What canister should I get?

ElChicano · 05/16/2010, 07:55 PM

I have recently purchasd a 92gl corner tank. And im awaiting its arrival so I can pick it up at my local F/S. My next step is geting the cabinet and canopy built.. I have decided to go with a canister filter. With that being said.. I know alot of people will say to go with a sump better.. But Like stated before I will go with a Canister. I will be running live rock. So the big question is .. Which one should I get ? I know there are so many choices.. and alot of new canister filters like the Fluval FX5 or the Ehiem pro3e..Seem very nice.. But do I really need it? I would like to know what is everyone else using ? And what do ya'll think I should get..

mthomp · 05/16/2010, 07:58 PM

you really dont need a filter if you are going to have liverock, get a good skimmer and save a lot of headaches.

Gold Stripe · 05/16/2010, 08:05 PM

Wasting your money on a canister depending on how much rock you will have. If you're going to have anywhere near 80 lbs then save your money and use it for flow pumps (powerheads), better lighting and a skimmer. If you have a decent amount of good pourous rock all you need is to keep good flow in the display tank without any dead spots. The rock wil do the work.

ElChicano · 05/16/2010, 08:07 PM

Should I have it for mechanical filtration ?

mthomp · 05/16/2010, 08:11 PM

nope. i have a undrilled 55gal sumpless tank, and all iam using is a skimmer, and a biowheel type filter that is just used for holding carbon.

regardless if what you end up doing, your going to run into many obsticals going through the learning experiance. a canister filter is just going to cause you more work and problems then you need.

ElChicano · 05/16/2010, 08:15 PM

Okay.. thats what I wanted to hear.. Looks like I will use the money to make the tank better inother ways like you said Gold Strip.. Whats a good protien skimmer that ya'll would recommend ?

mthomp · 05/16/2010, 08:17 PM

well if your going to be using hang on back equipment, id look into a reef octopus.

ElChicano · 05/16/2010, 08:20 PM

Since it is a corner tank.. I would prefer to put it under tha tank in the cabinet..

mthomp · 05/16/2010, 08:22 PM

is it a predrilled tank? aka reefready?

ElChicano · 05/16/2010, 08:25 PM

No its not predrilled .. Should I just stik with a HOB ?

mthomp · 05/16/2010, 08:28 PM

unless you are planning on using a sump i think so, but i do not have any experiance with sumps or non hob skimmers.

ElChicano · 05/16/2010, 08:30 PM

Looks like the HOB skimmer would be my best bet then.. I just looked some up online .. I didnt relize they are so thin.. I thought they would be alot more bulky..

mthomp · 05/16/2010, 08:34 PM

yeah they arent bad, just do not skimp as this is a very important part of your tank.
if you have a 90gal tank, get one that is rated for a 120-150.

j.p. harrington · 05/16/2010, 08:35 PM

i vote reef octopus either way in skimmer or hob there the best quality bacng for the buck skimmer there is. they rival any of the big high dollar skimmers anyday IMO i went with the reef ocotpus extreme 160 in sump skimmer for my 75 gallon. its build to last no cheap stuff to worry about breaking on this thing and no mods needed to make it do its job properly

ElChicano · 05/16/2010, 08:37 PM

Reef octupus.. I will look it up.. thanks for your help mthorp. I will be starting a build thread as soon as I get my tank..

ElChicano · 05/19/2010, 09:06 AM

Ok...mthorp.. Looks like I will be doing what you said.. Live rock.. and Protien skimmer. The canister filter I have was given to me by my local F/S for doing some logo work on their website.. So I might as well put it to work.. anyother recommndations ? I want to take my time setting up..and give it pleanty of time to cycle and get everything going before I even add anyfish.. I keep getting bombarded with new info.. That I need a refugium .. But isnt that what the rock is for ?

mthomp · 05/19/2010, 09:12 AM

no the liverock isnt a refuge it will in fact be your filter. you can actually turn your canister filter into a fuge but you do not have to have one. you could also consider selling the canister filter and using those funds towards other things. if you do decide to use that canister filter, be sure to take the time to clean it at least bi weekly.

ElChicano · 05/19/2010, 09:20 AM

If you dont mind me asking what set up are you running ? Okay.. so I dont need it . Im just trying to get everything worked out before I start spending more money. Everytime I do more reading. something else seesm to come up ..And I cant help to second guess myself. but so far ..what you have recommended is the same thing my local F/S is recommending. I know alot of people say that the F/S guys are full of bull. But this shop has been around for a while in my town, and its the to go to shop guys have been there for years.. I am starting to see that there are alot of different views on what is the correct way to run a reef tank.

05/16/2010, 07:55 PM	#1
ElChicano Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 50	What canister should I get? I have recently purchasd a 92gl corner tank. And im awaiting its arrival so I can pick it up at my local F/S. My next step is geting the cabinet and canopy built.. I have decided to go with a canister filter. With that being said.. I know alot of people will say to go with a sump better.. But Like stated before I will go with a Canister. I will be running live rock. So the big question is .. Which one should I get ? I know there are so many choices.. and alot of new canister filters like the Fluval FX5 or the Ehiem pro3e..Seem very nice.. But do I really need it? I would like to know what is everyone else using ? And what do ya'll think I should get..

05/16/2010, 08:05 PM	#3
Gold Stripe Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 977	Wasting your money on a canister depending on how much rock you will have. If you're going to have anywhere near 80 lbs then save your money and use it for flow pumps (powerheads), better lighting and a skimmer. If you have a decent amount of good pourous rock all you need is to keep good flow in the display tank without any dead spots. The rock wil do the work. __________________ I swear its the last coral I will buy honey ...... I promise!

05/16/2010, 08:35 PM	#14
j.p. harrington Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NORTH CAROLINA Posts: 411	i vote reef octopus either way in skimmer or hob there the best quality bacng for the buck skimmer there is. they rival any of the big high dollar skimmers anyday IMO i went with the reef ocotpus extreme 160 in sump skimmer for my 75 gallon. its build to last no cheap stuff to worry about breaking on this thing and no mods needed to make it do its job properly __________________ j.p. harrington #41 Current Tank Info: 75gal MIXED REEF. working on 10-20gallon nano

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05/16/2010, 07:58 PM	#2
mthomp Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 766	you really dont need a filter if you are going to have liverock, get a good skimmer and save a lot of headaches.

05/16/2010, 08:07 PM	#4
ElChicano Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 50	Should I have it for mechanical filtration ?

05/16/2010, 08:11 PM	#5
mthomp Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 766	nope. i have a undrilled 55gal sumpless tank, and all iam using is a skimmer, and a biowheel type filter that is just used for holding carbon. regardless if what you end up doing, your going to run into many obsticals going through the learning experiance. a canister filter is just going to cause you more work and problems then you need.

05/16/2010, 08:15 PM	#6
ElChicano Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 50	Okay.. thats what I wanted to hear.. Looks like I will use the money to make the tank better inother ways like you said Gold Strip.. Whats a good protien skimmer that ya'll would recommend ?

05/16/2010, 08:17 PM	#7
mthomp Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 766	well if your going to be using hang on back equipment, id look into a reef octopus.

05/16/2010, 08:20 PM	#8
ElChicano Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 50	Since it is a corner tank.. I would prefer to put it under tha tank in the cabinet..

05/16/2010, 08:22 PM	#9
mthomp Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 766	is it a predrilled tank? aka reefready?

05/16/2010, 08:25 PM	#10
ElChicano Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 50	No its not predrilled .. Should I just stik with a HOB ?

05/16/2010, 08:28 PM	#11
mthomp Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 766	unless you are planning on using a sump i think so, but i do not have any experiance with sumps or non hob skimmers.

05/16/2010, 08:30 PM	#12
ElChicano Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 50	Looks like the HOB skimmer would be my best bet then.. I just looked some up online .. I didnt relize they are so thin.. I thought they would be alot more bulky..

05/16/2010, 08:34 PM	#13
mthomp Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 766	yeah they arent bad, just do not skimp as this is a very important part of your tank. if you have a 90gal tank, get one that is rated for a 120-150.

05/16/2010, 08:37 PM	#15
ElChicano Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 50	Reef octupus.. I will look it up.. thanks for your help mthorp. I will be starting a build thread as soon as I get my tank..

05/19/2010, 09:06 AM	#16
ElChicano Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 50	Ok...mthorp.. Looks like I will be doing what you said.. Live rock.. and Protien skimmer. The canister filter I have was given to me by my local F/S for doing some logo work on their website.. So I might as well put it to work.. anyother recommndations ? I want to take my time setting up..and give it pleanty of time to cycle and get everything going before I even add anyfish.. I keep getting bombarded with new info.. That I need a refugium .. But isnt that what the rock is for ?

05/19/2010, 09:12 AM	#17
mthomp Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 766	no the liverock isnt a refuge it will in fact be your filter. you can actually turn your canister filter into a fuge but you do not have to have one. you could also consider selling the canister filter and using those funds towards other things. if you do decide to use that canister filter, be sure to take the time to clean it at least bi weekly.

05/19/2010, 09:20 AM	#18
ElChicano Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 50	If you dont mind me asking what set up are you running ? Okay.. so I dont need it . Im just trying to get everything worked out before I start spending more money. Everytime I do more reading. something else seesm to come up ..And I cant help to second guess myself. but so far ..what you have recommended is the same thing my local F/S is recommending. I know alot of people say that the F/S guys are full of bull. But this shop has been around for a while in my town, and its the to go to shop guys have been there for years.. I am starting to see that there are alot of different views on what is the correct way to run a reef tank.