Canister Filters used on SW tank ?

[fltekdiver]

I been out of the SW hobby for the past year, after breaking down my 180SW tank.

I recently purchased a new 150G All Glass tank. I bought it non-drilled, and am currently cycling for Cichlids

I have 2 x Fuval FX6 Canister Filters on the tank, along with lace rock and black sand. I also am using marine lights on the tank, along with 2 x Jebao RW8 power heads.

MY wife and I said to each other, we have everything needed to change this easily over to a SW tank again, but all our SW tanks in the past were drilled running Herbie style plumbing ( I hate sump noise )

Pro's I see for running a monster canister filter's like I'm running now is tons of media space, no noise , quite, efficient , if one goes down, I still have the other as back up

Con's = Price , both canister filters ran over $650.00

Sump, Pro's - I can add a skimmer, heaters, reactors etc in the sump. Noise can be delt with by running a siphon. Cost is cheap for DIY, Buy a 40B for this size tank, add a cpl of baffles, and skimmer, and I'm set. Also can add a ATO to the sump

Con's = can be noisy if not plumbed right



I'm really not sure if this will work. Any idea's ? It would be mostly SW fish, with LPS, NO SPS or hard coral.

 

[kmbyrnes]

Go for it. A Bean Animal or Herbie can be dead silent, except for waterfall noise if the return chamber gets low. Take care of that with an ATO.
Canisters can work on a FOWLR, but a reef won't thrive without a sump.

 

[fltekdiver]

I have a non drilled tank

 

[kmbyrnes]

I have run successful Herbies with an HOB dual overflow box. My first reef ran fine with one for a year. My current 125 FOWLR has had one longer than that.
As long as you use a gate valve instead of a ball valve, creating and maintaining a full siphon is not too much work.
When I bought the FOWLR it had a canister and I got a sump/overflow from CL ASAP.
It only set me back $80 for a 30g sump and 800gph dual overflow.
Having the sump keeps distracting equipment out of the DT and is worth every penny.

 

[fltekdiver]

Yes, but don't you have to drill the tank for a HOB Box ?

I have a 150G, All Glass, which is a 1/2" thick tank filled with water right now /sand /rock etc

 

[kyle.nagel13]

Yes, but don't you have to drill the tank for a HOB Box ?

No, you do not have to drill the tank. The only concern with a HOB overflow is that some people have had them overflow. I have no experience with HOB overflow, so take that however you want.

This is an example of what you would be looking at with a decent video on the page. http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewi...fwaZWoiNxetcZnXtPBLIhDC5QIgasJdWJ0aAuBi8P8HAQ

 

[fltekdiver]

Thank you. I need to look into how reliable they are

So what everyone is suggesting , is sell the 2 canister flyers, buy a over flow box. The sump I can make, I've made plenty of them in the past

 

[kyle.nagel13]

Most people will tell you to drill the tank, but ultimately that is up to you. There are people that have success with HOB overflows, so if drilling the tank is out of the question, I'd charge on.

 

[fltekdiver]

Theirs no way I can drill it. I've drilled tanks before, but not on a 1/2" glass. The tank is filled with the cycle all most complete. A 150 is heavy man, I would need to strip everything out of it, remove the 3D background and try to drill it.

If the HOB is more trouble then it's worth, I'll probably just finish the cycle, add the 30 Haps and peacocks , and start up a Red Sea Max 450 down the road

 

[kyle.nagel13]

I'd slap the HOB overflows on there and go for it, but thats just my personal opinion. Maybe get something like in that link I attached earlier. In the video, they said they were using something that made it impossible for it to overflow.

 

[fltekdiver]

Ok thanks. I'm going to look into that one and the other one, lite something seem to got good reviews

Can you use the blacks and , it's fine gradual, and lace rock, I paid about $2 a pound plus shipping and have about 75 pounds of lace rock in the tank

 

[3dees]

Canisters can work on a FOWLR, but a reef won't thrive without a sump.[/QUOTE]

this is dead wrong. so many sumpless tanks. fowlr and reef. sumps are the best option, but to say a tank won't thrive without one is just so much bull. I can't have a sump due to severe back problems. 2 1/2 years and my sumpless 120 gal. is doing just fine. I also use a canister on occasion when I frag my leathers. just keep it clean.

 

[newbie2014]

Canisters can work on a FOWLR, but a reef won't thrive without a sump.

this is dead wrong. so many sumpless tanks. fowlr and reef. sumps are the best option, but to say a tank won't thrive without one is just so much bull. I can't have a sump due to severe back problems. 2 1/2 years and my sumpless 120 gal. is doing just fine. I also use a canister on occasion when I frag my leathers. just keep it clean.[/QUOTE]

Wow. Simple and clean. :beer:

I guess the black background helps hide the wires.

 

[fltekdiver]

Beautiful tank, thanks for sharing!

I appreciate everyone's help

Were going to leave the 150 as a Cichlid tank, and do a Red Sea 450 Max in about 2 months once I get the 150 going. I'm 4 weeks into a fishless cycle now

I appreciate it. I spent hours of researching today, and figured we have so much money ( over $3K ) into the 150G all ready for FW, why loose so much money now to switch

 

[Arthur1]

There are so many beautiful haps, and peacocks out there why would you change it? Lol. I still have visions on the Stuartgranti regal blues that I used to sell retail and the Tropheus moorii color morphs...the list goes on! Regardless, enjoy the cichlids and the reef tank when you get there. :beer:

 

[fltekdiver]

Thank you ! Yes, Were going to do a ALL Male P&H tank probably

I thought about doing a Mbuna tank, still am, because their so playful and fun to watch, but the colors on the P&H's are beautiful !