The ultimate filter

[c130bubba]

I would like to know what your idea of the ultimate mechanical filter is. I am in the process of establishing a reef tank. I have a 75 gallon with a 4" sand bed. I have about 50 lbs of live rock and will be adding another 25-50 lbs later this month. I currently have a CPR backpack 2 skimmer with about half of the bio-bale filter media installed. My question pertains to the eheim 2217 canister filter. At this time I have loaded the canister from the bottom to the top as follows:
Those little hexagon shape media (I don't recall what they are called)
Filter pad
Gravel Substrate
Fliter Pad
1 bag of act. carbon, 1 bag of Phosguard, 1 bag of Purigen
Filter Floss
Filter pad

 

[reefsoe]

I had an eheim... the one that was a wavemaker.. it filled and then drained anyway... You dont need all that media.. it traps food and debris and then leaches it back into the water after time if anything keep the canister empty and go with some extra LR
JMO for a reef

 

[harlequinnut]

I got the same eheim filter and I don't like it. Even though it say it's easy to clean, I found it very difficult but maybe that's just me. I also don't like the fact that it drains and then fills because that keeps the water level going up and down and if you have a HOB protein skimmer with overflow attachment like I do, the water level can easily fall below the overflow for 10 seconds or more and you'll lose siphon. JMO

 

[c130bubba]

My eheim is of the canister variety. It is a 2217 to be exact. So the water level remains constant with it running. What i am looking for here is if someone with more experience than myself with mechanical filtration could suggest a better medium to put in the canister or maybe just tell me I have done all i can do:joy:

 

[squidd]

I run a canister filter as the "mechanical" part of my filtration "system"(biological,mechanical,chemical) on my FOWLR setup but NOT my Reef, so I really don't want to give any advise in this area other than to say the two types of tanks have different bioloads and filtration needs...
Now if you asked for the "perfect" filter setup for a Fish only tank, that would be different.

 

[jlem]

The thing with canister mechanical filtration is that it has to be cleaned regularly to avoid trapped food and other gunk breaking down and causing fowl water conditions because non of the clean up crew can get to it. It also means taking off o-rings and taking apart hoses which may leak when going back together. I had a magnum 350 for over a year and really liked it but when I went overseas for a couple months I took it off so my wife would not have to clean it and just cut back on feedings. I also upped my water changes to 15 gallons every other week instead of ten. My tank has never looked better ( probably because I am gone and not messing with it ). I do plan to run a quickfliter for a couple days every month or so just because I like carbon. I would suggest selling your canister and picking up an emporer 400 with the bio wheels. They are only about 40 bucks and they are extremely easy to take care of and if you cut the intake hose just below water line you will barely even notice it is there. You will get mechanical filtration and media baskets for carbon or media. I use to rinse and clean my emporer 400 pads every other week and use them for a couple months before replacing them with new ones