Filter question

[cmichael88]

I have a 55 gallon that I just switched over from freshwater. I bought 75 lbs of live rock and I'm running the canister filter I had with my freshwater setup. Will I be ok with this filter or would I better off with a protein skimmer or something else?

 

[little_fish]

Hello and Welcome! You will be much better off with a protein skimmer. Canister filters dont translate very well into saltwater, they have to be cleaned frequently or they cause nitrate issues.

You also have plenty of live rock, which is good! Live rock is your primary source of filtration in a saltwater tank

 

[cmichael88]

Any suggestions on a skimmer? And I would be able to get away with just a skimmer and the live rock? Also, would I be able to run it down into my stand or would it have to be hung on the aquarium?

 

[little_fish]

You can either hang it off the tank or you can put it in your sump, depends on the model you buy. Personally, i like the in sump ones because sumps are such a great place to hide equipment, you get a larger water volume and you can set a fuge down there.

And yes, all you need is a skimmer and live rock. You can also add a fuge, with is a place for macro algae to grow which will also help your water quality. The fuge also provides a safe place for pods to grow which are washed back out the main tank where they are free fish food. However, this isnt a must have addition, just something nice.

I would suggest the reef octopus skimmers, they are a great brand for the money. I would be wary of cheap skimmers, they are exactly that. Skimmers are very much so a you-get-what-you-pay-for commodity.

 

[john0087]

If you choose to go with a hang on back filter, might I recomend the AquaC Remora. I have personally used it as a HOB skimmer before I went to a sump. It's works extremely well and is doen't effect the look of the display tank too badly because of the design. It is a little pricey but worth it, IMHO

I agree with the others that the canister filter is not necessary and can cause Nitrate problems if not cleaned well and often. That being said, I like to run a little Carbon and a phosphate remover in my system. I don't use a filter as my skimmer has a box for filter media. I have had good results with Carbon and a phosphate remover and I think it helps with water clarity. I use a little of each and replace it often, every water change.

Good Luck.

John

 

[cmichael88]

I'm actually considering a sump right now. Trying to figure out how to make my own out of an old 20 gallon.

 

[john0087]

I'm actually considering a sump right now. Trying to figure out how to make my own out of an old 20 gallon.

It's pretty easy to do. I use a regular 15g tank as my sump. Check out the CPR overflow boxes. My exact set up is a CPR CS50 overflow box and a Mag 5 pump as the return.

Lot's of advantages to using a sump. Increases your water volume and opens up a lot of options for skimmers. Right now, mine is not a fuge with lighting and algea etc, but I go have live rock rubble in it to increase the ammount of LR I have in the system.

Good luck.

John

 

[sen5241b]

.
.
.
I agree with the others that the canister filter is not necessary and can cause Nitrate problems if not cleaned well and often. That being said....

John

1+ The problem with Canister filters is that they quickly become a detritus trap and cleaning them out every 2 or 3 days will get old fast BUT do not throw out that canister filter. Keep it around for an emergency situation. If you get a toxicity problem in your tank with ammonia, nitrates, copper, cloudy water, green water or whatever, you can run the canister filter for about 24 to 48 hours with the right media and do a very good job of cleaning the water.

 

[cmichael88]

Excellent, thanks for the advice everyone. I was going to attempt to build my own sump but I don't really have the time for it right now. I went out today and bought a sump-based refugium and all the hook-ups I need so I'm attempting to get that in tonight.

After I set that up, should I leave the canister running for a few days or pull it out asap?

 

[little_fish]

you can pull it anytime

 

[cmichael88]

Any recommendations on macro algae for my fuge?

 

[marcah]

chaeto algae..
Very hardy, fast grower and works well to get nitrates...