Protein skimmer to a canister filter?

[Dikiibill]

Hello everybody!
I have Fluval canister filter.
Just bought protein skimmer.
Question - can I attach protein skimmer to the outflow pipe from the canister filter using power head?

[ryshark]

Why not get rid of the canister filter. Do you have live rock?

[Dikiibill]

Yes I have a life rock - but its in bad shape
And if I will get rid of canister I don't think its gonna be enough filtration with only one protein skimmer
Also what is an acceptable level of nitrates must be in a tank

[CaptainAhab]

To get a good answer to any of your questions you'll need to post some details about your tank. Size, how long has it been up, inhabitants, lighting, filtration, etc

[Dikiibill]

Ok I have 30g tank, Fluval 205 canister filter, one power head, heater, and I just bought protein skimmer with option to put bio balls inside it.
Inside - live rock, 3/4 bed of live sand, 1 yellow tang, 1 chromi, 1 damsel, elephant snail and 1 hermit crab

[Dikiibill]

I have it for a year and my lighting is one marine-glo T8 and one power-glo T8

[CaptainAhab]

If you don't have 30lbs or so of LR I'd run both the can and the skimmer. I wouldn't attach them and I wouldn't put bioballs in that chamber. I assume it's a HOB skimmer?

[Dikiibill]

Yep I have a HOB skimmer. Do you think I should use power head that came with skimmer when I'm gonna attache it to a canister filter
Or I just attach outflow hose from canister to a skimmer and its gonna be enough water flow without power head

[CaptainAhab]

I'm still baffled as to why you want to attach the two? They're not intended to be attached and IMO shouldn't be

[Dikiibill]

I just don't want to see so many pipes inside the tank

[CaptainAhab]

I don't think it would work and even if it did it's a disaster waiting to happen. That's why some people move to sumps. BTW: There are lots of people who only use a canister or only a skimmer w/ enough LR.

[Kurt_Nelson]

What brand/model skimmer are we talking about here?

And how were you planning on getting the water from the skimmer back into the tank? Were you thinking of hanging the skimmer on the tank, but just plumbing the output from your cannister to the input of the skimmer?

Unless you're talking a Remora HOB, most skimmers use a venturi to suck air into the water column at the pump. You wouldn't have that with your plan, which would make your skimmer not work. If you are talking about a Remora HOB, the pump included with the skimmer is sized to make the spray nozzle work effectively - without the air venturi. Using a different sized pump (the cannister) would either not make the skimmer work at all, or at least not as effectively.

Not seeing this as a really good plan...

[melosu58]

Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion.

[bavass]

I would just get a really good skimmer, the canister filters can and will become nitrate banks unless you clean them good weekly. I had one and help to cause very high nitrates! Live rock and a good skimmer is all you need.

[Be2lose]

OK, but why run a filter before you skimmer? Running then seperate will get you much better results. You can hide the "pipes" with live rock. I have a skimmer, canister (attached to a chillier), a wet/dry and two power heads.

None of these really detract from the beauty of the tank.

[thincat]

Be2lose, be careful with your chiller attached to your canister filter. I have read that as the canister gets clogged and the water flow slows down that the chiller can freeze up and malfuntion. Also there is an issue of having no way to clean the canister without having the water back flowing from your tank.

[Be2lose]

Thanks, I check the water flow daily and clean the canister weekly(when I change the water). Also I have installed a quick disconnect with a shut off valve to prevent back flow.