SW filters

[itafx]

What makes a good SW filter? I understand that canister filters with heaters can corrode if they are for FW instead of SW. Are there other issues besides vulnerabililty to corrosion that make a filter only good for FW instead of SW? Right now, I put my Emperor 280 filter on my SW aquarium that I started up on the cheap. Is there anything wrong with that?

 

[MT79]

Thats the same filter I started w/. Worked great for the couple years I used it. I prefer to rely on plenty of LR(1-2 lbs per gal), GAC, and a protein skimmer for all of my tank's filtration these days. Beware, if you ever used copper in a tank that equipment was on, it may cause problems w/ some SW animals. Copper, even very small amounts, is lethal to invertebrates. It may sometimes be absorbed into plastic or silicone and leach back out later during use. HTH

 

[lando]

1.5-2lbs/gal of LR, LS substrate, aggressive skimming and good water movement are all you really need for a great SW "filter".

 

[usmcmarc]

Reiterating what MT79 and Lando said...Lots of LR, Good Sandbed, Skimmer, powerheads, and some GAC...you should be good to go!!

 

[itafx]

What do you do with the GAC?

 

[MT79]

Put it in a media bag and you can run it in a HOB filter, like your Emperor, or place it in a high flow area of the sump if you have one. Be sure to change it frequently, ie. about every 7-10 days. After that it's useless and it can cause problems like raising nitrate levels. Along w/ keeping water clarity high and allowing better light penetration, GAC is useful in reefs b/c it may remove some of the toxins corals release when competing for space. These toxins, called allelopathic toxins, are found in much higher concentrations in aquariums than around natural reefs and they can inhibit growth and overall health of the corals.

 

[melosu58]

I prefer to rely on plenty of LR(1-2 lbs per gal), GAC, and a protein skimmer for all of my tank's filtration these days.

Sounds like good advice to me.