running canister

[SnowZz]

I currently run a magnum 350 on a 55g reef and the media is carbon and a filter sleeve. Is this hurting my reef? I'm also wondering if I should add a hob protein skimmer and only run the canister on a timer. In the future I would like to go the sump route but currently pretty broke and wantted to start focusing on new live stock. But if this is hurtting the tank ill continue on the equipment route. You can also switch out the carbon for some water polishing media should I just be running that. Thanks

 

[melosu58]

Nothing wrong with running GAC. Alot of people run it as a water polisher. I personally only run (GAC) it when I have problems. You can run the canister without carbon and use it for the flow. As far as the skimmer it`s up to you. I personally like mine as it draws out plenty of skimate but I know others that dont use one.

 

[pat8you]

Like mike said there is nothing wrong with running your canister filter. If it has sponges in it just make sure you clean those often. They collect a lot of nasty stuff out of the water and can end up breaking a lot of that down and putting all of that back into the tank as excess nutrients. If you do weekly water changes i would make it a habbit to clean the sponges when ever you do your water change.

If it were me i would wait on the HOB skimmer. You can make up for it by just keeping up on your water changes until you are ready to plumb in a sump and get an in sump skimmer. I've heard of skimmers getting cloged our out of adjustment and pouring a lot of water on people's floor. I also think most of the good quality skimmers are in sump.

 

[SnowZz]

Ok thanks so running it the way it is doesn't remove positive nutrients from the water? I just did my first 20% water change and. Plan to do it every 2 weeks as in my old 20 I did it every 3 weeks. It really sucks going through the algae cycles of a new tank for a week I had diatoms now I'm just getting this slow green coat.