Protien skimmer or Cannister filter?

Living_room_fishing · Jun 4, 2022

Hi everyone,

Ok so I have been running an fx4 with my DT which is 65 gallon.

It's a fair bit of work to clean down but it seems to been keeping the water quality decent.

I don't have room for a full sump set up, but I was thinking of a hang on the back set up if it is worth it.

I do have a few corals which are fairly new within a month or 2.

So I was wondering if it's easier (cleaning wise) and better water quality to run a hang on the back protein skimmer?

If so, any recommendations to one? So many out there I don't know what's is best if it's worth investing in one.

Also would I still need to run a cannister if I had one?

Thanks,

Chris

blaxsun · Jun 4, 2022

Hang on back filtration is far superior to a canister.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Jun 4, 2022

Just cuz it's easier to get in and out of.
I ran a 36bowfront tank with a canister foe several yrs. I also had a cpr bakpack skimmer. Lol. Old-school!
D

Mr. Mojo Rising · Jun 4, 2022

a skimmer and filter (canister or HOB) do different things, they are not related. A skimmer removes dissolved organics, a filter removes solid debris and lets you run carbon or phosphate.

Personally I would run a skimmer, to me it provides a lot of benefits to a reef tank.

doubleshot00 · Jun 4, 2022

I don’t think you can remove the canister if you just add a skimmer. They do two different things. I clean my canister bi-weekly sometimes monthly and dont look at it like its a Pita. I just rinse the foam in the water thats left after removing the media and change filter floss(but sometimes i just rinse that to). I think a canister makes adding media simple.

James5214 · Jun 4, 2022

As stated you will still need filtration of some sort. A skimmer and filter do two totally different things. I have a HOB skimmer and it does a pretty decent job of collecting skimmate out of the tank. Wouldn't hurt to invest in one to help with water quality

Jdadams · Jun 4, 2022

Ditch the canister and get a tidal 110 and add a skimmer to the tank.

James5214 · Jun 4, 2022

I was going to say tidal is a good reliable brand. I have a tidal on my salt tank and a tidal on my freshwater tank. Easy to clean the media and is reliable and gas a siacche motor in it

doubleshot00 · Jun 4, 2022

Im not really understanding why people are suggesting a HOB filter is better. Please tell me why?

As i had one and ditched it. My canister works is so much more efficient.

Jdadams · Jun 4, 2022

doubleshot00 said:
Im not really understanding why people are suggesting a HOB filter is better. Please tell me why?

As i had one and ditched it. My canister works is so much more efficient.

HOB is cheaper and easier to maintain. With the tidal series you get the surface skimmer which is kindof nice. The only canister filters worth anything are the FX series to me. But for the price and work involved cleaning them I rather have a tidal 110 or Aqua clear 110.

doubleshot00 · Jun 4, 2022

Jdadams said:
HOB is cheaper and easier to maintain. With the tidal series you get the surface skimmer which is kindof nice. The only canister filters worth anything are the FX series to me. But for the price and work involved cleaning them I rather have a tidal 110 or Aqua clear 110.

Oh it takes me 8 minutes to clean mine.

I also hate stuff hanging off the back of my tank to. To each is there own I guess.

Jdadams · Jun 4, 2022

doubleshot00 said:
Oh it takes me 8 minutes to clean mine. I also hate stuff hanging off the back of my tank to. To each is there own I guess.

What canister you got?

doubleshot00 · Jun 4, 2022

Jdadams said:
What canister you got?

Fluval 407

jft · Jun 5, 2022

I have run reef and marine tanks for 20 plus years using Eheim canisters, NEVER an Issue> Just know your limitations, I do small partial water changes with REEF crystals and HW marinemix. NEVER HAD A PROBLEM> KNOWLEDGE the Key.

Blue Spot Octopus · Jun 5, 2022

jft said:
I have run reef and marine tanks for 20 plus years using Eheim canisters, NEVER an Issue> Just know your limitations, I do small partial water changes with REEF crystals and HW marinemix. NEVER HAD A PROBLEM> KNOWLEDGE the Key.

I ran a predator tank back in the 80's with dual Eheim filters, like you said no problems. I used to dump goldfish in the tank for food.

Living_room_fishing · Jun 5, 2022

Thank you everyone for your advice.

I ended up getting the Octo 1000 HOB.

I picked one up the next day after I posted.

After running it for 2 days it has made a massive difference for me. Water quality has improved. Not crazy about the noise it makes as the fx4 is silent when it was on its own. But it's a fair price to pay to get better water quality.

I do have 1 other question.

Should I keep in running all the time like my canister filter? Or could I run it just at night?

Thanks again,

Chris

Sleeping Giant · Jun 5, 2022

Run the Skimmer all the time as you do with the FX4. I have an FX4 it's a beast and cleans water great. A skimmer is needed, I use an aquamaxx 1.5 hob and it's constantly pulling out grossness from my tank.
Canister filters are great to use, but just like a sump you need to use a skimmer, by the sounds of it you have a similar set up to mine and will need a skimmer running all the time.
I'm not sure how loud your skimmer is, mine is barely noticeable until it needs to be cleaned, which is every other day.

Hope you start a build thread so we can all see your set-up.

Sleeping Giant · Jun 5, 2022

Jdadams said:
HOB is cheaper and easier to maintain. With the tidal series you get the surface skimmer which is kindof nice. The only canister filters worth anything are the FX series to me. But for the price and work involved cleaning them I rather have a tidal 110 or Aqua clear 110.

The work to clean an FX4 is about as hard as cleaning a skimmer.
Unplug, remove excess water from canister, unbolt top, pull out trays, wash out canister, add new water to canister, add trays back, bolt on top, plug back in. Not sure how much easier you want things, but this canister filter (FX series) is and maybe easier than cleaning some sumps or almost any other canister filter available.
Easy doesn't necessarily mean better either.