filter or sump????

[kristy]

I have a 55gl salt water aquarium and my protein skimmer caught fire and exploed.... I was wondering if I should just replace it or maybe go with a canister filter or a sump.. Any feed back would be wonderful explaining the pros and cons of each one and which would be better in th elong run. THANK YOU

 

[tigger4life]

I have had a filter hang on the back and a protein skimmer however I change to sump/overflow box w protein skimmer and all my readings are good. Never wanted to get the canister filter for some reason maybe someone else could answer that part. The sump is very quiet and there is little maintenance once setup. they say that the sump is a nitrate factory however if you clean the bio-ball every 4-6 months it will not build up to that. Hope this helps you. I have FOWLR setup with live rock. Oh I would still get a skimmer either way. It helps get the nasty stuff out of the water, IMO.

 

[Aquarium1]

If you replace the bio balls in your sump with live rock, its a lot better and it won't become a nitrate factory even without cleaning. However, a canister filter will almost definitely become a nitrate factory.