Newb Help? Canister Filter Content

In my canister I change my carbon about once every 4-5 months, but I'm using Chemi-Pure which goes a little longer. I've been using Seachem Matrix and deNitrate for biological media instead lr rubble. It seems to work as advertised. I also use a phosphate sponge. Nitrates for me usually hover around 0-10ppm. When it gets to 5-10ish it's usually time for a water change and that takes about a 4-6 weeks to get there.

 

How is the basket in your canister set up?

 

There are 3 trays and each tray is divided in half. In the top tray on both sides I have my Matrix/deNitrate. In the middle tray on one side I have the Matrix/deNitrate combo and on the other side I have Purigen. On the bottom tray on one side I have ChemiPure and on the other side I have Phosguard.

Note: I don't think it's necessary to use both Matrix and deNitrate. I had the deNitrate in first, but then I read on the manufacturers site that deNitrate works better when it has low flow going through it and recommended Matrix for high flow uses such as canister filters. So instead of trashing the deNitrate I left it in to seed the Matrix with beneficial bacteria that was already there.

 

Do you guys have any problem's when the power goes out?

 

Outside of the normal concerns of oxygenating the water for an extended period of time with no power, no. You do not have to worry about water overflowing on floor with a canister filter.

 

I had 1 that did it just keep pullin water from the tank I lossed like 15 gallons onto the floor I dnt no if it had a bad seal or not and do you think that 2 fluval 405's will do and 125 gal. Tank and should I not use the white things that it comes with and use lr or something else cause I was goin to use the carbon to keep the smell down

I would like to keep both coral and fish

Thanks

Sorry for highjackin the thread

 

Interesting, I tried to test that out myself a while ago and I couldn't figure out how the make the canister to continue to pull water without the motor running. I had a bad experience with a overflowing sump which I was I switched.

Two 405's should be fine for a tank that size. However, why a canister filter for a tank that size in the first place? I would definitely not use the ceramic rings that they came with. Well, at least not for long. Hagen recommends replacing those rings every 3 months and to me that seemed like more effort than what it's worth to keep buying those things and losing the denitrifying bacteria on them quarterly like that. That's why I opted for Matrix, it never needs to be replaced as biological media and it takes a lot less of it to equal the same surface area of the equivalent amount live rock rubble. Either way LR rubble or Matrix (or similar type product) is better than those bio-rings.

 

Canister filter is ok if you keep it clean. Its one of the best ways to run media and in your case, the only way. As long as your canister is sealed you will not have a problem with it when the power goes out. It will start back up like normal. Change out the carbon every 1-2 months. If your tank starts to get dirty looking (when you look through the width of your tank it should be clear), its time to swap the carbon. I would recommend using chemi-pure as well. Works great.

Skimmers oxygenate the water. They also are a way of removing nitrates and waste without building the nitrates up. If you are exporting nitrates through a canister filterpad and cleaning it weekly, it should work fine. But a skimmer is much more efficient and easier to maintain. But everyone has seem amazing reefs without skimmers, so no its a 100% must, it will just make things more efficient. And yes, you can take a filter sponge and attach it to your inlet of your canister. This will keep sand, snails and crabs out of your filter, but it will also prevent bigger particles from getting into your filter so the sponge will also have to be cleaned weekly.