Cannister or overflow system/Sump?

[crany]

Hi Guys,

Can someone please advise me on which type of filtration is ideal for a Marine tank - ie. Canister or Overflow system with Sump.

Any SRC members using cannister and have managed to maintain a successful marine tank? Which type cannister are you using?

Please advise.

Appreciate all the help.

[Eric]

Hi Guys,

Can someone please advise me on which type of filtration is ideal for a Marine tank - ie. Canister or Overflow system with Sump.

Any SRC members using cannister and have managed to maintain a successful marine tank? Which type cannister are you using?

Please advise.

Appreciate all the help.

Overflow sump increases your water volume and water flow through filteration is definitely a lot more than canister..................I fully recommend using a sump for marine.

Eric

[hammy]

yes a overflow sump has a lot of advantage like increase of areation , no need for surface skimmer and increase in water volume.

a canister usually is nitrate factory as claimed.

[madmac]

I think canisters are fine. What happens in a canister can happen in a DSB, or sump with media, etc. I always find it odd when ppl lump canister filters as nitrate factories.... they can't produce nitrates without a source, and as long as there is a source, there will be nitrates produced, irrespective of which filtration methodology one uses.

Having a sump, otoh, is truly advantages in many respects... Most would implement a sump from the beginning, unless the tank and cabinet design you have prevents such.

[steven]

sump would be a better choice.

canister would be a nitrate factory in the future. This is especially important if u r keeping corals as corals are sensitive to high nitrate level.

I once kept a 4 ft tank with rena xp3. NO3 stays at 50 to 100 ppm. unable to bring down despite large water change. converted to a sump and NO3 fall to abt 25.

sump had a lot benefits.

refer to http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html

[hotlemond]

to add on, the advantage of an overflow is such that protein film on the display tank surface gets skimmed away to be process by the skimmer down there, at the sump.

cannister user may also achieved this by getting surface extractor by Ehiem/Atman or diy a surface intake box for the hang on skimmer intake. If you are interested to know more do a search on the net about building one for the Red Sea Prizm as an example.

BTW, how many feet tank you running?

I am concern if you could get capable skimmer if you are into larger tanks of 4 feet above, without a sump.

[crany]

My current tank is a 3ft x 1.5 x 1.5.

Have this Jebao cannister and a Red Sea Skimmer.

Would changing to a high-powered cannister help?

The reason I am asking or sound keen to retain a cannister filtration is becuase I already have a 3 ft tank and a cannister filterand do not want to spend any more extra if I can still keep a simple marine tank.

FYI - I was actually advise by a popular LFS somewhere near the JK area that a cannister filter is good enough for a 3ft tank. If I had known better then, would have ignore their advise and gone with a sump instead. Since I already have the stuff, thought I give it a go

[hotlemond]

My current tank is a 3ft x 1.5 x 1.5.

Have this Jebao cannister and a Red Sea Skimmer.

Would changing to a high-powered cannister help?

The reason I am asking or sound keen to retain a cannister filtration is becuase I already have a 3 ft tank and a cannister filterand do not want to spend any more extra if I can still keep a simple marine tank.

FYI - I was actually advise by a popular LFS somewhere near the JK area that a cannister filter is good enough for a 3ft tank. If I had known better then, would have ignore their advise and gone with a sump instead. Since I already have the stuff, thought I give it a go

a high powered canister would help in wat?

do you have good circulation within the tank itself? that is a good start.

if you are already there, then make the best of wat you have. get another canister if you can, and throw in some Seachem matrix or Bio Home that helps to serve as a deinitrator for your set up.

but maintenence is essential to sump system, and especially canister

[steven]

IMO,

If u want to use canister, u should cut down on inputs that could leads to high N03.

1)Reduce feeding is one way.

2) Another way is to get a good protein skimmer. Good skimmer reduces N03 at the very source. Your DOC, NH3, etc.....

3) Get some ways to absorb N03. Refugium, DSB, etc....

Btw, if u keep FOWLR... N03 should not be a huge problem....

Cheers !

[tineng]

canister is fine la....if you hardworking enough, should have no problem maintaining No3 at a very very low level.....

here is what i did for my canister setup....remove all cotton wool and sponge. put in bio-home and carbon and chemial filteration like biophos. at the input use a sponge. twice a week i'll take out the sponge and wash it....this method works for me in keeping No3 down....

basically the idea behind this is to stop undessolved pieces of dirtbus from going into your canister and decaying there. You only need to focus on keeping the sponge at the input clean (5 min cleanup only)....

anyway some other tips to reduce N03 (that basically applies even if you using sump)

1) Don't starve your fish....feed them, but make sure you drop small amount every time, try to do it such that almost every pellet that you drop in are immediately consumes by them. Its really a joy spending around 5 mins feeding your fish slowly vs 5 second dropping in 1 large hand full of food!

2) if you can't affort to spend too much on skimmer, do wet skimming, they are more effective in removing to your DOC, but you do have the draw back of having to top up often and becareful of skimmer overflow....

3) Watch your bio-load, go slow on stocking

4) Strong current to keep dirt suspended, watch out for deadspot

5) good coraline aglae growth helps, but you might need to dose Kalk to keep them growing

[hotlemond]

canister is fine la....if you hardworking enough, should have no problem maintaining No3 at a very very low level.....

here is what i did for my canister setup....remove all cotton wool and sponge. put in bio-home and carbon and chemial filteration like biophos. at the input use a sponge. twice a week i'll take out the sponge and wash it....this method works for me in keeping No3 down....

you are really hardworking bro

even if you dun use skimmer anytime also can keep sps mann.

superb discipline