What should be placed inside the caniister filter?

[sirius]

I am currently using a canister filter for my 3 feet tank and

it has served me for more than a year. Just curious to find out

what is the best combo to put inside the canister filter to

acheive the best filteration.

Currently I am using carbon, coral chips and JBL filter floss.

Should i change the coral chip to phos guard instead ?

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smilie

[Anemone]

rather not have anything. its still gd for an extra vol. of water n the flowrate tho.

canister's quite troublesome when u do maintainence.

[madmac]

Just curious to find out what is the best combo to put inside the canister filter to

acheive the best filteration.

Currently I am using carbon, coral chips and JBL filter floss.

Should i change the coral chip to phos guard instead ?

I have the coarsest media first, leaving the wool for the last (i.e. just as the water leaves out). If you're using phosguard, you may like to consider putting it before carbon... but consideration should be given as you are changing from bio/mechanical filtration to chemical filtration.

canister's quite troublesome when u do maintenance

That really depends on the canister you have and the media you use... some can be cleaned in less than 15 minutes.

[lightningstrike]

I have the coarsest media first, leaving the wool for the last (i.e. just as the water leaves out). If you're using phosguard, you may like to consider putting it before carbon... but consideration should be given as you are changing from bio/mechanical filtration to chemical filtration.

That really depends on the canister you have and the media you use... some can be cleaned in less than 15 minutes.

any reason for putting phosphate remover media b4 GAC?

[madmac]

Well, since carbon is replaced more frequently than compared to PhosGuard... it should be placed later. Kinda like, when your tank has stabilized in the PO4 area, you wouldn't need to keep replacing it... carbon on the other hand... just seems to need replacement after a short period of time... maybe once every two weeks. It is generally considered good practice if carbon is applied in little amounts and but changed frequently...

At the end of the day... the carbon's ability to absorb chemicals present indicates that it is best if left as last before the water reaches the main tank.

[lightningstrike]

Well, since carbon is replaced more frequently than compared to PhosGuard... it should be placed later. Kinda like, when your tank has stabilized in the PO4 area, you wouldn't need to keep replacing it... carbon on the other hand... just seems to need replacement after a short period of time... maybe once every two weeks. It is generally considered good practice if carbon is applied in little amounts and but changed frequently...

At the end of the day... the carbon's ability to absorb chemicals present indicates that it is best if left as last before the water reaches the main tank.

i think it is a matter of preference at the end of the day. if i were to choose to put both phosphate remover media and carbon in my cannister, i wld place the carbon in first then the phosphate remover media last (juz b4 the water exit the cannister).

reason being many GAC contains and leeches phosphate. so wouldn't it be more logical for the phosphate remover media to absorb the (supposingly) phosphate from the GAC b4 the water gets back to the main tank?

juz my opinion.

[madmac]

Noted. That is probably why carbon is replaced more frequently. Also, when you look at how some reefers place their, with reference to a, GAC add-on to a FR, after the PO4 reactor, flow-wise... for this one, I'm monkey-see, monkey-do.

[tineng]

you keeping fish only or coral???? personally i think for fish only coral chips, wool and carbon will do....fish can torrate a high level of nitrate. but for coral, your canister might give you problem...you might want to do what the other bros did by converting them as mechanical filters and/or chemical filter...or like what i did....put a per-filter at the intake to stop debrites from going in....

[sirius]

The pre-filter is refering to polyfilter? I have some coral in my tank,

Do you mean pre-filter on the first layer, carbon on second and the phos last?

But what about the present coral chip in my canister? would all good bacteria

die off? and how would that affect my live stock if i suddenly replace them

with these new media ?

[madmac]

or like what i did....put a per-filter at the intake to stop debrites from going in

The trouble with pre-filtering the water before the canister is rather difficult to implement. Actually, that is quite a good idea! Did you use an I-Box to implement your setup, with the filter in the I-Box before it goes to canister? I think if an elegant solution can be achieve(short of using a sump)... that would great! I would like to try it out, as I would be able to clean/change the filter easily.

The pre-filter is refering to polyfilter? I have some coral in my tank,

Do you mean pre-filter on the first layer, carbon on second and the phos last?

But what about the present coral chip in my canister? would all good bacteria

die off? and how would that affect my live stock if i suddenly replace them

with these new media ?

Actually it would be great if you can expand a little on what you have in your tank... Assuming here it is a mixed reef, with LRs and sand, as a typical setup, and that you have one canister filter with ...4 layers? then (in order that meets the water from the tank first):

Layer 1 : coral chips/bio-rings/bio-balls (Ducking!)

Layer 2 : phosphate remover

Layer 3 : Carbon

Layer 4 : wool.

the present coral chips if you removed them... yes the bacteria will die... it would naturally affect your LS... something only you can answer... are they precious to you? Can you risk the loss of good bacteria... there will be a sudden spike of NO3... maybe you'll want to increase your skimming... maybe change water more frequently .. maybe reduce feeding. If you tank is quite mature and has enough LRs and LS to sustain the sudden change then it won't matter... again only you can answer... get a second canister?

* the above views are my own... & it works... I just don't have to energy/time to prove anything.

[tineng]

hahha....by prefilter i just use the sponge output muffle from my weipro and fix in in the input....quite easy to take out to clean and you can do it twice a week....only draw back is that it is quite big...i switch to one of those cheapo power head attachement, cost only 4 bucks....

for me my canister got.....coral chips, carbon then another filter wool (to prevent the carbon from going into the tank...)

i use to have phosphate remover, but over time, as the tank matures, phosphate can be manage if you are careful with feeding and stocking level.....

[sirius]

Sad to say, i only have three layer for my canister without i-box.

Think i will put the media in this order from what i have learnt from

you guys so far.

1Coral chip

2 wool (may be poly filter)

2Carbon

What do you think?