I used to run a canister filter as well, with empty baskets & a bag of carbon. If you run it in a similar fashion it's essentially a mini sump that adds a gallon or so to your total water volume, which is never a bad thing. The main reason I ceased using a canister is they all eventually developed leaks. I've always run a skimmer & seeing the goo that it collects, it's really a no brainer to have one. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or costly, I use an old wooden air diffuser counter current skimmer & it works well. Fine bubbles & maximum contact time are the key to effective skimming and a wooden air diffuser run by a good air pump will create some of the finest bubbles you'll ever see. Then all you need is a small pump to circulate the water slowly through the skimmer body for maximum contact time & you have a nice quiet unit that does the job. The thing runs 24/7 so what it misses on one pass, it will eventually capture during another. Since you don't have any livestock yet, you can take your time & do some additional research on skimmer technology. Once you get a couple of power heads into the tank, your cured live rock will be the first stage of filtration. You probably won't even see a cycle since everything is already matured.
Last edited by mike31154; 10-05-2013 at 03:33 AM.
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