40 saltwater canister filter

[APEX_AIMZ]

Im running a 40 gallon saltwater tank with a snowflake eel and a dwarf fuzzy lion fish and some clown fish and cleaners. Im afraid that the bio load will be crazy and I should make a sump were I connect the intake hose from the sump then to the canister filter. Then I will have a pump to pump the water to the canister filter. The canister filter will act as a double check to get any left over dish poop and nasty stuff. The sump will have bio balls and live rock with snail to house bacteria.

[Bill_Moorman]

As a general thought process, canisters are a no no with SW aquariums. They do more harm than good, and can become nitrate factories. The same can be said with the bio balls. You’re better off with just LR and macro algae, and an appropriately sized skimmer.


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[Bill_Moorman]

Originally Posted by Bill_Moorman

As a general thought process, canisters are a no no with SW aquariums. They do more harm than good, and can become nitrate factories. The same can be said with the bio balls. You’re better off with just LR and macro algae, and an appropriately sized skimmer.


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Also yes on the sump. Might be challenging now that the tank has water in it.


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[elecbzerk]

Ive used bio balls for 10 years never had a problem

[Subsea]

I use a cannister on most of my reef tanks. I use small amounts of GAC replaced every two weeks. If you replace filter floss weekly, you will have no problem with “so called” nitrate factories. I have used bioballs for 25 years in my 30G EcoSystem mud/cryptic sponge refugium. In fact I add 15 ml of ammonia twice a day to my 25 year old 75G Jaubert Plenum with a mixed garden tank with softies: GSP, Green Sinularia, Mushrooms, Xenia, Hammer, Red Tree Sponges, Yellow Ball Sponges.