75g Reef, Which Canister?

[blert]

This is gonna be paired with a coralife skimmer ill be using both on my reef tank.

Honestly, skip the canister and forget about the CoraLife skimmer, spend your money on a good skimmer. If you go the route you are planning then you will just be spending the money again later by replacing the hardware that is contributing to issues and/or not performing at all. Just my 2 cents, take it as you will but don't say you weren't warned.

 

[Big Tex]

Honestly, skip the canister and forget about the CoraLife skimmer, spend your money on a good skimmer. If you go the route you are planning then you will just be spending the money again later by replacing the hardware that is contributing to issues and/or not performing at all. Just my 2 cents, take it as you will but don't say you weren't warned.

Well I'm considering a reef octopus skimmer and I do not want a sump, before this thread takes that turn, I simply just don't have room for one and I don't want to deal with setup and extra cost and refugiums and blah to much hassle. I want a simple system.

Now what's the reactor do and what does it look like?

 

[Tkey3425]

A canister is perfectly fine for a reef tank if properly maintained. I have a friend that can prove it with a successful reef tank for the last 2 years and can grow more sensitive corals than me. I would skip the coralife skimmer IF you have the money for a reef octopus. Your canister is nothing worse than a wet/dry sump that's neglected in my opinion and a heck of a lot easier to clean in my opinion. Just turn it off pop the lid swap your filter material shut it and flip the switch. Every week when you do your WC just wipe the inside of it down real good and you're fine. You don't need a state of the art tank to keep a reef. I don't think tex is looking for hardcore sps and difficult corals all over his tank from the conversations I've had with him. Canisters are not that bad it's the owners neglect that make the nitrate factories.

 

[blert]

A canister is perfectly fine for a reef tank if properly maintained. I have a friend that can prove it with a successful reef tank for the last 2 years and can grow more sensitive corals than me. I would skip the coralife skimmer IF you have the money for a reef octopus. Your canister is nothing worse than a wet/dry sump that's neglected in my opinion and a heck of a lot easier to clean in my opinion. Just turn it off pop the lid swap your filter material shut it and flip the switch. Every week when you do your WC just wipe the inside of it down real good and you're fine. You don't need a state of the art tank to keep a reef. I don't think tex is looking for hardcore sps and difficult corals all over his tank from the conversations I've had with him. Canisters are not that bad it's the owners neglect that make the nitrate factories.

My point exactly. Who really wants to bother breaking down a canister every week? Not me for sure, it is way too time consuming. To properly maintain a canister you need to take it completely off and dump it. Have you ever seen what collects in them? I have canisters on my two freshwater planted tanks that get cleaned once a month, that's more than enough for me. If you feel the need for something like a canister, and don't want to get into reactors, then use a HOB filter, they are much easier to maintain. Not trying to push the OP into some high text setup, just saying that a canister is not worth the bother on a reef tank, they can lead to serious issues if not properly maintained and your tank will be better served with a good skimmer.

 

[Tkey3425]

My point exactly. Who really wants to bother breaking down a canister every week? Not me for sure, it is way too time consuming. To properly maintain a canister you need to take it completely off and dump it. Have you ever seen what collects in them? I have canisters on my two freshwater planted tanks that get cleaned once a month, that's more than enough for me. If you feel the need for something like a canister, and don't want to get into reactors, then use a HOB filter, they are much easier to maintain. Not trying to push the OP into some high text setup, just saying that a canister is not worth the bother on a reef tank, they can lead to serious issues if not properly maintained and your tank will be better served with a good skimmer.

Ok well in two years the canister on my buddies 125 has been removed for his super cleaning maintenance routine every 6 months and that's it other than that It has only been opened and the cartridges swapped after a wipe down with a rag. Yes I've seen them. Yes I've used them without issues. It's about the same work as getting my filter pad out of my sump (which I do every 3-4 days). Tex you know where the truth lies man ill send pictures of his reef with a canister on it. He has more coral than me in his 125 than I ever had in my 210.

 

[blert]

... Tex you know where the truth lies...

Yup, I hope he does. If not, enjoy your new headache.

 

[Tkey3425]

Yup, I hope he does. If not, enjoy your new headache.

I think the debates on here with members are more of a headache than anything. He didn't ask you canister or not to begin with he asked, which of the two would you choose. If you don't think either and there isn't an option for it in the poll then just move on how hard is that? If you don't think there are successful reefs with canisters you seriously need to come out if your cave once in a while.

 

[blert]

I think the debates on here with members are more of a headache than anything. He didn't ask you canister or not to begin with he asked, which of the two would you choose. If you don't think either and there isn't an option for it in the poll then just move on how hard is that? If you don't think there are successful reefs with canisters you seriously need to come out if your cave once in a while.

Well, I was going to say that if you didn't want a debate then keep your mouth shut and don't post on an open forum. Then I thought better of it because you would report me and I would get in trouble with the Mods. Ah well, who the **** cares, time I cut the link to this crybaby *** forum anyway. This used to be a great place years ago then it got clogged up with kids and morons who have no understanding of what they are doing and why. Continue your path of leading newbies down the path of failure.

 

[huma-huma]

I think we need to take a step back and breath. To the OP, what blert is trying to tell you is that, more likely than not, running a canister is going to be more of a headache than its worth, of which he gave a few options that would better suit your needs. (nothing wrong with that). As is the same for trkey. This hobby isnt necessarily always about right and wrong, its about what works for YOU. I could sit here and argue with greg or mr x about what each of us think is wrong or right, however all three of us have stable established setups that prob arent even alike in terms of equipment and running filtration. That being said, heres my 2 cents. Id PERSONALLY spend my time and effort somewhere other than a canister filter.( i use filter socks for mechanical filtration, thats it) BUT if you are going canister i can tell you this, i picked up a fluval 305 canister at the lfs (pricetag marked wrong . ) and i absolutely love it!! Its by far the quietest piece pf equipment ive ever owned and i will buy another if ever needbe. It has 3 seperate bins that can be customized however, and also has a 2 stage sponge slot as well. Ive never used marineland canisters but id put a fluval up against them anytime

 

[Gregcoyote]

I used them 20 years ago. They haven't changed much, they leak and are wet and nasty to clean. Best used for small fish only systems IMO. I also would like to see a heavily stocked hard coral tank that runs solely on canister filters. Not saying its impossible, but I would like to see it.

Lots of live rock and a efficient protein skimmer is all you really need. Along with regular water exchanges. This is the tried and true method. There are other methods and advances on even this simple method, but the predominant approach is rock and skimming even at 75 gallons.

 

[Big Tex]

I think we need to take a step back and breath. To the OP, what blert is trying to tell you is that, more likely than not, running a canister is going to be more of a headache than its worth, of which he gave a few options that would better suit your needs. (nothing wrong with that). As is the same for trkey. This hobby isnt necessarily always about right and wrong, its about what works for YOU. I could sit here and argue with greg or mr x about what each of us think is wrong or right, however all three of us have stable established setups that prob arent even alike in terms of equipment and running filtration. That being said, heres my 2 cents. Id PERSONALLY spend my time and effort somewhere other than a canister filter.( i use filter socks for mechanical filtration, thats it) BUT if you are going canister i can tell you this, i picked up a fluval 305 canister at the lfs (pricetag marked wrong . ) and i absolutely love it!! Its by far the quietest piece pf equipment ive ever owned and i will buy another if ever needbe. It has 3 seperate bins that can be customized however, and also has a 2 stage sponge slot as well. Ive never used marineland canisters but id put a fluval up against them anytime

Thank you for your input sir, that what I wanted to see lol

 

[Big Tex]

I used them 20 years ago. They haven't changed much, they leak and are wet and nasty to clean. Best used for small fish only systems IMO. I also would like to see a heavily stocked hard coral tank that runs solely on canister filters. Not saying its impossible, but I would like to see it.

Lots of live rock and a efficient protein skimmer is all you really need. Along with regular water exchanges. This is the tried and true method. There are other methods and advances on even this simple method, but the predominant approach is rock and skimming even at 75 gallons.

I thought the guy down at the lrs was full of it, he said all I need it a reef octopus and a pair of koralia evo 750s, how is this possible with now mechanical filtration at all. .?

 

[Big Tex]

Yup, I hope he does. If not, enjoy your new headache.

And to everyone else, I'm on a student/father of one budget, its hard to get the money for an epic skimmer or a professional custom sump and $600 worth of live rock and so on.. I'm trying to look at this financially. I don't mind the headache because i do all my weekly water changes and cleaning on my saturdays anyways I'm off on the weekends. So that being said, I'm open to suggestions.. POLITE suggestions..

 

[jwh0818]

I thought the guy down at the lrs was full of it, he said all I need it a reef octopus and a pair of koralia evo 750s, how is this possible with now mechanical filtration at all. .?

Because your skimmer is basically your mechanical filtration and the evos are for flow to help the LR with biological filtration. That and waterchanges is all it takes

 

[Big Tex]

Because your skimmer is basically your mechanical filtration and the evos are for flow to help the LR with biological filtration. That and waterchanges is all it takes

So why the trouble of canisters and sumps and refugiums?

 

[huma-huma]

Refugiums/sumps add volume to your tank, which stabilizes it. Gives you room to grow macroalgae, also pods. And room to store unsightly equipment. (heaters/probes/ etc)

 

[Big Tex]

Refugiums/sumps add volume to your tank, which stabilizes it. Gives you room to grow macroalgae, also pods. And room to store unsightly equipment. (heaters/probes/ etc)

ok well my predicament starts with this stand, its a nightmare, i dont want to try to enclose it and drill holes in everything and it will never be the same if i change my mind.

 

[Tkey3425]

Well, I was going to say that if you didn't want a debate then keep your mouth shut and don't post on an open forum. Then I thought better of it because you would report me and I would get in trouble with the Mods. Ah well, who the **** cares, time I cut the link to this crybaby *** forum anyway. This used to be a great place years ago then it got clogged up with kids and morons who have no understanding of what they are doing and why. Continue your path of leading newbies down the path of failure.

I personally used a canister for a long long time because I was in the same boat as tex with limited income, not much space, and plenty of free time. Our conversations outside of this forum have been about the proper maintenance he will need to be doing if he runs a canister. Also if you're from Florida like your profile says and you're for the north end you probably buy your fish from me since I have my wholesale, retail and import license and a full saltwater only fish store that was opened specifically to change the perspective of LFS's we sell cheaper than anyone and healthier than anyone and refuse any sale that we know won't work like a tang in a 55. I know what works or I wouldn't still be in business. We sold over 300 fish, inverts and coral colonies in the store last week and shipped out 4x that wholesale. If you think I don't know what I'm doing you're wrong. There always somewhere we haven't seen or something we need to ask but that's what this forum is for.

 

[Big Tex]

I personally used a canister for a long long time because I was in the same boat as tex with limited income, not much space, and plenty of free time. Our conversations outside of this forum have been about the proper maintenance he will need to be doing if he runs a canister. Also if you're from Florida like your profile says and you're for the north end you probably buy your fish from me since I have my wholesale, retail and import license and a full saltwater only fish store that was opened specifically to change the perspective of LFS's we sell cheaper than anyone and healthier than anyone and refuse any sale that we know won't work like a tang in a 55. I know what works or I wouldn't still be in business. We sold over 300 fish, inverts and coral colonies in the store last week and shipped out 4x that wholesale. If you think I don't know what I'm doing you're wrong. There always somewhere we haven't seen or something we need to ask but that's what this forum is for.

well i work monday through friday with weekends off, so i have alot of free time to be cleaning which i take my saturdays to do with my other 4 tanks anyhow, so it will be just another stop on my rounds on saturdays mornings, im not worried about the weekly maintenance, just that its hard to hide this thing, let alone a sump/refugium, and one more thing, im STILL stuck on the canister choice, ive seen alot of bickering on the thread and only 3 votes, its a poll thread people geez, just state your opinion POLITELY, vote on the poll, please!

 

[Gregcoyote]

Some of our members are a bit too passionate, or hard headed (including me on some topics). With a light livestock load and good maintenance you can make a canister work. Just don't expect miracles from it. If you want to do more later, look into more live rock and a skimmer to replace the canister. This is a more "natural" approach that doesn't require as much maintenance. Good luck and keep us all posted.