Canister Filter for Reef Aquarium

[niranjanbt]

Hello,

I am setting up a new 90 gallon reef tank and would like to know if anyone has been successful in using a canister filter instead of a sump filtration for their system.

If yes, what is your opinion about Hydor Professional 600 canister filter rated for 90-150 gal aquariums?

Thanks in advance! :thumbsup:

-NT

[mcgyvr]

A good quality hang on skimmer is a better choice vs a canister filter system..

These systems don't really need mechanical filtration other than just for water "clarity" (less particulates floating around).. Its more about denitrification,etc... (processing of ammonia into nitrates and then getting those nitrates to be exported out of the tank..

[ggenung]

I think that a canister filter does a great job, but only for a few hours. As soon as it gets plugged up (and it plugs up fast, it becomes a nutrient sinc. Coupled with the need to remove from the system, disassemble,clean and change out the filter more than once a week plus the expensive filters you can buy, I don't see it as a positive experience in my past. A circulation pump and a sock filter is a lot easier to keep up with the maintenance.


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[ccasa004]

I ran one for a while but was more trouble than it was worth. I run a hob skimmer and an aquaclear hang on with a sponge, gfo and carbon I find that I clean it more often because it is easyer.

[doonan75]

I started off with a skilter on a 75. Then quickly went to a trickle filter and a small skimmer whitch as soon as I started to stock up the tank I started to get so much skimate the lid of my skimmer would pop off. The best filtration system for me was a home made refugium and one of the original reef octopus skimmers. I broke down the 75 and replaced it with a 40 breeder with the same refugium and a SCA 302 no corals currently but the fish are happy.

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[doonan75]

Use a HOB overflow. Making a refugium is extremely easy many designs out there. Word of advice use acrylic for the baffles rather than glass. My first fuge I used a 10 gallon tank and glass baffles which worked great but I cut the hell out of my fingers. Glass was easier to cut but acrylic is easier to work with.

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[doonan75]

BTW my first tank was about 15 years ago.

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[Beff]

I've used canister filters on fish-only systems with great success. However, my nitrate levels were at a level that would probably be too high for a reef system. But, I'm inclined to also contribute that to flake food and the overfeeding of flake food. And, lapses in good husbandry. :strange:

I hear them referred to as nutrient sinks or nitrate factories. Isn't that a good thing? Just clean the darn thing regularly, do routine water changes and let the live rock (or other synthetic porous media) in you DT cultivate anaerobic bacteria for the further breakdown of nitrogen cycle.

Canister filters offer some great features. Here are some of them that I like:


The newer generation canister filter offers quick disconnect water lines for easy servicing of the canister. That means you can take the canister over to sink quickly to service.
You can run inexpensive floss and change it every few weeks. Overall, this may be easier than changing and cleaning filter socks. The other media in the filter should be rinsed with change water from the DT to preserve the bacteria.
These units do a great job with carbon and GFO chemical transfer. No need for separate reactors.
The denitrifying bacteria (nitrite to nitrate) is very efficient in canister filters.
They cannot flood your home unless there is a line break, which is probably rare.
The DT's water level is unimportant regarding performance.
They do not cause evaporation or increased humidity in your home.
Inexpensive surface skimmer attachments are available (Eheim and Fluval) to keep the scum off the DT's water surface.
They are compact and ultra quiet.
They seem to run forever (at least the Eheims' do).
Their wattage draw is essentially non-existent: cheap on the electric bill and no heat being put into the tank during the summer.

I often wonder that the use of a canister filter with carbon dosing/live rock is the way to go. I wouldn't mind hearing thoughts about this. It sure seems inexpensive and simple.

Jeff :spin1:

[RobZilla04]

Do yourself a favor and go with a sump. My .02

[Frogmanx82]

Search my username and you'll see my no sump thread. I ran a modified canister for many years but have recently gone with a sump. No doubt a sump is better but I had a very nice tank without one. Check out my canister mod here. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1959429

[Kevin Guthrie]

I used a canister filter in the 80's on my fish only tank. That was back in the undergravel filter age, before sump with trickle filter and air-driven skimmer which IMO is an order of magnitude better. I sure don't miss cleaning the filter.

Canister filters remove particles well but generate nitrates because they are a great environment for bacterial breakdown. There was also a rumor (never saw proof) that diatom filtering powder releases phosphates.

[billdogg]

I successfully ran a 60g cube with a HOB dual biowheel filter and a canister filter for 22 years, so yes, it can be done. I was able to keep soft and a few LPS corals but had no luck with SPS. Part of that was the lighting (T12VHO), but I'm certain that the insufficient biological filtration played into that as well. I used mine as a combination carbon and biomedia filter. It quickly becomes a PIA to keep it clean, so as mentioned above, IMHO, you'd be better served with a good skimmer (and a sump)

[ATATT]

Look into Tunze multifilters...very versatile.

[Uncle99]

Running two aquaclears, a skimmer, LR, and DSB with under gravel filter, 27 years, nitrate a steady 5ppm, 50ish corals, softy, LPS, SPS, even Acros and Clams. Tank remains clean and free of algae.

If you use a canister for particulate clean up you got to keep it clean.

I swap out the sponge filter every week..

[saveafish]

If you use a canister for particulate clean up you got to keep it clean.

I swap out the sponge filter every week..

^^^^^ this. Must stay up on cleaning it. Clean it clean it and clean it again. This is number 1 why people moved away from them. LOTS of cleaning.

[jrill]

Yes you must keep it clean. I run an eheim 2211 on all my tanks. Just cleaned the one on my nano reef. Took all of 5 minutes. I can use it as a reactor for carbon or gfo and to expand my bio filter with the right media. If I need a fast bio filter for a QT it's ready to go. Worth the effort for me