Question about filters

[ClayBishop]

Ok I have a 55 with a 20 gallon long sump with some live rock in it and a protein Skimmer. I also have a canister w just some pad in it but I heard that the canister is bad on a reef tank should I get rid of it

 

[crobo]

its not necessarily bad, just mostly unnecessary. The only thing its really good for is polishing pads( filter floss) and adding activated carbon or other filter media.

But you have a sump, so you can just add a filter bag with carbon at the beginning of your sump and that should take care of it.

People don't like them because they are a pain to clean and can be nitrate sources if left uncleaned

 

[ClayBishop]

I'm worried if something bad will happen if I take it off

 

[crobo]

How much live rock do you have in your tank and sump combined? how long has the tank been up? what live stock is in the tank?

 

[Schism]

I'm worried if something bad will happen if I take it off

As long as you have around the normally recommended amount of live rock and not an outrageous bioload then you have nothing to worry about.

If you understand what a skimmer does and what live rock does then youll understand that as stated the canister only has one purpose and its purpose can be achieve in much simpler and effective ways.

For mechanical filtration (if and when needed) running a filter sick for a day will clear up any large debris over say 200 micros withs a 200 micron sock. Combined with a bag of carbon in the sump and you have effectively removed any benefit the canister had and allowing water quality to stay much cleaner by not trapping waste in the canister allowing it to rot.

 

[ClayBishop]

Ok I have a 55 g with about 35 pounds of rock

 

[ClayBishop]

About 2 months old and 2 clowns and a green chromis and hermits and snails.

 

[Schism]

Ok I have a 55 g with about 35 pounds of rock

I would get another 10-20 lbs live rock before the switch then, it should still be fine however i always play it safe. Really your gonna need more live rock anyways when you add more fish so might as well now.

 

[crister13]

I agree. Play it safe, get more rock.