75g Reef, Which Canister?

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Fluval 406 vs Marineland 530

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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.

well guys its down to this, a single or dual skimmer and NO canister, paired with 2 koralia 750 powerheads, i need to choose between the 2, either dual or single.. its a $15 difference so i want some feedback guys thanks, (y)

Reef Octopus BH1000 Hang-on-the-Back Protein Skimmer - Bulk Reef Supply

Reef Octopus DBH300 Dual Hang-on-the-Back Protein Skimmer - Bulk Reef Supply
 
OK Tex, I'm gonna throw one more option out there. This is for those of you who cannot run a traditional sump and I was one of those once, I had nitrate issues. Until I bought a CPR AquaFuge PS. Its a HOB refugium with built in skimmer. I put some rock rubble and a ball of cheato in mine with a seperate light, and soon my nitrates dropped to 0. Here's one on eBay, but its not factory seconds which is what I bought. Much cheaper, but I don't think the seconds are available anymore. You would need the large sized one (this link is to a small). I searched "skimmer" with 1000 returns in pets.

CPR AQUAFUGE2 PS SM Refugium Protein Skimmer | eBay
 
The one Ingy suggested is the one BRS uses in their video but they always seem to use a separate skimmer. Might be a reason for it but I've never used or seen one personally
 
Im no expert but this one looks cooler and it seems more efficient Reef Octopus DBH300 Dual Hang-on-the-Back Protein Skimmer - Bulk Reef Supply I could be wrong though

no your dead-on, its the second link i posted lol same skimmer

OK Tex, I'm gonna throw one more option out there. This is for those of you who cannot run a traditional sump and I was one of those once, I had nitrate issues. Until I bought a CPR AquaFuge PS. Its a HOB refugium with built in skimmer. I put some rock rubble and a ball of cheato in mine with a seperate light, and soon my nitrates dropped to 0. Here's one on eBay, but its not factory seconds which is what I bought. Much cheaper, but I don't think the seconds are available anymore. You would need the large sized one (this link is to a small). I searched "skimmer" with 1000 returns in pets.

CPR AQUAFUGE2 PS SM Refugium Protein Skimmer | eBay

i couldnt find a gal rating, do you know it?

The one Ingy suggested is the one BRS uses in their video but they always seem to use a separate skimmer. Might be a reason for it but I've never used or seen one personally

hmm, maybe they use the fuge for the refugium side and use an external skimmer as a backup to the built in fuge skimmer?
 
They make a fuge only and a fuge with skimmer (AquaFuge or AquaFuge PS) for your cleaning pleasure. For A 75 gal, I'd go with the biggest. I have the biggest and it was on my 30 gal. It was kinda too big.

I don't know how the CPR HOB skimmers match up with others, but mine looked like other HOB skimmers. But going with 2 seperate units will allow you to have more refugium room (the skimmer uses total space) and a larger (and perhaps better) skimmer.
 
They make a fuge only and a fuge with skimmer (AquaFuge or AquaFuge PS) for your cleaning pleasure. For A 75 gal, I'd go with the biggest. I have the biggest and it was on my 30 gal. It was kinda too big.

I don't know how the CPR HOB skimmers match up with others, but mine looked like other HOB skimmers. But going with 2 seperate units will allow you to have more refugium room (the skimmer uses total space) and a larger (and perhaps better) skimmer.

well im definitely going with the bh1000 because i just realized the bh100 and the bh300 have the pumps in the tank! what an eyesore! the bh1000 has the pump mounted on the bottom on the skimmer and out of sight, which is a huge plus for me.

now im still little confused on the aquafuge, do i need it? what will i gain? and geez its an extra $200 :confused:
 
If your still going with a canister filter, then you don't really need a fuge. The main point for a fuge is a place for additional rocks (both for bacteria and pods), which is not really nessessary (sp?) and a place to grow macro algae to consume nitrates. A canister filter with the right inserts can absorb nitrates as well. More of a one-or-the-other thing. A fuge is less maintenance (almost none) but a canister can have changing inserts to manage differing issues (nitrates, phosphates, silcates etc).
 
If your still going with a canister filter, then you don't really need a fuge. The main point for a fuge is a place for additional rocks (both for bacteria and pods), which is not really nessessary (sp?) and a place to grow macro algae to consume nitrates. A canister filter with the right inserts can absorb nitrates as well. More of a one-or-the-other thing. A fuge is less maintenance (almost none) but a canister can have changing inserts to manage differing issues (nitrates, phosphates, silcates etc).

well ive pretty much decided not to do a canister, maybe a hob fuge would be good then?
 
I would recommend it, but its something you can add later, as I did. Your tank will need to be a few inches off the wall anyhow to allow room for the skimmer, so you wouldn't even need to move it if you decided to add one later.

As I said, I had nitrate issues that led me to needing what I finally got. But I only had a smaller HOB filter that was of limited use. Your skimmer will certainly be better. But in the end, without a method of nitrate export, the levels will likely climb. Water changes will make almost no difference. Its down to how much nitrate the anaerobic bacteria deep inside the rocks can convert to nitrogen.

But as cash is almost always an issue, I'd probably wait and see.
 
I would recommend it, but its something you can add later, as I did. Your tank will need to be a few inches off the wall anyhow to allow room for the skimmer, so you wouldn't even need to move it if you decided to add one later.

As I said, I had nitrate issues that led me to needing what I finally got. But I only had a smaller HOB filter that was of limited use. Your skimmer will certainly be better. But in the end, without a method of nitrate export, the levels will likely climb. Water changes will make almost no difference. Its down to how much nitrate the anaerobic bacteria deep inside the rocks can convert to nitrogen.

But as cash is almost always an issue, I'd probably wait and see.

i think im going to fill it with arrag-alive reef grade, (80lbs) saltwater mix (1.025) and about 40lbs of live rock (all i can afford atm) and let it cycle for 6wks with just the 2 powerheads, by then ill have the skimmer ready to setup, and hopefully use it as a fowlr for about 6mo then get the fuge and go reef, sounds like a good plan..?
 
Sounds perfect. Nice quality cycle, let it stabalize as a FOWLR then add corals.

well thats good to hear, i hope i planned this one out well, because i was extremely impatient with my 36g bow front and it couldve gone so so so wrong, but now its happy, and healthy now and im so happy with it. its stabilized.
 
Tex, buy dry rock and dry sand. it's much cheaper. it will all become live on it's own in a short time anyway. Put iit all in the tank, toss a cocktail shrimp in and wait out the cycle.
 
There really isnt a "reef grade" per say. Theres different styles though.(pukani, fiji, etc) Bulk Reef Supply sells reef saver dry rock, which is sustainably harvested.
 
There really isnt a "reef grade" per say. Theres different styles though.(pukani, fiji, etc) Bulk Reef Supply sells reef saver dry rock, which is sustainably harvested.

No I meant reef grade sand and I love pukani rock btw that's What I want, they have a 50lb package for $139.99 shipped
 
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