canister filter

[Mark_Lide]

I have a Fulval 404 for my filtration. I'm not planning on coral any time soon. Would this filter work for just a FOWLR. I already have the filter and it has 4 baskets for media and sponge for filtration. It came with carbon and small tubes to put in the baskets.

[Mark_Lide]

so I guess nobody has used this?

[tholleyh46]

They're ok, but you need to provide a lil more info to answer this question. If you have live rock (enough of it for the size tank) that can be your stand alone biological filter. While I'm not familiar w/what size tank the 404 is rated off the hip, I also don't know what size tank you have and how much live rock. Basically speaking though, for just fish canister filters are fine, I prefer Eheim's and I do use two of them currently. Right now I am not running a sump so if nothing else they are good pumps for water circulation. I only use them for mechanical and chemical filtration though (so to speak), but whatever is in there gives you bio too. Plenty of rock in the tank for the bio. Many folks diss the canisters in reef tanks but I find them to be quite useful.

For fish only though, a canister can give you bio, mech & chem all in one assuming its large enough. Remember, whatever specs the manufacuturer spells out for the unit ain't what you're getting. They don't take into effect having to pump the water up hill; which if you have a sump - you wouldn't need to do and probably wouldn't have a canister except to maybe deal with cloudy water on occasion.

Hope that helps.

Tom

[Mark_Lide]

Thanks for the info and just to give you a heads up the 404 is rated for 100gal w/340gph. I have a 75 gallon tank and I'm planning on using 1lb per gal for the live rock. again thanks for the help.