Can I remove my canister?

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Hellow everyone, I have a 55 gallon FOWLR for now but want to go mixed in the future. I have live rock live sand an Eshopps PSK 100H HOB skimmer and a fluval 406 canister running. I also have a Koralia 850 GPH power head running. The tank is almost 4 months old. (4 fish). I plan on a HOB refugium as soon as I can get $$.

I have been battleing red slime cyano for a month now on my sand and I am wondering if the canister has anything to do with it. If I remove my canister will the LR LS and skimmer sustain my tank as far as filtration? I have a bag of Clear FX pro in the canister but I can probably put that in the tank near my power head.

thank you all, I have learned SO much here thanks to the people on this forum.

[Uncle Salty 05]

I didn't know what Clear FX pro was, just looked it up.
I doubt that it is the cause of the red cyano.
You probably have high levels of nitrate and phosphates in your water column.
Water changes, the addition of a refugium and the use of Clear FX Pro (or GFO) will help bring them down.

[Xavibear]

I would add a another powerhead to the tank. You definitely need more flow.

As you may have read canister filters can be nitrate factories. You could run it with some GFO & carbon. Make sure that you clean the foam often, daily or every other day.

Have you tested your water? What are your nitrate & phosphate levels?

You can run the tank without the canister, but right now I would use it for GFO.

[sponger0]

Remove the canister. Its pretty much pointless

[STX Diver]

Are you using RODI water?

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Should I take everything out of the canister except the GFO/carbon (Clear FX Pro)? or just take it off and use the LR skimmer power heads?

[davocean]

You could keep running the canister for flow if you need it for that, just remove all sponge media, as that is usually what bumps your nitrates.

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Yes I'm using RO/DI water but I made the rookie mistake of using tap water to set it up almost 4 months ago...

[davocean]

Originally Posted by Sgt Jonny Cat

Yes I'm using RO/DI water but I made the rookie mistake of using tap water to set it up almost 4 months ago...

Often that is a mistake made by many that leads to chasing these sort of issues for a while.

[shermanator]

With my HOB setup, I have found I cannot keep the water crystal clear without mechanical filtration (I have a HOB filter), so you might find you need the canister to polish the water from time to time. At least in my case, my water quality sucks without filtration due to suspended particles. I keep thinking of a way to hook up a filter sock to a HOB-only system as that would be ideal. But if you do a good job cleaning all of the media at least once a week (twice a week is better) then you won't have nitrate build up and can keep the filtration to reduce suspended material.

I've mentioned this in another of your threads, but a HOB fuge won't do much of anything for nutrient export (I know, I have the large CPR and it's full of chaeto and it did essentially nothing for nitrate levels). I don't know how old your tank is, but carbon dosing (like vodka or NoPoX) can be really effective to lower nitrates via promoting anaerobic bacteria growth.

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

thanks everyone so a HOB reactor would be better at nutrient export in my case??

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by Sgt Jonny Cat

thanks everyone so a HOB reactor would be better at nutrient export in my case??

My personal experience with NoPoX is that it is extremely efficient at nutrient export. I know there are some caveats (like decreased oxygenation) and you must run a skimmer 24/7, but it's a cheap and effective method. Vodka dosing is even cheaper and just as effective.

With NoPoX, I went from steady 40 nitrate to steady 0. Water changes were ineffective for me (because even a 30% WC only gets you to a little under 30 ppm from 40 ppm). My phosphates were still a little high (0.15) so I use a GFO reactor from time to time.

By the way, I didn't mean to dissuade you from a HOB fuge. My HOB fuge is chock full of mysid shrimp and pods that the fish love. It's well worth the cost of one for that use, but it is just too small (5.5 gal) to use to remove nutrients effectively.

[davocean]

A fuge has to be pretty big and full of macro to really be affective at nutrient export.
Not that a HO fuge does not have benefits, pods are great, reverse light cycle helps maintain PH.
If you use any sponge or filter pads they must be cleaned or swapped every 3-4 days or they become a nitrate sink.

[Uncle Salty 05]

I agree with the above statement except for the every 3-4 days part.
It takes a minmum of 2 weeks for any media to become biological.
As long as they are cleaned every 7-10 days they will not produce nitrates.

[Uncle Salty 05]

Which HOB refugium are you looking at?
It may be cheaper to buy two 20 long tanks, one for a sump and one for a refugium. A 20 long would plenty big enough for nutrient export on a 55 DT.

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Thank you everyone, I am looking at the CPR medium hang on back refugium.

[Uncle Salty 05]

New those are $150-$200.
You could buy the two 20 longs, the substrate, the macro and the lighting for far less. Including glass for baffles in the sump.

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

My tank is not drilled, and its all set up. How can I drill and set up an overflow if the tank is up and established?

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Ah HA!! wait a minute, the light bulb just went on in my head. Can I take out the filter media in my canister, and run GFO and carbon through it? Essentially turning it into a gfo/carbon reactor?

[Xavibear]

Originally Posted by Sgt Jonny Cat

Ah HA!! wait a minute, the light bulb just went on in my head. Can I take out the filter media in my canister, and run GFO and carbon through it? Essentially turning it into a gfo/carbon reactor?

I said that 5 hours ago.

[Xavibear]

Originally Posted by Sgt Jonny Cat

My tank is not drilled, and its all set up. How can I drill and set up an overflow if the tank is up and established?

hob overflow. No need to drill the tank if you don't want to.

[Uncle Salty 05]

Originally Posted by Sgt Jonny Cat

My tank is not drilled, and its all set up. How can I drill and set up an overflow if the tank is up and established?

http://www.amazon.com/Eshopps-PF-300...s+overflow+box

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Originally Posted by Xavibear

I said that 5 hours ago.

LOL okay I remember that now looking back. You guys are the best...

[tmz]

I use my canister filter to hold gac and gfo, no other basket media. I do use the sponges to keep the gac and gfo free from bacteria which can clog them up and render them useless in a short time. . With the sponges in, the facultative( perform aerobically and anaerobically) heterotrophic bacteria from organic carbon dosing colonize them heavily. Works out well. I also use one on a separate off system sofftie tank for gac and gfo ;that tank does not receive organic carbon dosing ;no sponges in that one.

A small fuge will do just a small amount in terms of nutrient and CO2 reduction and adding oxygen both very useful benefits.

[tmz]

It takes a minmum of 2 weeks for any media to become biological.

That doesn't sound right. What does" biological "mean? How do you know it or is it just an opinion presented as a fact? Never heard bacteria waited that long to get after food and nutrients.