Canister Filters ???????????

[currycooker]

Hi,I am about to set up my very first FOWLR aquarium, I will be getting a 125gal tank and would like some advice on a filter system. I am thinkng about the Ehiem 2128 thermo filter. Are there any disadvantages with the heater being incorporated with the canister. I would appreciate advice on this and any other matter about filtration. I will also be using a protein skimmer. Thank you RegardsLarry

[wozza]

Canister Filters can tend to be nitrate factories, that is they "out compete" the live rock in terms of bio filtration and instead of the live rock and protein skimmer eather removing wastes before they have a chance to break down or the live rock performing DEnitrification,
they just convert all the wastes into ammonia-nitrite then nitrate and no further conversion takes place then you end up constatly battaling with water changes and never manage to get you nirates below 20ppm or so, if you luckly.

The way i would go about it is to use 1.5-2lbs of quality live rock per gallon of your display tank and just use a good skimmer rated for about twice you system volume, then provideing you dont gorsely over stock i think you will find you nitrates will allways be around 0-5ppm, and find things generally easyer to mannage.

hope this helps, james

[currycooker]

Thanks James,
That does help, I have just bought a Red Sea Prizm Pro delux Skimmer, I will be using RO water so would you recommend I start the tank with just these, together with the live rock and adequate heating????
P.S. You can tell I am a virgin aquarist can't you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Larry

[currycooker]

Wozza, just to add are you saying I will need about 100kgs of live rock for this to work.

Larry

[wozza]

I have just bought a Red Sea Prizm Pro delux Skimmer.

do you have a sump?
are you able to return the prizm skimmer?

Wozza, just to add are you saying I will need about 100kgs of live rock for this to work.

i think anywere in between 60kg and 110kg would be a good figure, but as live rock varies in denisity its hard to be exact, i think i good goal to aim for 1/3 of you tank to be full of live rock.

cheers james