cannister filters...

[cogburn]

im gonna sound like an idiot here... but... do cannister filters require you to have an overflow in your tank? im just curious how the cannister filters work... im assuming you would need 2 overflows one inlet one outlet... ive decided on a 120 gal. cuz it fits the 4ft wall im gonna put it in front of... i was thinking of getting a fluval cannister filter instead of hob's... but im not entirely sure how they work... enlighten me oh wise ones... thanks in advance...

-Larry

 

[CatatonicBug]

A cannister (at least my Fluval) works through siphoning water down, and pumping it back up. The cannister has to be below the water level, but only the end of the hose has to be in the water. It creates a vaccuum in the canister that "sucks" the water down as the pump pushes the water in the canister up into the tank. No need for an overflow.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[cogburn]

yep thats what i needed to know... well thats good... but what is the point of overflows then? im really unsure about them...

 

[CatatonicBug]

Does anyone use an overflow on a FW tank? I have only heard of them being used in SW.

 

[cogburn]

ill just retract my question... i guess im an idiot

 

[CatatonicBug]

No, quite alright! I don't know the answer either... That's why I posed the question.

 

[Purrbox]

I belive that overflows are generally used with a sump. Some people do use sumps on FW, but it's much more common with SW.

 

[rich311k]

An overflow is used with a sump system. The water flows down to a sump and the is pumped back into thre tank. The overflow helps avoid accidents if the power stops to the pump.

 

[cogburn]

dually noted... the tank i order will not have overflows...

 

[Latitude_change]

Are cannisters useful for SW or are they used mainly for FW?

 

[tawolcott]

mainly FW, though I use them on my SW since I already had one. Most SW will take the coarse filter out and fill it with live rock. It comes in handy to run certain media if needed and adds flow to the tank. Sumps are all the rage in the SW world but there are still a few rebels out there

 

[cogburn]

hahahaha rebels... thats great... thanks so much for answering my questions guys...

 

[roka64]

I use cannisters in my SW set ups. I like them because I can add filter media if needed like purigen or phosban or GAC. Some SW folks go the skimmer route with a sump/fuge. I don't run skimmers but I do run cannisters. I don't know too much about FW.

 

[Latitude_change]

I am running a sump and skimmer, but I was just wondering if a cannister would also help out.

 

[tawolcott]

If you already have one then why not use it. or sell it to me

 

[Ziggy953]

I have seen sumps on FW tanks before using a trickle method filter.

SW tanks - hmm...I don't use canisters on my tank and I have only used GAC 1 time so far in nearly 3 years. I am one of those "all the rage" guys in that I have an oversized fuge (20g on a 72g tank) and a multistage sump system. I also have a very large skimmer. I try and keep my system as natural as possible. I picked up a phosban reactor for using GAC when fragging a specific coral still in the tank.

Anyway, canisters = FW sumps/fuges skimmers = SW. Those rebels will come around sooner or later. LOL

 

[pitt420dude]

I've successfully used a skimmer, overflow, and sump for a FW tank for 4 years now.

The only reason I'm getting rid of it is because it's offgassing all my CO2.

 

[Ziggy953]

Now that is a new one for me. How does a skimmer perform on a FW tank?

 

[jsoong]

Sump systems are also "all the rage" amoung serious goldfish keepers <and also in koi ponds.> I have used one for the last 3 years or so .... and I am not that rebellous!

I always read that protein skimmers don't work in FW due to different water tension ... maybe that's also a myth?

 

[tawolcott]

I'm guessing he might be referring to a surface skimmer....

and you goldies have always been oooooouuttt there