HOB vs Canister

Hey everyone, I currently have a Fluval 205 connected to my 29 gallon, and its keeping my nitrates at 20 ppm and that has began rising recently. Not only that now cyanobacteria appeared too. I currently have no protein skimmer, and I was wondering if I can get rid of the canister and do this combination instead: A HOB aquaclear and a protein skimmer. What do you guys think? Also should I get aquaclear 50 or 70? or do a different HOB all together?

 

have you ever considered a sump/fuge? IMO id get rid of mechanical filtration altogether... you could also look into DIY aquaclear 70 to a fuge (thats what i did) + protein skimmer

 

I am new to the salt water side of the hobby myself but from what iv learned from reading these forums is that canister filters are just nitrate factories for reef tanks, i would ditch it for a nice protien skimmer. I have a sumpless 50 gallon tank started for my first reef, and i went with the warner marine H2 HoB skimmer, have only had it on the tank for a few days but im really happy with it, the H1 would be great on your size tank if a HoB skimmer is what your after.

 

So the only form of filtration you have in your tank is a skimmer? I wonder if i can pull that off....

@patrick824, I don't really have room for a sump plus i heard that in case of power outage they can flood everything. Can i do a aquaclear refuge and a protein skimmer but no sump? Is that how you are running it or do you have one?

 

IMO, what I would do is add a protein skimmer and use the canister or HOB filter to run carbon. A filter shouldn't "keep" your nitrate at a certain level. A skimmer will greatly help clean up your water. However, I'm getting the sense that you are probably over feeding. First, where do you get your water from? RO/DI? Tap? Lfs? and second, how much are you feeding and how often?

 

If canister is cleaned they are no worse than any other mechanical filter. I run one on my 55 and my nitrates are always 5ppm or lower. It has more to do with the fact you have no protein skimmer, and as said probably over feeding. A sump is the best way to go, but some of us don't have that option. Also how much LR do you have?

 

I have about 30lbs of live rock give or take, as far as feeding goes I feed once a day usually. Also the canister is just annoying to take apart to clean is why im considering a HOB. Should i ditch the ceramic noodle things inside the filter as i hear those are nitrate producers and just run carbon?

 

How much do you feed when you do feed?

 

You wouldn't have just the skimmer for a filter because you have a good amount of live rock which is a natural filter.

 

Hard to really describe, but I would say that the fishes pick up most of what I feed from what I see and the inverts get most of the rest, I guess a pinch of flakes or so, or half a cube of hikari frozen spirulina shrimp. As for water, I buy premade salt water from local LFS who has RO/DI system. For top off water I use tap water that goes through a Britta drinking water filter which uses carbon.