Filtration

[kozzy]

I have a 46 gallon with a canister filter that has carbon, and 3 filter pads in side. Should I keep it running? Other say they make nitrates high and all I need for filtration is my skimmer and live rock. I also have a uv sterilizer

 

[twilliard]

Canisters are not all that bad if maintained properly.
And true the skimmer will pull out your DOC's as canisters do not do that

 

[kozzy]

Canisters are not all that bad if maintained properly.
And true the skimmer will pull out your DOC's as canisters do not do that

What would you say I need to do to make it efficient

 

[twilliard]

I ran a nac5e for a long time until I installed a sump and went with the helix 5000 skimmer.
Now the nac grows dust lol

 

[twilliard]

Just run carbon in it.. no pads

 

[kozzy]

I ran a nac5e for a long time until I installed a sump and went with the helix 5000 skimmer.
Now the nac grows dust lol

I don't think my skimmer is very good. How can I tell it's doing it's job. It's just a hang on back one

 

[saltysilverado]

You could use purigen

 

[twilliard]

I don't think my skimmer is very good. How can I tell it's doing it's job. It's just a hang on back one

You can tell by color, smell and volume produced.
If its dark and nasty within a few days it is doing its job.
If its thin looking and smells like saltwater then its just pulling salt out of the tank.

 

[saltysilverado]

Chemi pure