Canister filter

[Austin J Vatalaro]

Hello, I am new to reef tanks but have had fish only for years. I recently picked up a refegium and a canister filter from a friend getting out of the hobby for awhile. I tried setting up the refegium but my stand doesnt have enough room to hide it :/ I was wondering would the canister filter have a similar effect without having a sump? I dont want to go spend the money and the process to get a new stand set up if I dont have to. I have bio balls for the bottum chamber, large ceramic things for the middle and then smaller ceramic for the top.

 

[MERKEY]

Not many here use canisters so there might not be the largest of info headed your way.

I am one of the few here who use canisters. Just as sumps they can all be different and filled with different things.

Here is what I do with my 2 tanks canisters.

Remember a canister filter will cut its GPH in half because of the media inside. So if you want 450 GHP turn over you need a 900GPH canister filter to achieve the TRUE turnover rate of the pump.

In my 75g I have a Fx6 that says it does 950GPH but I know filled will only reach around 450GPH.

I only fill mine with bio media. I use quarts now as the ceramic broke down too quickly. I only use carbon or chemipure when needed.

I clean them every week with RODI water and that's it. I only run a very thin layer of filter floss on the very top and very bottom of the canisters so nothing gets into the motor.

I really just have them set up as biological housing units for the DT. I also have HOB skimmers and HOB cheato/fuge on opposite sides.

You are trying to guide your nutrient export rather than "filter" if that makes sense....more biologic more natural filtration.....

Just my 2 cents and hope it helps!

 

[Quietman]

Short answer...no a canister is not a replacement for a sump. Long answer, you'll get plenty of in other posts. But you can run a reef tank on an appropriately sized canister filter. You should also plan on religiously maintaining that filter, clean it weekly. And plan on water changes being your primary method for nitrate removal. The media in the filter may help out some, if so good for you, but probably not for a long time and likely not enough for all but the smallest bio load.

 

[Super Fly]

you can use a canister but from my experience sumps are much more user friendly when it comes to maintenance. Canisters were a pain bc i'd have to shut it off then disconnect the hoses and carry the heavy water filled canister to sink for cleaning and what a pain/mess it was to reprime it...

 

[MERKEY]

more

you can use a canister but from my experience sumps are much more user friendly when it comes to maintenance. Canisters were a pain bc i'd have to shut it off then disconnect the hoses and carry the heavy water filled canister to sink for cleaning and what a pain/mess it was to reprime it...

I agree 100%

Also I just want to be clear, I believe no canister system will be as good as a sump no matter how well it is taken care of or modified. I have been using them for 3 years now because I have to and I have tried to do the best with them but they are still just a pump moving water in a canister, some biologiclife will indeed form but the water is moving at a really fast rate so you can never get the growth like you would in a sump(as well as everything else you get in a sump). Weekly cleaning is a must to keep a stable system and dosing is a huge help to reach levels you want. Which is another reason sponges and obsorbant materials inside a canister for me a no no. They will collect everything from your nutrients and other bad stuff you dont want to build up and then release all of a sudden from a filter sponge causing havoc in your system. Also constantly running carbon or a form of chemipure is for me a no no as then your tank has to rely on that to be stable and that is just more work and money.

They can be proficient but you just cant do them on anything of substantial size in my opinion.

My 75g is about as large a system I would want to maintain on a canister. If I were to run a 150g I would have to run 2 or 3 caniaters in conjunction as well as a huge HOB skimmer and fuge and that is just taking up more space than any sump.

As bad as I want the canisters to get a better wrap they really cant match up with a sump

 

[flsalty]

I guess I have a different view of what a sump is. The sump itself is not filtration. Some people don't even use filtration media in their sumps. They are mainly used as a means to dose things indirectly. They are also a good place to stick a skimmer. But the reality is a sump is not needed. Saying that, a canister is likely not needed either if you have plenty of rock and sand.

You initially asked if a canister would do the job of a refugium, but then interchanged that with "sump". IMO, they are two different things. A canister will not function as a refugium.

 

[sfin52]

I run a canister filter on a 75 reef

 

[MERKEY]

I guess I have a different view of what a sump is. The sump itself is not filtration. Some people don't even use filtration media in their sumps. They are mainly used as a means to dose things indirectly. They are also a good place to stick a skimmer. But the reality is a sump is not needed. Saying that, a canister is likely not needed either if you have plenty of rock and sand.

You initially asked if a canister would do the job of a refugium, but then interchanged that with "sump". IMO, they are two different things. A canister will not function as a refugium.

I really like this...

Look at a sump as a nutrient import and export not a filter

You just cant get the same no matter how hard a canister tries. A canister is just pushing water at a high rate through what ever is in it.

 

[S2G]

As far as a filter only then yes. I use my sump to hide all my equipment and add water volume. Canister will work but it will require frequent top to bottom cleaning to avoid being a nitrate trap. I got away from canisters in fw along time ago due to them being nitrate factories.

 

[Austin J Vatalaro]

Thanks guys for the replies! Maybe I will ditch the canister idea because it would be a pain to clean it religiously if it doesn't benefit like a refegium would. Should I even look at getting a refegium for more water volume if my tank is running good? I do 25% ro changes weekly, run a protein skimmer set at double GPH and a marineland dual wheel filter also double GPH of my tank size. I have had no bad outbreak of alage other than hair alage on live rock a little and the back panel of Tank. The tank has been running for almost a year now. Just added zoas about a month ago and it seems to be doing good, growing with healthy colors.

 

[Proteus Meep]

Personally i would try to steer you away from a cannister and recomend a Seachem Tidal 35 hob filter instead....i have had sumps, cannisters and hobs and for the smaller sized aquarium the hob is my option of choice...it is just so much easier to use just lift the lid and exchange the media completely silent restarts every time after a power outage and creates surface turnover to keep the surface clear of oily build-up

Keeps my 55 litre running nicely with just PolyFilter as the only media which covers all filtration needs in one product, no need for bags of this and that and replaces the role of a skimmer also......keep it simple.....and have an easy ride

 

[Paul B]

Don't worry about it. You don't need a canister filter or a sump. I have neither and my reef has been running since Nixon was President, right after Lincoln.
It's fine. A sump is nice, but not needed. If in 20 years you feel you need one, go out and get one.

 

[BeejReef]

Thanks guys for the replies! Maybe I will ditch the canister idea because it would be a pain to clean it religiously if it doesn't benefit like a refegium would. Should I even look at getting a refegium for more water volume if my tank is running good? I do 25% ro changes weekly, run a protein skimmer set at double GPH and a marineland dual wheel filter also double GPH of my tank size. I have had no bad outbreak of alage other than hair alage on live rock a little and the back panel of Tank. The tank has been running for almost a year now. Just added zoas about a month ago and it seems to be doing good, growing with healthy colors.

I love my fuge. Tank is < 1 year, so I'm not claiming anything with certainty, but fuge alone has kept me at low N and P (have to dose P) all by itself. No socks, skimmer pump broke two months in. Every third month or so, I siphon detritus out of fuge and return section.

 

[jason17star]

A sump will benefit your tank way more in the long term then a cannister filter. Plus you can shove more fish in the sump!

 

[Gogoggansgo]

I guess I have a different view of what a sump is. The sump itself is not filtration. Some people don't even use filtration media in their sumps. They are mainly used as a means to dose things indirectly. They are also a good place to stick a skimmer. But the reality is a sump is not needed. Saying that, a canister is likely not needed either if you have plenty of rock and sand.

You initially asked if a canister would do the job of a refugium, but then interchanged that with "sump". IMO, they are two different things. A canister will not function as a refugium.

I’d like to add further to this, I’ve been run a cheap butt HOF for over a year for just carbon dosing and to filter floss my water, that’s it, and I’ve done fine “my only real complaint is my water is never crystal ******* picture perfect” but I’m going canister because I’ve added some coral and want to make the tank look much better. I wish i could get a sump but my stand is too small

 

[Gogoggansgo]

Personally i would try to steer you away from a cannister and recomend a Seachem Tidal 35 hob filter instead....i have had sumps, cannisters and hobs and for the smaller sized aquarium the hob is my option of choice...it is just so much easier to use just lift the lid and exchange the media completely silent restarts every time after a power outage and creates surface turnover to keep the surface clear of oily build-up

Keeps my 55 litre running nicely with just PolyFilter as the only media which covers all filtration needs in one product, no need for bags of this and that and replaces the role of a skimmer also......keep it simple.....and have an easy ride

read my last comment lol

 

[RonRon]

Personally i would try to steer you away from a cannister and recomend a Seachem Tidal 35 hob filter instead....i have had sumps, cannisters and hobs and for the smaller sized aquarium the hob is my option of choice...it is just so much easier to use just lift the lid and exchange the media completely silent restarts every time after a power outage and creates surface turnover to keep the surface clear of oily build-up

Keeps my 55 litre running nicely with just PolyFilter as the only media which covers all filtration needs in one product, no need for bags of this and that and replaces the role of a skimmer also......keep it simple.....and have an easy ride

Very nice and healthy looking tank, love it!