[Lozza]

I am currently only running a 6ooL (158.5 gal) canister filter and have been told by LFS that I should be running a filter that is around 10x my water vol. (tank is 200L (52gal)) so am looking at changing to a canister filter that circulates 2200L (581 gal). Is this the correct size filter?

Ninong said the other day that canister filters are not usually used with a reef tank but advised against a sump for my size tank, what other type filtration (if any) could I use then. And yes Ninong you are right there is always another tank, I started with only a 2foot one about 2 months ago and moved up to my 4 foot and have another 4 foot tropical tank that I am already thinking of converting over.

In my other thread I was saying what coral I have and said I have some 'purple flower' looking coral - my LFS said it is purple matting but it looks like green star polyp except it is purple with a bright green centre Pics attached - sorry for the quality but had to crop them hopefully you can see what it is).

I think I have the wierdest bubble tip anemone in the world it really seems to prefer the dark, if I have it where it can be seen it totally shrinks but when it is turned to the back of the tank where there is very little light it opens. Also it has really wedged itself into some dead pipe coral(?) is this ok for it. (pic attached)

I also have added another fish - a pyjama cardinal it is so ugly i love it.

Even though I am not running the best equipment as I have said everything seems quite happy and I noticed yesterday that there seems to be 2 new corals growing in 2 different parts of the tank and have only had my system running for 6weeks.



Lozza

[Poseidon]

I would get a nice Hang On skimmer from Aqua C or similar, instead of a bigger canister filter.

[Lozza]

LFS has said to get some German skimmer,costs around $350, need to save a couple of weeks for that, but until I know what is the best one to get I have an internal to get me through (very bulky, takes up a LOT of room).

So I don't need to upgrade my canister???????? Nearly everyone I talk to in Australia says I definitely do.

Lozza

[Poseidon]

No, you would be better off with more rock, and remove the canister all together. Search Aqua C Urchin and see what you get, I don't know if they are available in Oz, but they are an excellent skimmer.

[Lozza]

If I remove the canister altogether how do I circulate water? Also I currently have coral rubble as my substrate (I think thats what it is called - on the bottom of my tank) is it better to use sand and if you think it is do you just use beach sand or does it have to be special sand - I live right near the beach.

Also I have just noticed there is some fine dark green hair like stuff on some of my live rock and one of my corals any ideas on what it might be and should I remove it.

Got a heap more live rock today.

Lozza

[Poseidon]

Didn't you say in another thread that you had some pumps in the tank? Powerheads, or maybe you called them wavemakers? If you have enough movement, say 1500 gallons per hour (sorry not good at metric) total, and you have 35-50 pounds (would that be 70-110 Kg) then you don't need to have the canister filter.

As for the sand, I can't say for sure that you can use beach sand, I don't have that option myself. I do know that the sand that we buy at the store has to come from a beach somewhere right?

Oh, and the green stuff, it is probably hair algae, and YES you should remove it as best you can as soon as you can. It can take over a section of tank fast....

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Lozza

Ninong said the other day that canister filters are not usually used with a reef tank but advised against a sump for my size tank, what other type filtration (if any) could I use then. And yes Ninong you are right there is always another tank, I started with only a 2foot one about 2 months ago and moved up to my 4 foot and have another 4 foot tropical tank that I am already thinking of converting over.

Well, I didn't exactly "advise against" a sump. What I meant to say was that since you have already set up this tank without a sump and since adding a sump would be a major undertaking (and a major expense), perhaps you should just wait a couple of years until you upgrade to a larger tank. It's perfectly OK to have a sump with a 200L (53 gal) tank but many people get by just fine without one. Those same people will usually include a sump once they move up to a larger size tank.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

If you have enough movement, say 1500 gallons per hour...

It's only a 200L (53 gal) tank, so 1500 gph would definitely be enough, maybe even MORE than enough, especially for the current corals. That's 28x tank volume.

(sorry not good at metric)

No kidding!

...and you have 35-50 pounds (would that be 70-110 Kg)...

Actually 35-50 pounds would be 16-23 kg.

[Poseidon]

Yup, I suck at the metric system. I did that backwards, 1Kg = 2.2 pounds right?

I knew his tank was approximately 50 gallons, and I was going for that 30X volume. Heck my tank has upwards of 40X at times now, since I added my new toy. (I'll update my thread later....)

[Papa Doug]

My 90g is sumpless. I dont run any canisters but thinking of using a HOT magnum for carbon and phosphate remover instead of my current power filter.

Plenty of current from a Tunze stream pump and Hydor stream pump. {3400gph @ rated values}.

As for skimming, I run a Tunze 9010 skimmer in my tank, which is what its made for. And would be available there. Takes up no more room than an internal overflow.

[Poseidon]

Doug, do you have a FTS with that skimmer in it?

[Papa Doug]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

Doug, do you have a FTS with that skimmer in it?

I was just looking Mike and it appears I dont have a current one. Coming up later today when the lights go on though.

[Papa Doug]

Found some older ones. Tank does not look like that anymore. New one still to come.

[Lozza]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

I knew his tank was approximately 50 gallons

.

His tank is her tank.

I got some more live rock yesterday, I would have about 25 kg (55 pounds) now. Wavemaker/powerhead should be here in the next day or so and will circulate 3000L (792 gal)/hr, but will follow Ninong's advice from the other day and order another one the same size and put one at each end of the tank.

[Poseidon]

DOH! I'm sorry for the gender blunder! Not many ladies in the hobby I am afraid.

That is plenty of rock, and with two pumps that size, no canister will be needed.

[Lozza]

No worries about the 'gender blunder'. I must admit have never heard of not having a filter will be interesting to see the reaction of LFS when I say I am taking it off, they have said I needed the wavemakers/powerheads and upgrade to a 2200L (581gal) canister filter as well

Lozza

[Poseidon]

Well, it is not exactly filterless, a good protein skimmer really removes a LOT of gunk from the tank, and the one pictured above is certainly a good one.

[Papa Doug]

As others said Lozza, I would invest in the best skimmer I could afford. The Tunze I use is one. Others like the Deltec hang-on. If the set-up suited it, one could even use a larger recirculating needle wheel beside the tank.

As I run sumpless for a reason, the Tunze best suited my situation and still give me good skimming.

Here is one last current pic of it. Please forgive the heaters & pump in the way, as the tanks a work in progress but it gives you an idea of how it looks.

You could then stick with your current canister for carbon & other media, just remembering any particulate filter in it, requires regular cleaning.

[weez1959]

I too was suckered into buying a canister filter when I started out 2 years ago! Those LFS's are mostly only there to sell you whatever they can, lots of those sales people are on comissions so the more they sell you the bigger the paycheck!
I took the canister off my tank in less than a month and I bought myself a nice Aqua C remora pro, only around $200.00 around here (Canada). This skimmer works like gangbusters, it's amazing what they can pull out of the water

And the guys at Aqua C are great too, I emailed them a week ago cuz I messed up the slot on the nylon screw on the intake and asked them how much it would cost to send me a replacement (even though it was still fine) and it ended up being free! They sent me 2 screws and a rubber O-ring for the cup without even asking for one! How's that for great service. Arrived in 3 business days too.

A good skimmer and lots of live rock is all you really need...

[Lozza]

Thanks heaps for the advice guys.

One last question (for this thread anyway), don't people like heliofungia?. I have looked at heaps of tanks throughout this forum and I am pretty sure I haven't seen one in any tank. I absolutely love mine.

Lozza