new to hobby filter conversion?

[o.c.d.]

Hi Trigger Happy I got your message. So let me straighten this out The filter works as the pump from the main to the fuge,then gravity fed back to the main with all little critters intact this helps provide food for the main tank.As for what I put in the canister that varies.Still looking for the best media, I did have de nitrate from seachem. you can run it empty.As for cleaning I crack the canister about every 2 or 3 months. If my nitrate starts to raise that is the first thing I clean. and I also clean my skimmer twice a week min. I also do 20% waterchange once a week. My carbon is ran through a reactor same with phosban reactor as well. I'm not saying this is the best method, just work for me.

[Doug]

Nothing wrong with running sumpless. Geez, everyone thinks there is only one way to do a reef tank. For sure, where possible, a sump is the way to go but its not the end all of reef tanks.

I would think some live rock for the tank would be a priority. However not a must for an fish only and depending on which fish. Some form of bio filtration would then be required. A media in the canister would serve that function, the same as fresh water, although that would not be my preferred way. Using live rock & sanbed as a bio filter is better than a media closed up in a canister. It could then be used for carbon and a phoshate removed and water flow.

Be careful about gravity flow, without an overflow. Matching the return rate and downflow is almost impossible and a mess waiting to happen. If going with something like that, then perhaps drilling the tank is better.

[Trigger Happy]

Gee is right I feel like the scientist who mentioned Creationism. Thanks Doug,and O.C.D. I was going to probably copy O.C.D's refugium design. It has dual 2" tower returns(maybe bigger guessing). That will be a ways down the road when I build it.

[dabandit]

Again..... liverock,carbon and phos media works great about the best youll get from your canister. Its like running 2 phosbans in your case maybe 4 lol it will keep your water perfect may I suggest a spray bar to add aeration your losing not running a sump. I think sumpless works,allways more than one way to reach a goal Goodluck


But seriouslly once a week is nothing if your trying to make do without a sump

[justinl]

Im part of the no sump club. A sump is good because it hides the equipment and adds a volume of water to the system; this means a more stable system due to diffusion. A sump is good, but it isn't a sin not to have one. you should be stocking slowly anyways, but also keep in mind that you have only whatever water volume is held in the display; stock to an appropriate bioload.

I don't see why you couldn't use a canister filter full of LR rubble. rinse it out once every few months though so it doesn't become a detritus trap. Probably doesn't do much for getting rid of nitrates, but I would say it is very effective as a substrate for nitrosomas and nitrobacter bacteria colonization (ammonia to nitrite to nitrate). I could see it being more effective than the display's rock in this manner because the rubble has a much higher exposed surface area than large rocks.

[Pescador]

Originally Posted by dabandit

may I suggest a spray bar to add aeration

Not sure how a spray bar would add aeration unless it was above water level and the salt spray would be quite a mess. A spray bar in a sump is a different story.

My first tank was sump-less with a canister filter, even after researching for a year I still bought unnecessary equipment, was all part of my own learning curve.
Running GFO passively in a canister filter is not as effective as fluidizing it in a Phosban reactor.
One other advantage of an overflow is surface skimming, removing the film that builds up on the surface of the water. Eheim probably has a surface skimming attachment for your canister.

[Trigger Happy]

Pescodor very good point, I did see one of those ehime surface skimmer attachments. Hmm I realize I never had that problem because of the closed lids on the freshy. But I believe I'm not suppose to cover the tank due to overheating. So I better find one of those.
Justinl if I put live rock rubble in the canister do I fill it? And the rubble can you buy it or do you make I with a hammer? I am not putting carbon or phosban in the canister. I was shown how to make an old reverse osmosis into a reactor. Thank again for the advice everyone.

[Trigger Happy]

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Carbon...duct_info.html
This is what I'm going to build hope it works.