HOB vs Canister Filter

[dzfish17]

I would not add big fish to a 36g tank. There are alot of small (3") fishes out there like blennies, gobies, firefish etc. that would be perfect for a 36g tank. I'm glad to hear that you are open for suggestions. I'll let someone else offer their personal favorites.

 

[goldmullet]

A flame Angel would fit in my tank right?

 

[dzfish17]

I'm pretty sure that you would be ok with a flame or another dwarf angel. I would maybe go with one more fish like a royal gramma or orchid dottyback.

 

[karsseboom]

i would not put anymore fish that 5 in the 36 gallon. Dont use the canister filter your already fine with the skimmer just settle down and relax, let your tank adjust to the new additions.

 

[goldmullet]

What is the basic rule?

One inch of fish per every gallon or something like that?

 

[dzfish17]

There really isnt any rule like that for SW. For sm (3" or less) fish I think 1 per 10g is pretty good. This guideline doesnt work for larger fish of coarse. As a fish gets larger (not just longer but thicker too) it will consume more food and produce more waste. If you stay at 4-5 sm fish in a 36g tank with weekly 10% or bi-weekly 20% water changes you will be fine.

 

[sporto0]

what people fail to consider about mechanical filtration, although not without faults, is the fact they do a fantastic job of filtering particles & debris from the water column & contribute to good circulation as well as being a vessel for gac or gfo etc. yes they require at least bi weekly maintenance but the benefits outweigh the negatives imo.

 

[KafudaFish]

Really both are bad for saltwater, they cause nitrates and have no way of breaking the nitrates down. So IMO i wouldnt use them. Some people will still use them but they keep them very clean and wash weekly. All you need man is some live rock and a skimmer and your set, you already have the skimmer just get some good live rock. In this hobby the filter is your rock and skimmer people dont use things like this anymore.

I use an aqua clear to hold my heater, bag of carbon and a thin sponge that I wash out about once a week.

No skimmer though.

 

[karsseboom]

I use an aqua clear to hold my heater, bag of carbon and a thin sponge that I wash out about once a week.

No skimmer though.

then you should be fine...

 

[pmgaudio]

What is the basic rule?

One inch of fish per every gallon or something like that?

a good rule is one for every ten gallons. 5 fish would not be a great idea
IMO

 

[forddna]

Depends on what those 5 fish are.

 

[567234ta]

I am not sure how well the canister filters work in saltwater but i do know in freshwater i dislike them. I have a laguna 3200 running a 300 gallon koi tub and it isn't nearly as good as my homemade carton filter. I think one of the main reasons for the difference is the fact that the bio in a canister is always underwater and gets no air. The bacteria take the air they need from the water, lowering the oxygen in the water. With my carton style it has lots of air splashing around and bubbles forced in. This is just my theory as to why it can handle easily 2 times the fish load and ammonia remain at 0 ppm, so there may be other reasons also.

but cleaning a canister filter is a pain. ugh :thumbdown

 

[KafudaFish]

then you should be fine...

Thanks.