Canister Filter Media

[patsheridan]

Hi all. I currently have a 35g mixed reef with a sump and skimmer. I am going to move into a 75g used bowfront I purchased. It came with a Magnum 350 canister filter, which I plan on using in conjunction with a hang-on-back skimmer.

Two questions: What media should I run in the canister, to accomplish what goal. And any suggestions for a Skimmer?

Thanks!!!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

consider getting a sump for the new tank. The canister is going to need to be cleaned VERY regularly or it becomes the problemb. Fresh and saltwater use canisters differently. Ceramic rings and floss is fine in them IMO IME.
The goal being mechanical filtration. From the research I did befor using one, the bacteria in a salt Canister will not break down the food/poop as fast as it will collect it.

Sorry heres a cut and past of a thing I wrote for someone.
Some of the veterans dont dig other ways to set up a reef esp for no money. Im not going to get into it with anyone so....
Im assuming you dont have a sump and converting a freshwater system?
In a tank that size a sump, skimmer and refugium is better yes.
A Hang On Back Skimmer is usually preffered for filtration. My Hob skimmer didnt work well at all.

Yes you can use a canister filter for saltwater a lot of people do it. But its different than freshwater.
A freshwater system works differently and you almost never have to clean it. In a saltwater system you need to clean it once or twice a month.
You should clean it twice a month and do water changes twice a month. A 20% water change monthly is reccomended esp if you have a lot of fish. 10% for a few fish. It depends on how much you feed.

In fresh water the canister and media are part of biological filter. In saltwater the sand and rock are the major bio filter. A bio filter (bacteria) breakes down food/poop) into small particles so a skimmer can take it out.
If you use a canister filter in saltwater it is mainly a mechanical filter.( A skimmer is a mechanical filter too. Anything that catches pieces of food and poop and take it out of the water are mechanical filters.
(skimmers acytually only catch small pieces and thats why some dont wok well plus you have to wait for the biofilter to break it down before the skimmer can get it out)
A canister is a VERY good mechanical filter.

In saltwater the canister doest doesnt house enough bacteria to be a good bio filter as it catches more poop/food particles than the bacteria in it can break down.
BUT the media does work as a bio filter a little too but not well. Thats why it needs to be cleaned more often, or the rotting food and poo go back into the water and the tank (nitrate factory). But any piece of gear you dont clean is a nitrate factory even a dirty sump, AND a tank that has a poor skimmer.

If you put a bag of activated carbon(you shoud) in the canister, Its a chemical filter and absorbs impurities, and when you change the carbon it takes it out of the system.

My canister is kinda small so when I rinse it its only takes one gallon of saltwater to fill it up. I do a four gallon water change in the tank, and one gallon goes back into the canister.
Thats one five gallon bucket one saltwater. Thats just under 10% of a 60 gallon system.

 

[patsheridan]

Thanks for the info Salty. I'm pretty committed to the idea of giving this canister and hang-on skimmer a go, and am trying to figure out exactly what media to use in the canister filter and for what purpose. Trying to understand the what, how and why of it all.

 

[Diesel]

Use just some filter floss that's it and rinse it every week or maybe twice a week.
All it does is collect detritus and we all know what that does to our systems.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thanks for the info Salty. I'm pretty committed to the idea of giving this canister and hang-on skimmer a go, and am trying to figure out exactly what media to use in the canister filter and for what purpose. Trying to understand the what, how and why of it all.

hopefully you get a few more hits on the thread. And yea Mr Diesel Is correct. you can also use sponges.
IMO the media, if your talking about balls and ceramic rings deosnt matter. as its really not doing the work of a bio filter, its just a mech filter.

 

[patsheridan]

Diesel, thanks for the response. You are suggesting filter floss and nothing else? No carbon, ceramic, bio-balls, etc., etc?

 

[cloak]

I would just use it for chemical filtration if need be, otherwise it's just a power head IMO. Using it during a water change for a few hours to polish the water is cool, (mechanical) but canister filters are kind of a PITA to begin with. GL.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/dw/index.php

 

[Diesel]

Diesel, thanks for the response. You are suggesting filter floss and nothing else? No carbon, ceramic, bio-balls, etc., etc?

yes sir, and clean it out a lot.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would just use it for chemical filtration if need be, otherwise it's just a power head IMO. Using it during a water change for a few hours to polish the water is cool, (mechanical) but canister filters are kind of a PITA to begin with. GL.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/dw/index.php

if you hvent done it, I think youd be surprised. Def not a set it and forget it, but really what is? Its just a big filter sock.

 

[patsheridan]

So if I purchase a correctly-sized HOB Skimmer does a canister simply become redundant (or worse), or does it add value to the set-up?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

So if I purchase a correctly-sized HOB Skimmer does a canister simply become redundant (or worse), or does it add value to the set-up?

matter of opinion there. IMO. Most would say Skimmer only. I have done both. I just took the canister off my 30g while doing a rehab. It worked well. I had Remora HOB skimmers and did not like the results.

If I were Dead set on a no sump tank I would get a large CPR HOB refugium and put a tunze 9002 skimmer in it. (some come with a skimmer).Or hob skimmer. A canister is a fine place to start thoug untill you upgrade. IMO IME

Some folks use a HOB skimmer with an oversized HOb Aquaclear style filter for mechanical filtration and to hold the carbon/chem filtration. It works too.

FWIW My 30 cube now has a small hob refugium and an in tank 9001 tunze.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-cherry-30-cube-saltyfilmfolks.248152/

 

[patsheridan]

So now I'm wondering if there is a pump system that I can use to remove tank water to a sump without drilling a hole in the back of the tank. I could probably take my existing sump and use it if such an option exists.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Look up hang on back overflow box systems.
The return is a strait pipe from the pump in the sump.

 

[patsheridan]

Thanks Salty. Better to go this route, or go with HOB skimmer with the canister filter for added water movement/filtration? The main reason I see to go with an overflow box are the benefits of the refugium.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yup. Sounds like your going to be on the reaearch wagon for a while.
here some boring stuff.
http://melevsreef.com/node/652
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=hob+overflow+box+system
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=sump+overflow+refugium

 

[Untamedrose]

I've had reef tanks for over ten years...yet to have a sump. (am working actually getting one, but mostly i wanna display refugium to grow macros in then feel I need extra filtration )

In mine I have filter floss medium grade, then a fine filter(this bottom first layer will need to be cleaned out it will trap stuffs like poop left over food... that's what it is suppose to do)
next layer is biological have a marinepure block(never wash this...)
next layer I have LR rubble(more i had an extra layer plus some extra LR dont wash this either)
next is polyfilter a chemical stripper..i swear by this stuff. Same thing they use to clean human blood. In a stable tank is an emergency back up but still I recommend....lifesaver in a newer tank. (rinse off if needed it shouldnt first layer should grab the big stuffs. replace if it ever turns any color but pale browns)
next layer is two bags with carbon and phosgaurd in them

DO recommend larger then "needed"...I've got a 65 gal tank with a canister filter running 525gph rated for a 150 gal tank.

Dont be surprised when it's crawling with pods... thats a good thing.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I've had reef tanks for over ten years...yet to have a sump. (am working actually getting one, but mostly i wanna display refugium to grow macros in then feel I need extra filtration )

In mine I have filter floss medium grade, then a fine filter(this bottom first layer will need to be cleaned out it will trap stuffs like poop left over food... that's what it is suppose to do)
next layer is biological have a marinepure block(never wash this...)
next layer I have LR rubble(more i had an extra layer plus some extra LR dont wash this either)
next is polyfilter a chemical stripper..i swear by this stuff. Same thing they use to clean human blood. In a stable tank is an emergency back up but still I recommend....lifesaver in a newer tank. (rinse off if needed it shouldnt first layer should grab the big stuffs. replace if it ever turns any color but pale browns)
next layer is two bags with carbon and phosgaurd in them

DO recommend larger then "needed"...I've got a 65 gal tank with a canister filter running 525gph rated for a 150 gal tank.

Dont be surprised when it's crawling with pods... thats a good thing.

Neat! I've heard a few set ups done more like fresh that need cleaning often like I did but you sound like you have it totally dialed in.
How often do you rinse and clean yours.

 

[Untamedrose]

Neat! I've heard a few set ups done more like fresh that need cleaning often like I did but you sound like you have it totally dialed in.
How often do you rinse and clean yours.

I use "dirty" tank water from the water change to clean stuff swish it around.....except for the first stage Give that a shake in the water change water....then net pods back into the tank...rest of the filter is cleaned in tap....thought is I am NOT counting on bio filiation with my mechanical filter

 

[Nigelk]

I run mine with filter floss, bio balls, rowaphos, and carbon, clean it every 2/3 weeks but just dump the floss and replace with new, I have bio balls in 2 different chambers and rotate the cleaning of them, doing this years with no bother and because I dump the floss it only takes me a couple of minutes to clean.
I also run a skimmer in a sump that overflows from a HOB external box. I run a FOWLR preditor system and have heavy bio load hence the external as well.
Keeps the water crystal clean as well but I'd also get an oversize one for the tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi all. I currently have a 35g mixed reef with a sump and skimmer. I am going to move into a 75g used bowfront I purchased. It came with a Magnum 350 canister filter, which I plan on using in conjunction with a hang-on-back skimmer.

Two questions: What media should I run in the canister, to accomplish what goal. And any suggestions for a Skimmer?

Thanks!!!

FWIW, I used a Magnum canister with a mix of GFO and GAC for years. Larger particles are best,a nd possibly something like Phosguard instead of GFO may be better in a canister.

I later switched to BRS flow through reactors and liked those better, but, obviously, it is a lot more expensive.