Canister Filter

Me2

 

No worries. I had heard that some people who only used a skimmer and live rock (which is what I'm doing, and plan to keep doing) also run am external filter from time to time, just to polish the water. Put it on, let it run for a bit, then take it off and put it away for 3 months or so. That's pretty much what I'm looking for input on.

 

Yes, people do that. My tank has been running for 10 months with me now. I haven't had a need to do that.


I am thinking if I had a messier type fish, though, maybe I would. It probably has more to do with your stock than anything else... would be my guess.

My 2 clowns, 1 wrasse, 1 blenny don't make much of a mess in my tank.

 

Scott, what they use them for is carbon. Simply to remove some of the compounds that a skimmer won't take out. Running carbon in a closed filter is a lot more efficient than simply putting a bag of carbon in the sump which is also a way that a lot of people run carbon. Its used for chemical filtration, not biological filtration.

 

AH, thanks ODH.

 

All this talk about canister filters inspired me to go home and clean mine. It was NASTY! I thought I had a good thought though....after I flushed it all out I replaced the really gross filter sponges with a couple pounds of cured live rubble. Good idea or bad? I was afraid those nasty sponges were becoming a bit of a nitrate factory.

 

The rock will do better because it has the low/no oxygen areas that the bacteria need whereas the sponges don't since they are open cell. What would be even better would be to use carbon in it though. Or, is it your primary means of filtration?

 

Right now I have bio-balls, live rubble, and carbon in it. Before I had sponges, bio-balls, carbon, and another finer sponge. The sponges got really nasty and were covered in little spongy white things that looked like rice.

 

And I have live rock and a protein skimmer along with the canister.

 

pineapple sponges. beneficial filter feeder. I have several growing in one of my skimmer chambers.