Canister filter for reef?

[Aidanflower]

I have a 90 gallon reef tank that has been running for about 9 months. I do 30 gallon water changes every other week and nitrates stay around 7. Everything is perfect except for the sound. The water pouring into the filter sock is loud and the skimmer and pump are loud. Its in my room so it is quite disturbing. I have tried to quiet everything with multiple methods but none do much. I am starting a new fresh water tank and was researching canister filters and then i thought about one for the 90. I always heard that canister filters were nitrate factories but just recently i started to read forums and it sounds like canister filters are neglected. My question is, if i can get a good quality canister filter and properly maintain it will it work well? Also what are the pros and cons to a canister filter vs a sump?

 

[Redwolf91]

I have a fluval g6 that I've used on a reef tank for some three or four years now. I don't use it for bio, but use the baskets for things like carbon and matrix etc. I have never had it leech things back. It's not really inexpensive, but it tells me when I last changed everything, and I just follow the alerts I set in it to tell me when to change things (you may have gathered, but I have the memory span of a crack addled ferret ) I do run to large dumps also, one for heaters and skimmer, one the scrubber dumps into. The downsides to just a canister, imo, less overall water volume (opposed to having a sump) less aeration also ( cascading effect, as well as skimmer ) the higher the water volume, the less a slight chemical change effects.

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[Aidanflower]

Do you have anything else for filtration?

 

[Redwolf91]

The skimmer, algae scrubber, and lots of live rock /sand

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[Redwolf91]

I just noticed my auto correct changed sumps to dumps, sorry

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[Aidanflower]

Okay thanks, i have alot of live rock too. And a way over sized skimmer. The only fear i have with changing over to the canister filter is getting rid of the skimmer. About 4 or 5 months ago i turned the filter off and never turned it back on for about two months and nitrates didnt budge.

 

[Redwolf91]

I'd agree on the skimmer... Out of curiosity, how does the water "dump " into the sock... Mine made me crazy with noise also when I had one, but i was able to quiet it pretty well

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[Aidanflower]

I never though about the gas exchange. I have plenty of surface agitation but the skimmer and sump add a lot of aeration i suppose could run an air stone in the black over flow cover. I am always worried about aeration because last summer the tank got too hot and the fish were breathing really heavily. Hot water absorbs les o2 than cold water

 

[Aidanflower]

I have a bulk head from the bottom of the tank hard piped to the sock and a piece of pvc that extends into the water

 

[Redwolf91]

Mine came down in a similar way, just from an overflow. I put an elbow at the end, do it dumped out literally hitting the side of the sock rather than into the center. It did help quite a bit.

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[Aidanflower]

Does the elbow extend under the water line?

 

[Redwolf91]

Just above. I tried a few places, that seemed to work so I went with it

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[Aidanflower]

Okay, mine extends strait under the water line.

 

[Redwolf91]

It's worth a try, you can just push fit it on, no need for glue as its not an thing if the joint leaks lol

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[Aidanflower]

I guess ill give it a try

 

[Redwolf91]

Look at a few, pick the one that suits you best. Just check the stats on them to see how much they move at the given height

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[Redwolf91]

That posted in the wrong place, ignore it, sorry

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