best canister filter

by **fihsboy** » Sun Nov 29, 2009 6:42 pm

just an observation with that......ur going to put added stress to the pump in the canister......and your also still going to get nitrate build ups......a sponge is a sponge is a sponge.....which is the reason I dont use one.

by **Peterkarig3210** » Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:51 pm

Impellers in my experience are pretty tough. They get stuck sometimes, but only with the hang on back type or if something gets sucked into the intake when the screen falls off or something.

As far as I understand, the equation is: Amount of decaying material (ie uneaten food, fish poop, etc, = amount of nitrates. You want ammonia and nitrites to be converted into nitrates. I don't think it matters what kind of filter you use as long as there are sufficient amounts of bacteria to break down the waste. All filters are nitrate factories, so I don't know how you can get more nitrates or less depending on the filter you use.

It's the amount of decaying matter in the tank that determins the amount of nitrate produced.

I just like using a sponge over the intake because cleaning the canister is a pain, and I don't have to do it as much when I have a sponge (which is much easier to clean)

I have a ton of old filter parts, wire, etc, so I just figure out how to make it work. I've used rubber bands, but they decay and break. I think a twist tie would be fine........or what ever works.

by **blueshoes2208** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:07 am

ok so theres still not really a clamp or anything that would work well on this, i mean i have a plastic snap ring that aqua c sent me, free btw (awesome customer service), and if you have pliers you can snap that thing on tight as hell but its like impossible to get off so it wouldnt be logical to put on once i need to clean my sponge. So just zip tieing it is the easiest thing to do?

by **Peterkarig3210** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:10 am

Ya just have to figure something out. Rubber bands last at least a few months.

by **fihsboy** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:05 pm

Its cool to convert everything to nitrates..........but nitrates harm corals......they stunt growth and discolor.......So as stupid as it sounds........imo..........the best way to filter a reef is without anything but a protein skimmer and agressive protein skimming.....any type of cloth or sponge material will just build nitrates in the end. The reason sponges are a bad idea is because 95% of us aren't anal enough to clean them out every other day. If we were, it would be an excellent cleaning device. Problem is thats labor intensive and it tends to be overlooked. The one time you overlook it, everything starts to go down hill.........been there done that. I run a filter sock when I KNOW I will be removing it the next day. Thats the only time.

by **Peterkarig3210** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:16 pm

I agree that nitrates are toxic to fish and corals, in high levels, but would you rather have ammonia and nitrites?

Water changes, water changes.

If there are enough plants or enough surface areas in your tank for bacteria to live on, and you don't have too many living and pooping things in your tank, you don't need a separate biological filter at all.

The problem is, most people have pretty bare tanks, (less surface areas), and need a filter to grow bacteria in high enough amounts so you don't get real poison, ie ammonia and nitrites.

by **Peterkarig3210** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 11:32 pm

Mro2you2:

From the looks of your system it seems likr you have a great filter with that sump you've got, with mangrove trees and all, and you have a low bio-load (I think), so you don't need another filter on top of that.

by **Peterkarig3210** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 11:33 pm

I squeeze out my sponges when I do water changes..........and yea, you need to clean them often and thouroughly.

by **fihsboy** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:55 am

I was just going by the pictures of his tank........hes got a ton of live rock......which should be plenty to handle the bioload. Really most of the organics can be sucked out via protein skimmer and *should be* sucked out before they turn into ammonia.......imo.......I would say one of the keys to sucess with a reef tank is vicous protein skimming and brisk circulation in the main tank. With those two things........you cant go wrong. :)

by **Barnsey9276** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:42 pm

Guys,running a conventional tropical cannister filter with Biological filtration for a reef tank is a big no no in my and many others opinion.

However dont waste the filter,i would set it up as follows assuming it has 3 trays for example:

Bottom tray..............Live Rock Rubble
Middle Tray ..............Live Rock Rubble
Top Tray .............. Rowaphos/Phosban or other good Pphosphate remover
Filter Wool(changed weekly)
Carbon (changed weekly)

For those advocating canister filters with conventional Bio media for reef systems you need to understand that whilst most tropical fish can tolerate elevated levels of nitrate corals cannot.
By filling the filter with live rock rubble you are employing the same bacteria that work in a deep sand bed which convert nitrite to nitrate and then harmless nitrogen gas.

Having had my tank for 6 years i have never used any sponges/bio balls/siporax or any other biological media.

In short Cannister filters are chemical filters in reef keeping,please dont let anyone else tell you differently:D

best canister filter

29 posts • Page 2 of 3

best canister filter

29 posts • Page 2 of 3