Canister filter as a supplement?

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Maridia

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Oct 9, 2013
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Hi all. This thought came to me. Would it be a good or bad idea to supplement filtration with a canister filter? This is assuming that you have a reef running with a sump, skimmer, and refugium. Would a canister support, or become one of these so called "nitrate factories" that I've heard so much about?


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I don't really see any benefit to it unless you want some more mechanical filtration for your tank.

They can increase nitrates if you dont clean it regularly. Weekly with your water change would be a good schedule.
 
I use mine to run carbon and GFO


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I use mine to run carbon and GFO


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Hmm. Never thought of doing that. Does it work as well as a reactor?


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It does for me. I clean it out weekly so there's no issues with nitrates


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I have a canister filter with a layer of live rock rubble in and media bags with phosphate remover and carbon in. I clean it out every 2 weeks when I do a water change and have no issues at all


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I've never thought using a canister as a reactor would be beneficial. The point of a reactor is to allow flow up and THROUGH the media. They have clear canisters to be able to monitor the media and usually come with ball valves to control the amount of flow to produce the required amount that best suits the media.

GFO for example, clumps very easily, and requires a "slow boil" for it to be effective. It is also soft, and if the flow is too strong, will wear away by colliding into itself and fine particles will enter the tank. If the flow is not strong enough, then it will clump up and the water will go around it, instead of through it, completely defeating the purpose of the media.

Carbon is best off with different flow as well, as it's even softer, and need not tumble at all, which is why if you have room for a separate reactor, you're best off.
 
For those of you who use a canister, do you run it through the sump? Or through the display tank?


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Mines from the display tank. I don't have a sump. I'd like to do one but I have a corner tank and the stand isn't big enough to have a sump setup


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You better add a simple HOB than a canister, you'll need weekly cleaning of it anyways... It will become a nitrate factory.
 
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