G6 or other canister filter setup? More power heads?

[chbix]

I just posted in the tank showcase my equipment and some pics but thought I would also post my concern here in the dedicated area.

So I have a Fluval G6, opened today and started reading the directions and see that the G6 needs to be at least 20" below the water line. My thought is to have the G6 pull the water out of the main and will run it through the prefilter carbon and bio material in the G6, the G6 output will go into the intake of my sump/refuge where I will also have my protein skimmer, the next area in the sump will be the refuge with algae live sand and live rock, then into the return area with a pump going back up into the main. Any thoughts on this. FYI the G6 is rated at 265 GPH.

I know someone is gonna say ditch the cansiter filter but its a gift and has to be used.

Second thing. I got a single power head with dual impellers rated at like 1300GPH, there is attachments to adjust the flow of each impeller but should I look at getting anotehr one to place on the other side of the tank?

Thanks guys.

 

[Bifferwine]

I know someone is gonna say ditch the cansiter filter but its a gift and has to be used.

Sorry...no it doesn't. It's going to create more work and hassle for you, and could very easily cause problems with your water quality that will be impossible to beat unless you remove it. So why use it in the first place? You said in your other thread that your girlfriend got it at such a discount that she should have bought more to sell on Ebay. I'd do that for this one. Canister filters are sooooo not worth it.

You also can't hook it up the way you plan, because the power of the canister filter drawing water out of the tank would have to perfectly match the power of the return pump moving the water back up. Unless this is the case, either the display or sump will overflow. You are not going to be able to match the two. Even if you get close, one will pump slightly more water than the other, and you will end up with a flood.

You will have to have both the intake and return of the canister filter in your display, or both in your sump. I'm not sure if it will work in the sump, because usually the intake has to be higher than the canister filter for it to work (so the canister sits on the floor next to the tank). You won't have that height difference if you put it in your sump, so the water won't move through it.

Two powerheads would be perfect for a 55.

If you can make the money back from the canister filter, you may want to think about changing your skimmer as well. Although what you got is not a *bad* skimmer, it can be very difficult to get working properly, and is prone to flooding. ;) Be careful with it -- it's touchy and may frustrate you. Here's a thread from earlier today.

https://www.livingreefs.com/coralife-skimmer-t28767.html

 

[chbix]

So what about possibly having a normal overflow into the sump and also having the G6 pull from the tank and pump into the sump and then have a return that can handle both volumes?

FYI I approached the issue of selling the G6 and she got all kinds of butt hurt.

 

[Bifferwine]

Hahaha! It's okay. I understand. :)

I don't think that method would work either. You'd run into the same problem.

 

[chbix]

Ok just so I get this right your saying that there is no way I can match the rate of the G6 intake with my return pump?

How is it any different than matching your return pump to the rate of an overflow box takes out? I would think that you would have to match that as well.

 

[Bifferwine]

No way.

Because the overflow box doesn't have anything powering it except gravity. It can only draw water down as fast as the return pump can move it back up. The overflow box has a lip, and when the water level rises up past that lip, water goes down the overflow box to the sump. So if the return pump stops, then water stops going down the overflow box, because the water level is no longer rising up above the lip.

If you have the canister filter pulling water from the tank and depositing that water into the sump, and the return pump goes out, gets clogged, or slows down, then your sump will overflow and your tank will drain, because your canister will continue to move water from the tank into the sump, and there will be nothing to put it back.

Similarly, if the canister filter intake gets clogged, but your return pump keeps moving water back up to your tank, the tank will overflow and your sump will drain.

 

[chbix]

ahhh I see so with an overflow/return there is one point of failure, the pump, and if there is no pump the over flow stops below the line..... Which means no more flow..... hmmm

CRAP $$# *&(&

 

[Bifferwine]

ahhh I see so with an overflow/return there is one point of failure, the pump, and if there is no pump the over flow stops below the line..... Which means no more flow..... hmmm

CRAP $$# *&(&

Exactly! You put it a lot more succinctly than I did! :D

 

[chbix]

ok so since the G6 is being basically used as really expensive carbon reactor at this point, what If I have a standard overflow/return setup. Then off the sump get a second pump to pump into the g6 and back into sump?

that would mean if the return fails the over flow stops, if the G6 fails then water goes no where,

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah that works fine, but you shouldn't have to get a second pump. The G6 should draw in and return the water itself.

 

[chbix]

I think I will need the second pump to pump the water from sump to g6 since they will be the same level set up under the tank...?..?

 

[chbix]

Ok so solution has been found. Use the G6 independent of the sump, Use it as normal operation with the intake and return both on the display tank, then run a seperate overflow for the sump with a return pump! Just have two seperate filtration setups.

Should I position the intakes on oposite ends of the tank?

 

[Bifferwine]

Yes. That would be the best way to go about things.