Skimmer and Canister Filter?

[moneymm]

I have a 45 Gallon Bow Tank, added my CUC a week ago.

I just got my skimmer delivered yesterday.

my question is, should i be running both my canister filter and skimmer? what are the pros and cons of running both filter and a skimmer?

i mean i have no other use for the canister filter, and no problem running both, i just dont want to run it if its a negative.

I have 2 clowns in QT, and down the road wish to add corals.

my canister filter is eheim 350 - https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/products/technology/external-filters/classic-350

my skimmer is reef octopus classic 100, HOB.

also in a 3 foot, 45 gallon tank, what is recommended for circulation? i have 750 watt hydor koralia currently running, but i have a 600 and 850 watt also that i bought, i figured one for the tank and one for the QT, what do you think i should do?

 

[gbru316]

Using both the canister and skimmer is perfectly fine.

 

[MondoBongo]

the only real problem with canister filters is that if not cleaned regularly they can become nitrate factories. i ran a canister for a while on my tank, but eventually ditched it. got tired of pulling it apart once a month to clean it, and it didn't really provider any real benefit.

as far as circulation, depends on how your rocks are set up and what you intend to keep. i generally find that in my tank i need at least powerheads pointing in different directions to get a good distribution of flow. play around with it and see what you find. if you choose to keep corals at some point, they will have more impact on how you design your flow than most fish will.

 

[ca1ore]

Conceptually, a canister filter is no different than the many reactors that folks put on their tanks. OK, the cannister has its own dedicated pump, but in all important ways it is just like a reactor. So, it requires regular cleaning and maintenance.

 

[FF184]

I had nothing but issues when I tried using a canister with my protein skimmer. Maybe I didn't clean it often enough, but I ended up getting rid of the canister. I also use the HOB Reef Octopus (I have 2 different sizes on two different tanks).

I know a ton of people use canisters, but my personal experience hasn't been great with them.

 

[moneymm]

does this skimmer I bought require maintenance like the filter i have?

 

[gbru316]

does this skimmer I bought require maintenance like the filter i have?

All skimmers require regular maintenance. I clean the neck and cup of my skimmer on a weekly basis.

 

[Staisman]

I am using my canister filter as GFO reactor, I mixed GFO and Carbon 1:3 and used it in my canister filter. Works fine.

 

[moneymm]

im thinking once i get the skimmer going, i can take out the things in the canister that require this maintenance? like the white foam pad, the carbon pad,and the blue pad, and just leave the media balls and coral peices it came with. is that a good idea?

or perhaps i can find out what a GFO reactor is and turn it into that...

 

[Aurori]

does this skimmer I bought require maintenance like the filter i have?

all skimmers require cleaning. Not actually sure how often you have to clean them but i know no matter how little is in the cup i clean that once a week and the whole thing once a month.

 

[Aurori]

im thinking once i get the skimmer going, i can take out the things in the canister that require this maintenance? like the white foam pad, the carbon pad,and the blue pad, and just leave the media balls and coral peices it came with. is that a good idea?

or perhaps i can find out what a GFO reactor is and turn it into that...

I had a fluval 404 that i thought about doing this with before i decided to just build a sump. I was told that you don't need the pads at all and that the bio balls are actually bad to have in the system since they keep in phosphates. (not to sure if that was true) In my opinion all you need to do is put the stones in there and stay away from plastic media. I don't even have carbon running in my sump any more since my skimmer makes the water appear nice and clear. nice idea about the canister is maybe if you have to put any powdered media, that it is a secure place to put it.

 

[moneymm]

I had a fluval 404 that i thought about doing this with before i decided to just build a sump. I was told that you don't need the pads at all and that the bio balls are actually bad to have in the system since they keep in phosphates. (not to sure if that was true) In my opinion all you need to do is put the stones in there and stay away from plastic media. I don't even have carbon running in my sump any more since my skimmer makes the water appear nice and clear. nice idea about the canister is maybe if you have to put any powdered media, that it is a secure place to put it.

thanks, any other thoughts out there on what media i should use in my canister, if im going to be running a skimmer also.

 

[Xavibear]

Carbon & filter pads.

 

[coralsnaked]

circulation : softies 10 x display gals., LPS= 20x display, SPS = 30x display

 

[gbru316]

circulation : softies 10 x display gals., LPS= 20x display, SPS = 30x display

So where does my 75x (Previously 130x before I upgraded) tank with softies and some LPS fall into this arbitrary scheme?

There is no such thing as "too much" flow. It's the velocity that is detrimental.