Canister filter or HOB for 40 breeder mix reef

[Novicereefer]

Hi,

I've been using a Seachem Tidal 75 HOB filter for about 1.5 yrs on my mixed reef. No real problems until recently and I remembered I also have a Seachem Tidal 35 that I could use. My tank tends to build up nitrates fast because I feed 1 brine shrimp cube a day. Stocking list for fish is: 2 clownfish, baby File fish, baby sailfin Tang, 2 Pajama Cardinals ( which I'm going to rehome), and a Mandarin Dragonet.

I change 25% to a 1/3 of the water weekly to try to keep my nitrates in check because I've lost 4 Torches, a Hollywood Stunner, and Raja Rampage chalice in the past month. They all just receded slowly and died. The other Chalices and Torches look fine. Actually all the other corals look fine and have been growing. Maybe I'm over reacting, but if it won't hurt to over filter then I'd like to explore that.

My question is should I use them both or should I just get the Tidal 110 or do a Canister filter as I've noticed they are for people like me who doesn't have space for a sump?

 

[Saltyreef]

Hi,

I've been using a Seachem Tidal 75 HOB filter for about 1.5 yrs on my mixed reef. No real problems until recently and I remembered I also have a Seachem Tidal 35 that I could use. My tank tends to build up nitrates fast because I feed 1 brine shrimp cube a day. Stocking list for fish is: 2 clownfish, baby File fish, baby sailfin Tang, 2 Pajama Cardinals ( which I'm going to rehome), and a Mandarin Dragonet.

I change 25% to a 1/3 of the water weekly to try to keep my nitrates in check because I've lost 4 Torches, a Hollywood Stunner, and Raja Rampage chalice in the past month. They all just receded slowly and died. The other Chalices and Torches look fine. Actually all the other corals look fine and have been growing. Maybe I'm over reacting, but if it won't hurt to over filter then I'd like to explore that.

My question is should I use them both or should I just get the Tidal 110 or do a Canister filter as I've noticed they are for people like me who doesn't have space for a sump?

Use them both and turn the 35 into a refugium. I have a small aqua clear hob i did that with that runs along side my tidal.

I use a tidal 55 on my 20 long and love it.

 

[Saltyreef]

Side note...have you upgraded the filter compartment with good foam yet?

I use this stuff i cut to size and it polishes the water /exports the bio load very well.

3IN1 Aquarium Filter Sponge Foam Pads - Filter Media For 20 Gallon Betta Fish Tank Supplies, Brine Shrimp Coarse Sponge Bio Filter Sheet - Filter Sponge Accessories (3IN1 Filter Sponge) https://a.co/d/eUu4LmX

Have you cleaned your sandbed lately?

 

[EricR]

I agree to run both.
I swapped two small HOBs (on 40 breeder) out for single Tidal 110 and regret it just from the perspective of crossflow.
*don't have any issues with nitrates but I have only soft corals and run high(ish) nitrates in the 6-10ppm range anyway

 

[Reefing102begal]

Hi,

I've been using a Seachem Tidal 75 HOB filter for about 1.5 yrs on my mixed reef. No real problems until recently and I remembered I also have a Seachem Tidal 35 that I could use. My tank tends to build up nitrates fast because I feed 1 brine shrimp cube a day. Stocking list for fish is: 2 clownfish, baby File fish, baby sailfin Tang, 2 Pajama Cardinals ( which I'm going to rehome), and a Mandarin Dragonet.

I change 25% to a 1/3 of the water weekly to try to keep my nitrates in check because I've lost 4 Torches, a Hollywood Stunner, and Raja Rampage chalice in the past month. They all just receded slowly and died. The other Chalices and Torches look fine. Actually all the other corals look fine and have been growing. Maybe I'm over reacting, but if it won't hurt to over filter then I'd like to explore that.

My question is should I use them both or should I just get the Tidal 110 or do a Canister filter as I've noticed they are for people like me who doesn't have space for a sump?

I go canister on my 55 hallow mixer

 

[Novicereefer]

Use them both and turn the 35 into a refugium. I have a small aqua clear hob i did that with that runs along side my tidal.

I use a tidal 55 on my 20 long and love it.

Oh that's a good idea and will help with my nitrate issues! Thanks! I love that idea

 

[Novicereefer]

I go canister on my 55 hallow mixer

How do you like it over hob?

 

[Novicereefer]

I agree to run both.
I swapped two small HOBs (on 40 breeder) out for single Tidal 110 and regret it just from the perspective of crossflow.
*don't have any issues with nitrates but I have only soft corals and run high(ish) nitrates in the 6-10ppm range anyway

Hmm good point. Yea the Tidal packs some power.

 

[Novicereefer]

Side note...have you upgraded the filter compartment with good foam yet?

I use this stuff i cut to size and it polishes the water /exports the bio load very well.

3IN1 Aquarium Filter Sponge Foam Pads - Filter Media For 20 Gallon Betta Fish Tank Supplies, Brine Shrimp Coarse Sponge Bio Filter Sheet - Filter Sponge Accessories (3IN1 Filter Sponge) https://a.co/d/eUu4LmX

Have you cleaned your sandbed lately?

Yea, I added my own polyfil thing and media. I have to change the polyfil often though

 

[Saltyreef]

You also have to realize and appreciate the surface skimming ability from the tidal line HOBs and see that they are that much more appropriate for a reef tank.

 

[Saltyreef]

Yea, I added my own polyfil thing and media. I have to change the polyfil often though

If you have liverock in the tank, ditch the media.

Use the sponge and only clean it when the indicator says.

I only use the 3 layer sponge and a bag of carbon when needed in mine.

 

[Novicereefer]

If you have liverock in the tank, ditch the media.

Use the sponge and only clean it when the indicator says.

I only use the 3 layer sponge and a bag of carbon when needed in mine.

Yea I have live rock. I tried to add more than what I thought was enough because my tank is bare bottom and wanted more surface area to make up for lack of sand

I love the surface skimming!

 

[EricR]

If you have liverock in the tank, ditch the media.

Use the sponge and only clean it when the indicator says.

I only use the 3 layer sponge and a bag of carbon when needed in mine.

I'm using the included Matrix (pumice) still but not sure why other than the fact that it came with it and, worst case scenario, a small amount of additional surface area.
*probably insignificant but I haven't chucked it yet

Also figured I could toss it into invert (non-medicated) QT, along with some live rock, as at least an attempt for some amount of bio-filter there.

 

[Saltyreef]

I'm using the included Matrix (pumice) still but not sure why other than the fact that it came with it and, worst case scenario, a small amount of additional surface area.
*probably insignificant but I haven't chucked it yet

Also figured I could toss it into invert (non-medicated) QT, along with some live rock, as at least an attempt for some amount of bio-filter there.

Yea i use that media that was included as rubble for my mushrooms lol.

It would just take up a lot of real estate in the filter basket where i need mechanical filtration and an area to hide my bag of carbon lol.

 

[EricR]

Yea i use that media that was included as rubble for my mushrooms lol.

It would just take up a lot of real estate in the filter basket where i need mechanical filtration and an area to hide my bag of carbon lol.

Just as a single sample set for OP, I run in Tidal 110 on 40B:
1. Included sponge
2. Cut to fit dual-density pond filter material (cheapie roll on Amazon)
3. OCCASIONALLY bag of ROX carbon
4. Included bag of Matrix

P.S. That 3-in-1 sponge/pad in post# 3 looks pretty cool so might buy some when I finally run out of my cheapie roll of pond filter material

 

[GARRIGA]

More nitrification isn’t solving nitrates. Only a denitrification filter or carbon dosing or refugium. Carbon dosing the most pragmatic and reduces the need for WCs. Just dial it in because overdosing creates white bacterial slime which goes away as soon as that dosing is eliminated or reduced. Also reduces phosphates but might require additional measures to fully resolve that. Positive benefit of carbon dosing is the increase in base that was lost to nitrification which gets thrown out with WCs.

 

[EricR]

More nitrification isn’t solving nitrates. Only a denitrification filter or carbon dosing or refugium. Carbon dosing the most pragmatic and reduces the need for WCs. Just dial it in because overdosing creates white bacterial slime which goes away as soon as that dosing is eliminated or reduced. Also reduces phosphates but might require additional measures to fully resolve that. Positive benefit of carbon dosing is the increase in base that was lost to nitrification which gets thrown out with WCs.

Good tips but question:
Isn't it risky to carbon dose with no skimmer?

*I don't know but think I've read that,,, also assuming OP has no skimmer just based on first post but don't know that either

 

[GARRIGA]

Good tips but question:
Isn't it risky to carbon dose with no skimmer?

*I don't know but think I've read that,,, also assuming OP has no skimmer just based on first post but don't know that either

Been carbon dosing with no skimmer since I started my test tank in September 2021 and no WCs or sump or any mechanical removal of detritus. Do have a very substantial media filter (25% tank volume) which might be the reason I don't see issues with oxygen depletion and I often overdose carbon as that's been shown to be effective at reducing phosphates to under 0.25 ppm (lowest my test kit goes) although that white slime does show itself. Only side affect I've noticed and quickly removed if dosing is suspended.

Going to try starting with 1/4 of previous dose and see how much my system accepts before that white slime shows but I've gone without dosing since February waiting on GHA to once again show itself and yet none has. Carbon dosing got rid of my last incursion. Just have red turf algae introduce by snails from a LFS. More attractive than the green stuff. No clue what it is. Fist I've seen it and I've kept salt on and off since the 80s. Might be why the GHA doesn't grow, too. LFS told me it's just algae. Could also be my system is now mature enough that the denitrification is working again or just lucky. Don't even bother testing anymore and I still overfeed.