Canister filter

[BigTomo003]

Hi all, I have a allPondSollutions EF 150 Canister filter. Does great for the tank I have. But I want a refugeum. Is there any way to have one in a canister or is there another way to do it that's NOT in the tank?

Also can u upgrade the pump to make the flow rate better?

 

[Webslinger]

?? not really a good option. i guess you could get a tiny pump?. They should be lower flow.

 

[BigTomo003]

?? not really a good option. i guess you could get a tiny pump?. They should be lower flow.

Ye I guess.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Refugium needs light. A hang on back refugium would be ideal

 

[BigTomo003]

Refugium needs light. A hang on back refugium would be ideal

Okay, I'll look into it. Cheers

 

[geologeek]

It depends on what you want out of the refugium.....if it is just to have somewhere for pods to multiply then you could put an inline pump before the canister to feed in and then the pods won't get mangled by the pump impeller from the canister.

You could even wrap led lights around the canister if you wanted some cheato in there (if the canister housing is translucent).

 

[BigTomo003]

It depends on what you want out of the refugium.....if it is just to have somewhere for pods to multiply then you could put an inline pump before the canister to feed in and then the pods won't get mangled by the pump impeller from the canister.

You could even wrap led lights around the canister if you wanted some cheato in there (if the canister housing is translucent).

EVERY single time I open the filter there's always loads of little shrimp things which I assume are copepods and good for the tank. I've seen hundreds at night when I put a flashlight in the tank but they seem to love living in the filter too, maybe they got sucked in the inlet? Idk but there always alive when I clean the filter and I try to keep as much alive as possible so put the ones I see into tank water and put them back into the filter once it's cleaned.

I assume they show a healthy tank? Or are they just normal to have? Cheers

 

[geologeek]

They are more likely to be amphipods than copepods, but either is possible.

 

[BigTomo003]

They are more likely to be amphipods than copepods, but either is possible.

Okay, so there a sign of a healthy tank?

 

[geologeek]

Okay, so there a sign of a healthy tank?

That's not an easy yes or no answer.......

Yes, because clearly they are able to proliferate, but on the flip side they tend to like things a little bit dirty.......

Only your water parameters can say if things are on track for the species you want to keep.

 

[BigTomo003]

They are more likely to be amphipods than copepods, but either is possible.

Okay, so there a sign of a healthy tank?

That's not an easy yes or no answer.......

Yes, because clearly they are able to proliferate, but on the flip side they tend to like things a little bit dirty.......

Only your water parameters can say if things are on track for the species you want to keep.

Yeah fair enough. Had my clown pair for coming up 8 months and raised them since they where about an inch big. They are happy. Also had my red legged hermits for 8 months and they been doing great so I suppose if the hermits are still alive then I must be doing something right cause I've heard they usually don't last that long

 

[geologeek]

Again that is not really a good judge, because some hermits can be tough as nails, others can be quite flaky.

The best way to know if things are going good other than subjectively looking at your tank is to have some water tests to see where things are at.

 

[BigTomo003]

Again that is not really a good judge, because some hermits can be tough as nails, others can be quite flaky.

The best way to know if things are going good other than subjectively looking at your tank is to have some water tests to see where things are at.

All the perameters are spot on.

 

[Dolphins18]

Hi I’d use a algae scrubber! If you have very low phosphates and nitrates though there isn’t much point of a fuge or scrubber as nothing will grow!

 

[geologeek]

All the perameters are spot on.

Then your onto a winner!

So have you plenty of live rock in your display tank that you can consider removing media from your canister filter over the next few weeks and eventually just pulling all the guts out of the filter, putting a pump onto the intake and swapping if to a refuge?

 

[BigTomo003]

Hi I’d use a algae scrubber! If you have very low phosphates and nitrates though there isn’t much point of a fuge or scrubber as nothing will grow!

Thanks for your comment. I was actually just looking at tge King of DIYs video on an algae scrubber. What a coincidence lol.

I have loads of purple algae on my glass. Keep it on cause it looks OK but it's not coraline. I want to grow coraline algae. Since I just added a ai prime 16hd yesterday compared to the terrible light I had before do u think that will help it grow? No clue on how to grow coraline

 

[BigTomo003]

Y

Then your onto a winner!

So have you plenty of live rock in your display tank that you can consider removing media from your canister filter over the next few weeks and eventually just pulling all the guts out of the filter, putting a pump onto the intake and swapping if to a refuge?

Yeah that was the idea, although the company I got the filter from does an extension of the filter which attaches to the pipes already in place which is a bit smaller than the canister filter I think it would be great for a fuge

 

[Dolphins18]

Thanks for your comment. I was actually just looking at tge King of DIYs video on an algae scrubber. What a coincidence lol.

I have loads of purple algae on my glass. Keep it on cause it looks OK but it's not coraline. I want to grow coraline algae. Since I just added a ai prime 16hd yesterday compared to the terrible light I had before do u think that will help it grow? No clue on how to grow coraline

Coralline is tricky. I unfortunately don’t know the best answer to that question. Are you positive it isn’t coralline? My best luck with coralline has just been waiting, usually it will spread slowly across established tanks. How old is the tank?

 

[geologeek]

Y
Yeah that was the idea, although the company I got the filter from does an extension of the filter which attaches to the pipes already in place which is a bit smaller than the canister filter I think it would be great for a fuge

In that case you may just be best getting a HOB refugium to return the canister filter water to the tank.......that would be better than using a small inline pre filter......

 

[BigTomo003]

Coralline is tricky. I unfortunately don’t know the best answer to that question. Are you positive it isn’t coralline? My best luck with coralline has just been waiting, usually it will spread slowly across established tanks. How old is the tank?

Im not sure it looks like a dark purple but I've seen some bright green spots on it recently. Tank is 9 months old, had livestock in for almost 8.