Using Canister filter

[Celestion]

You speak the truth. But..

Power outages are a liability for every aquarium and anyone who cares likely has backup power in place. A fluval fx6 ( A very large canister with very high flow rate) only draws 41w which will run over 3 hours on a standard 1500w UPS as just an example of minimum preparedness.

Fx6 the perfect beast lol (100 gallons)., hi flow is overrated through its contents(marketing ploy)., this is why they were being called nitrate factorys , fx4-6 slow the flow(trim down the blades) , and use good circulation pump(wave maker)(careful they get powerful fast) in tandem ,.still needs opening often to maintain the pristine water , apparently I'm wrong again lol , happy fish keeping

 

[shwareefer]

Fx6 the perfect beast lol (100 gallons)., hi flow is overrated through its contents(marketing ploy)., this is why they were being called nitrate factorys , fx4-6 slow the flow(trim down the blades) , and use good circulation pump(wave makers)(careful they get powerful fast) in tandem ,.still needs opening often to maintain the pristine water quality

Canister filters have been labeled "nitrate factories" forever. You don't have to modify the filter (trim the blades) to counter that though. Watch any of the "pimp my filter" videos by Pondguru and you'll see he regularly achieves full cycle (denitrification) on virtually any canister by utilizing the proper type of media to achieve anaerobic zones within the filter. Of course he sells the media he's pushing but you don't have to use his to achieve the same results. "Nitrate factories" are just a persistent myth created when people had canister filters full of filter foam as the primary media.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I use an oase canister with a built in heater. I fill three trays with seachem matrix for biological filtration and the top tray with activated carbon or any other media or floss I need. It has 4 prefilter sponges to trap incoming goop and easily clean. I think it’s calked a biomaster thermo 250 and I have a 120 L (30G) rimless tank. So yes, it does work.

My experience cautions you you these pain points I experience with the canister filter method:
1) surface circulation/skim preventing proper aeration and causing pH swings. Because there is no top overflow (the filter inlet is a tube low in the tank) surface film develops. Adding a protein skimmer doesn’t solve this, either, because it also draws from below the surface. It does, however, aerate the water and help with pH control. I think the surface skum also changes light intensity and spectrum. Skum prevents some of my fish food from falling into the water column.
2) it is a mess to maintain. I flood an area every time I maintain my filter (once per month). This seems worse with saltwater than it was with freshwater.
3) introduces bubbles at maintenance. Possible a problem if you keep certain corals, like SPS.
4) related to #2, the inlet and outlet pipes are a pain to maintain and clean. Can be an issue with tight rockwork or coral. It also kinda looks messy on the tank.
5) i have had a few issues with smaller inhabitants getting stuck in the inlet pipe, or stuck to the side of the pipe. Rare, but sad.
6) biology may be too aerobic with fast flow to do much good reducing nitrates out to nitrogen gas. It does well with ammonia reduction, but no further.
7) limited as to what you can run in the tank for other equipment. You can’t plumb in a UV sterilizer, for example. All other equipment, like auto top off, UV, skimmer, etc. all have to hang off your DT. No refugium option, but you can grow macroalgae in your DT.

I also have an oase, mie is a 600, just so you know, I did plump my UV into the canisters outflow. I can send pics when I get home if you like. Yes to all that you said, but I do like mine, it is an awesome filter.

 

[CKW]

Yep, I say go big, Fluval FX4/6, Oldreefguy on RC runs FX's full of reef rubble and it's a reef not just fish.

Agree. You can cut down the flow but can’t increase it. In this case bigger is better.