Is a canister filter necessary?

I currently run a canister (see sig) with Eheim Substrat Pro, a course filter pad, and a carbon pad.

Is this ok? Should I remove the Substrat Pro or just sell the canister filter all together and stay with just my Remora skimmer?

I have a HUGE algae problem and just trying to figure out everything that might be causing issues.

fyi, nitrite's are 0 and phosphates are 0.

 

i personaly dont like canisters, they seem to be good only for cleaning the water. a sump or a wet/dry would be better with a skimmer. just my .02

 

the two go hand in hand

with a major algae problem there going to be close to zero, there is also Si. boost your pH to rid of the algae.

a refugium will help alot, keep the skimmer running wet. and use rowaphos with carbon. wet/dry's with bio balls have no place in the coral world, but work great with fish

 

so just stop using the canister all together or remove the bio-ball material and fill it with carbon and rowaphas instead?

I am a little concerned my skimmer may not be big enough either...thinking I should have gone with the Remora Pro instead of the regular Remora. It pulls out tons of stuff though. Have to clean the cup almost daily.

 

bio balls are for fish tanks, the carbon and rowaphos needs to be in there own little seperate container. either a filter bag or a reactor, i prefer a reactor.
Phosphate Reactor | Phosphate Reactors | Reactors | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com
a sump with a fuge for a coral reef tank is beneficial, using the berlin method is also beneficial, which is what i use. the bio balls in the wet/dry can be replaced with live rock, if your wanting to keep your set up. shoot some pics under your tank so we can see whats going on. heres a tank im building
http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off-your-fish-tanks/making-sps-frag-tank-pics-45591-8.html
maybe it will give some ideas or help

 

Thanks, good reading there. I am planning on upgrading to a new tank sometime in the future, so don't want to drill any holes in this one (it's glass).

Plan to set-up the new tank the right way.

Anyway, this evening I completely cleaned out and bleached the canister filter and hoses. Rinsed everything off real good with RO water. Removed the "bio balls", filter media, and carbon and placed only a bag of marine carbon and a bag of Kent's phosphate remover.

The tubes where full of algae, which probably wasn't helping. Anyway, hoping it makes a difference. Set the skimmer to wet skim as well.

Using PH up to bring the ph up. What should I bring it up to?

Thanks for the help.

 

8.5-8.6 should do the trick, but dont leave it there. 8.3 is nsw

i really hope you rinsed it really really really good. bleach and sw dont mix

 

i did, even scrubbed it all off, and rinsed it again, all with RO water. i tried just fresh water, then vinegar, and the only thing that would clean up was bleach. I used it real weak and rinsed it like crazy.

Thanks for the ph, it's up to 8.5 right now. I'll leave it there for a bit and see how it does.

 

I've said it once and i will say it again! Cannister filters are best for fresh and African tanks, not for Salt! Increased water flow, or to house carbon and live rock and alittle surface area and water volume increase is all!! I have never used a cannister for a reef or saltwater fish only tank ever with great success!

 

That is exactly how I am using it now, just for carbon, phosphate sponge and to great some flow.

Longer term plan is to get a new tank, maybe a 125, with sump & refugium and an in sump protein skimmer. Canister will go away then.

The carbon I put in there did clean the water up...just hope the algae starts to die off soon.