Canister vs sump

[Bremenguppie]

I currently have a 10 gallon sump but i am considering doing something different. From what i am seeing the canister filters are basically the same as having a sump only its all contained in the canister. Is that correct? I watch a video on youtube where a guy took a 5 gallon bucket and turned it into a large canister filter. So im thinking of doing that and was curious if anyone else has done that as well.

 

[billdogg]

Can you do it? Sure. I ran a 60g cube for 22 years using a canister and a HOB filter.

The question you have to ask is this - Where will you put your heater(s), skimmer, ATO, Dosing lines, etc. If you don't mind looking at them in the DT, then go for it!

 

[Diana A]

I have been running a canister for about 6 years on a 40B. I siliconed an overflow box to place my heater, intake of the skimmer and of the canister. Never had a problem with PO4 and NO2 being high as others would have you believe. I actually need to get my number up since they are at 0 or slightly above. I use Hanna nitrite ULR and Phosphorus ULR often because my results keep drifting to 0

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cpr-retrofit-overflow-box.html

 

[mcgyvr]

From what i am seeing the canister filters are basically the same as having a sump only its all contained in the canister. Is that correct?

No not really...
A sump is used to increase water volume as well as provide additional area for extra rock to increase surface area to harbor more bacteria which is what a canister provides I suppose but potentially more importantly it can provide a place to hide equipment like skimmers,reactors, heaters, sensors/probes, dosing tubes, macro fuges, turf scrubber which serve purposes than a canister does not.

A canister is more about a place for mechanical filtration and sometimes chemical media,etc...
Mechanical filtration unless maintained almost daily just collects crap where it will quickly breakdown and get released right back into the water almost rendering the mechaincal filtration useless..

 

[Bremenguppie]

Theres a guy on youtube that built a canistar out of a five gallon bucket using a gamma seal lid and some plumbing parts. He put lava rock in it and poly fil on the top. I was thinking of putting poyl fil on top then a layer of lava rock then as a final layer of those cleaning kitchen sponge things i see alot guys use for their bacteria growth. I have a heck of a time with the salt residue ruining the inside of my cabinet and walls etc. With the sump

 

[OldReefGuy]

Re: Your bucket....yes. You can do that and it works.....but cheaper to buy canister on Craigslist.....

 

[Daddi0]

I would stray away from lava rock and kitchen sponges.
Cheers! Mark

 

[Bremenguppie]

What would you suggest daddio

 

[Daddi0]

We ran a canister and used rubble (old live rock chunks) and you could pick up some filter floss type material from Home Depot/Lowes.. (think furnace filter)
The problem we had was it had to be cleaned often or our nitrates would shoot up to 80-100
Cheers! Mark

 

[Bremenguppie]

Hmmm okay. Thanks for the info. Ill do a little mode research

 

[Cliving1]

Theres a guy on youtube that built a canistar out of a five gallon bucket using a gamma seal lid and some plumbing parts. He put lava rock in it and poly fil on the top. I was thinking of putting poyl fil on top then a layer of lava rock then as a final layer of those cleaning kitchen sponge things i see alot guys use for their bacteria growth. I have a heck of a time with the salt residue ruining the inside of my cabinet and walls etc. With the sump

Never heard of that. Also sounds like setting up a makeshift sump. He added volume in the bucket. Wrong rock choice. I would choose a sump. Never had that much salt residue unless there is unnecessary splashing in the sump.

 

[marzvt]

I tried a canister on a nano at first and it wasn’t effective and hard to maintain. I ended up going to a little sump and it is much better.