which canister filter ??

[Christian7]

Hi Guys and ladies

I Have a 30 gallon SW tank with a 350 biowheel. I'll soon to bump up to 50 or 60 gallon tank

Im unhappy with water clarity Likely due to overstockage as one person from this forum explained to me.

At this point I want to buy a second filter and think Ill get a canister.

Ive looked at several and would love some opinions on what would be good.


So far
Fluval 305
Filstar 70gal one?
ehiem ecco

are on my list.
I would like to know which has good ease of use, maintenance,....

should I think about the hot magnum at all?


Thanks for time folks, God bless
Christiaan

 

[roydooms]

Hi Guys and ladies

I Have a 30 gallon SW tank with a 350 biowheel. I'll soon to bump up to 50 or 60 gallon tank

Im unhappy with water clarity Likely due to overstockage as one person from this forum explained to me.

At this point I want to buy a second filter and think Ill get a canister.

Ive looked at several and would love some opinions on what would be good.

So far
Fluval 305
Filstar 70gal one?
ehiem ecco

are on my list.
I would like to know which has good ease of use, maintenance,....

should I think about the hot magnum at all?

Thanks for time folks, God bless
Christiaan

I'll go with the fluval 405. I only have experience with fluvals though and IMO they are easy to set up and maintain. I hope somebody will chime in in regards to the other filters.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I like Fluval, EHeim, and Rena. That said, I've seen it posted over and over again that canisters on sw tanks (maybe just reef?) are not usually a good idea. If you don't religiously clean them, they have the potential to become a source of high nitrates.

 

[Christian7]

Im wondering if thats why my LfS guy was telling my to get an enhiem because it has some by pass deal? The other store told me to get the hot magnum for salt tank. Dang Im confused. Any clarification would be appreciated.....help me please

 

[Fishguy2727]

Don't use a Magnum.

If you use a canister use a Fluval.

On a saltwater tank, especially 50+ gallons, it would be better to use a sump, not a canister.

 

[Christian7]

Thanks fishguy.

I dont think I want to go with a sump seems complex and room comsuming. What is the negatives of using a canister for SW. My tank is fish, crab, snails, a shrimp, LR and some polyps.


Thanks for any info

 

[Fishguy2727]

A canister is very good at trapping debris. In a reef this is unwanted because it takes food from filter feeders and traps it where you have to remove it on a monthly basis. If you don't it turns into a nitrate factory, and can even contirbute to excessive nitrate concentration if it is well maintained.

Yes, if you are not used to dealing with them sump can be a little overwhelming at first. They are a little more complicated than a HOB or canister, but they are a better option for almost any reef tank. They allow you to be flexible with your equipment and change it as you and your tank progress in the hobby. They add volume, allow for better protein skimmers, allow you to keep more equipment out of the display, provide a safe place to add topoff water and chemical supplements so they are mixed before they are blasted all over all your sensitive livestock, and allow you to add equipment as needed. They also allow you to use a refugium for nutrient export which means you have more natural filtration. I would never run a reef over 20-30 gallons without a sump.

 

[Christian7]

Im not sure my tank is considered a Reef tank?

I got 6 fish
7lbs of live rock which Im going to dbl today
snails, a banded shrimp, a green crab and a few small hermits.
I do have some polyps and encroching cup type plants?
Would this be concidered a Reef tank?

Would a protien skimmer with my 350 be better then adding a canister??

 

[Bl80]

I have a Rena xp3 on each of my 75 and 55 gal cichlid tanks and love them ( rated for 175 tank I think) tho can be tricky to prime first time.

I have a pen plax cascade canister ( fir 100gal) and a fluval 205 on an overstocked tropical tank. Love the fluval for ease of priming.

And 2 fluval 205 on my sons 40 gal.

I love all the canister because I was constructing filters with bulk supplies for all my hob filters. I never had a problem, but got that first taste of the simplicity of baskets in the canisters!!!!! OMG that and they are super quiet.

Sry, I dont know how they are for salt.

 

[Fishguy2727]

Treat it like a reef tank. You have corals and most likely you will add more. You need more rock though, even for fish only. The more rock they have the more comfortable they are. It is also 80% of your filtration.

I would definitely get a skimmer before a canister.

 

[Christian7]

Thanks for all the great info guys.

I will definetly be building up my collection of pretty rock and plant things. Im becoming a Frag addict.

Im heading to my LFS to grab a bunch more LR, a test kit and turn in my very lazy Royal Gamma.

I have a feeling by next week Ill be into a 55 or 60 gallon

I sa a protien skimmer that has a side for bio balls is that a horrible Idea.

 

[Fishguy2727]

No bioballs. They make bubble catchers that don't use bioballs.