filtration, the better...JMO Now, if we get a protein skimmer in there, would be even better.... :happyfish
Would a person use a canister filter with a sump/ fuge? I would think that the more filtration the better. If I do this where should I have the canister filter? Or should I keep it in the tank where it is now? Thanks for the help.
I'd do both...To me, more filtration, the better...JMO Now, if we get a protein skimmer in there, would be even better.... :happyfish
squidd
Active Member
My thoughts of filtration...
Large (adaquate) quantity of Live Rock and SSB for Biological filtration (suface area for Bacteria)...High Flow , distributed through out the tank to keep deitrus suspended and removed from MT,promote gaseous exchange and maintain oxygen levels...a Large sump and LARGER Fuge with Macros for malnutrient removal through export (denitrification) and a Killer Skimmer to remove Mass quantities of DOCs (organics) prior to decomposition...
With a well balanced system, no other "filtration devices" (bioballs/biomedia) are necessary...Other than the ability to run Chemical Media (carbon or phosphate removers) from time to time, best done in a Fluidized bed (or converted canister) type system...
Large (adaquate) quantity of Live Rock and SSB for Biological filtration (suface area for Bacteria)...High Flow , distributed through out the tank to keep deitrus suspended and removed from MT,promote gaseous exchange and maintain oxygen levels...a Large sump and LARGER Fuge with Macros for malnutrient removal through export (denitrification) and a Killer Skimmer to remove Mass quantities of DOCs (organics) prior to decomposition...
With a well balanced system, no other "filtration devices" (bioballs/biomedia) are necessary...Other than the ability to run Chemical Media (carbon or phosphate removers) from time to time, best done in a Fluidized bed (or converted canister) type system...
shinny
New Member
thanks for the info squid. I have been surfing these message boards for a while and I see that you really know your Sh@t. What do you mean by converting canister filter? Just taking out the biological part of the filter and use a carbon and phoshate sponge? One last one. Do you believe that canister filters increase Nitrates b/c they trap food and crap?
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
mikeyjer
Active Member
Originally Posted by shinny
thanks for the info squid. I have been surfing these message boards for a while and I see that you really know your Sh@t. What do you mean by converting canister filter? Just taking out the biological part of the filter and use a carbon and phoshate sponge? One last one. Do you believe that canister filters increase Nitrates b/c they trap food and crap?
Thanks for the help.
I don't know what he's talking about converted canister filter. But IMO, I would still use the same biological part in the canister filter and add in a bag of carbon on top underneath the padding. IF you don't clean your canister filter often enough, yes it can trap food within and cause a rise in Nitrate. :happyfish
thanks for the info squid. I have been surfing these message boards for a while and I see that you really know your Sh@t. What do you mean by converting canister filter? Just taking out the biological part of the filter and use a carbon and phoshate sponge? One last one. Do you believe that canister filters increase Nitrates b/c they trap food and crap?
Thanks for the help.
I don't know what he's talking about converted canister filter. But IMO, I would still use the same biological part in the canister filter and add in a bag of carbon on top underneath the padding. IF you don't clean your canister filter often enough, yes it can trap food within and cause a rise in Nitrate. :happyfish
squidd
Active Member
Do you have adequate amounts of Live Rock and Live Sand in your tank...?
OK then, a goodly amount should be able to supply you with all the "Biological Surface area" needed to maintain a healthy and tank stabilizing population of nitrifying bacteria...With that and the Oxygenating flow and the Skimmer, you should have a pretty decent handle on your tanks overall filtration needs...
Bout the only things lacking (for want of a better term) are "Mechanical" (actual physical trapping and removal of parts pieces and chunks, both organic and inorganic) and "Chemical" (molecular and ionic absorption of "compounds" both organic and inorganic) and some form of "Denitrification"...
A canister can help with the first two, but not much help at all on the third, and can even be a liability if not maintained properly...
"Mechanical" the sponges (both course and fine) will trap suspended deitrus, algae, organics, food particles, sand and all the other "floaters" in the water column and help keep the tank looking clean, clear and not "dusty" in the water...
Removing them (organics) before they decompose and add to nitrate build up will help with overall water quality, but the trick is to be sure they are "removed" before they decompose and produce 'trates...
This entails regular "weekly" if not bi-weekly pulling and rinsing and squeezing...Now we already established that you had plenty of surface area for bacteria, so it's not a problem to pull the sponges and rinse them in hot running water squeezing and cleaning well..there will be no noticeable effect on the bacteria populations...IF you do this often enough to keep them from becoming established in the first place...OFTEN is the key...
Chemically, the canisters offer a contained flow pattern which can work to your benefit "suspension-wise" for running Carbon and or Phosphate removal medias...
You'll get more benefit from your medias if you have water flowing over (and thru) a greater portion of the surface area than having a bag sitting in the corner of your sump...
Carbon looses it's effectiveness rather quickly...(24-48 hrs maybe a little longer if you use larger quantities)..But that's not a problem cause your gonna be in there every week anyway changing and cleaning the sponges, so just toss a fine mesh bag filled with carbon in once a month or so to "polish the water, and then pull and dispose until next time...
Phosphate removers last a bit longer, but will need to be "fluffed" in their bags from time to time to expose the most "new" surface area to the running water...(again weekly pull/fluff/and replace)...
Both of these medias will loose their effectiveness rapidly if "clogged" with fine particles so running the course sponge first then a media bag and then the fine sponge or better yet a handful of "Poly Filter floss" (which really traps the fine particles and can be thrown away rather than "cleaned") before water returns to the tank (catching loose carbon and/or phos media) would be the preferred way to set up your canister...
So...No "balls, or rings, or stars or bio media" is needed...Sponges and floss catches debris, but need to be cleaned OFTEN...and chemical medias will need to be fluffed and kept in suspension to work to their best effectiveness...
OK then, a goodly amount should be able to supply you with all the "Biological Surface area" needed to maintain a healthy and tank stabilizing population of nitrifying bacteria...With that and the Oxygenating flow and the Skimmer, you should have a pretty decent handle on your tanks overall filtration needs...
Bout the only things lacking (for want of a better term) are "Mechanical" (actual physical trapping and removal of parts pieces and chunks, both organic and inorganic) and "Chemical" (molecular and ionic absorption of "compounds" both organic and inorganic) and some form of "Denitrification"...
A canister can help with the first two, but not much help at all on the third, and can even be a liability if not maintained properly...
"Mechanical" the sponges (both course and fine) will trap suspended deitrus, algae, organics, food particles, sand and all the other "floaters" in the water column and help keep the tank looking clean, clear and not "dusty" in the water...
Removing them (organics) before they decompose and add to nitrate build up will help with overall water quality, but the trick is to be sure they are "removed" before they decompose and produce 'trates...
This entails regular "weekly" if not bi-weekly pulling and rinsing and squeezing...Now we already established that you had plenty of surface area for bacteria, so it's not a problem to pull the sponges and rinse them in hot running water squeezing and cleaning well..there will be no noticeable effect on the bacteria populations...IF you do this often enough to keep them from becoming established in the first place...OFTEN is the key...
Chemically, the canisters offer a contained flow pattern which can work to your benefit "suspension-wise" for running Carbon and or Phosphate removal medias...
You'll get more benefit from your medias if you have water flowing over (and thru) a greater portion of the surface area than having a bag sitting in the corner of your sump...
Carbon looses it's effectiveness rather quickly...(24-48 hrs maybe a little longer if you use larger quantities)..But that's not a problem cause your gonna be in there every week anyway changing and cleaning the sponges, so just toss a fine mesh bag filled with carbon in once a month or so to "polish the water, and then pull and dispose until next time...
Phosphate removers last a bit longer, but will need to be "fluffed" in their bags from time to time to expose the most "new" surface area to the running water...(again weekly pull/fluff/and replace)...
Both of these medias will loose their effectiveness rapidly if "clogged" with fine particles so running the course sponge first then a media bag and then the fine sponge or better yet a handful of "Poly Filter floss" (which really traps the fine particles and can be thrown away rather than "cleaned") before water returns to the tank (catching loose carbon and/or phos media) would be the preferred way to set up your canister...
So...No "balls, or rings, or stars or bio media" is needed...Sponges and floss catches debris, but need to be cleaned OFTEN...and chemical medias will need to be fluffed and kept in suspension to work to their best effectiveness...