Canister Filters: Canister filters are a viable, inexpensive way to filter a reef tank. True or False?

[adittam]

To everyone saying how much cheaper a filter sock is, you're conveniently ignoring the rest of the sump, overflow, plumbing, and return pump.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

I wonder if it's the same goobers that think freshwater planted tanks are hard that hate on canister filters ;Joyful

 

[fromdiscustoreef]

Ran a cannister filter on my reef tank before going back to Discus. Now back to Reef and used the same cannister on it. Only issue is salt in the moving parts. Wrecked mine and have up the ghost a few weeks back. Upgraded to a 125 AIO but still loved my cannister! Regular maintaince and never an issue no matter what any LFS told me!!

 

[WVNed]

A cannister filter wont do anything that something else will do better. I was running one on my feeder tank until I got the RFUG in it. Cleaning it was a messy pain.
Also saying cannister filter is kind of misleading. It's a housing with a pump and tubes.
How well it works depends on what you put in it. For salt tanks all I ever used was a course sponge, bio media and occasionally some carbon.

 

[StPatrick89]

Came in watching freshwater tank setup. I have a SunSun 304B on my 75G. Now after familiarizing myself with the hobby as a whole I would still choose to use a canister. It’s quiet, it’s big enough to fit my media, and what IS in the tank is very minimal. The excuse of canisters being a nitrate factory is due to those LAZY PEOPLE WHO ARE GIVING CANISTERS A BAD NAME.

 

[Spieg]

To everyone saying how much cheaper a filter sock is, you're conveniently ignoring the rest of the sump, overflow, plumbing, and return pump.

Used 29 gallon tank $5, sheet of Lexan cut for baffles $12, Silicon hose for drain/return lines $15, used protein skimmer $50, DC return pump $70, sock holder $15, socks $3 ea. All in for less than $200.

 

[StPatrick89]

A cannister filter wont do anything that something else will do better. I was running one on my feeder tank until I got the RFUG in it. Cleaning it was a messy pain.
Also saying cannister filter is kind of misleading. It's a housing with a pump and tubes.
How well it works depends on what you put in it. For salt tanks all I ever used was a course sponge, bio media and occasionally some carbon.

Messy Pain? Really? Wow, is this where we’ve gotten in society to where cleaning a bucket, and some sponges is a “messy pain?” It’s really not that bad you’re over exaggerating. Especially if you’re cleaning it on your off week when you don’t clean the tank because you’re “not supposed to do that.”

 

[M Stein]

I voted other, because I don't know that a canister filter is cheaper than dry rock.
It definitely is cheaper that a sump and return pump, but you can't stick a heater and skimmer into it the way you can with a sump.
I don't really see why somebody would want to run extra media when in my experience so far, the live rock in the DT is more than sufficient. And I would rather run a cheap BRS media reactor for my carbon (and if you really need to, ceramic media).

 

[Brew12]

I'm in the other camp. You can run a perfectly healthy reef tank without any type of filter. If you want to use it to polish the water, it will work just fine. If you run it all of the time, that is fine too. Since it is completely unnecessary it would be hard to say it isn't viable. Is it inexpensive compared to not using a filter at all? Not really.

 

[Sleepingtiger]

Messy Pain? Really? Wow, is this where we’ve gotten in society to where cleaning a bucket, and some sponges is a “messy pain?” It’s really not that bad you’re over exaggerating. Especially if you’re cleaning it on your off week when you don’t clean the tank because you’re “not supposed to do that.”

huge messy pain. Cleaning the FX5/6 is a mess. the trays of sponges, media, ceramic balls. Not to mention the dang filter is heavy especially trying to get it out from inside the stand.

 

[adittam]

Obviously it’s not cheaper than just dry rock with a powerhead (which I agree can be sufficient filtration in some tanks). I was saying it’s cheap compared to most forms of external filtration. A HOB filter would be cheaper (and even easier to clean) than a canister filter, but doesn’t do as good of a job, IMO.

 

[ReefGeezer]

1. Do you agree or disagree?
I can't disagree because the OP used the word "viable". But, for the most part, "filtering" is not a great term to use for the nutrient export process for a reef tank. If you need something to make the water clear, a canister filter works... if you need to reduce ammonia/nitrite, a canister filter works... and here comes the all important "but"... as far as reducing dissolved organics, nitrate, & phosphate they suck without using GAC, GFO, and other stuff to do those jobs. That makes them high maintenance and expensive to run. I suppose, where they can replace the sump/return pump in a small tank that has other means of nutrient export, they are "viable".
2. Do you run a canister filter on your reef now or have you in the past?
I ran a 30 gallon "reef tank" in the 90's with a canister filter and an air stone driven skimmer. It worked well when graded on the curve of what we knew back then. Knowing what I know now, I understand that its success was mostly because there was 40 lbs of well established live rock in the tank. I probably didn't need the canister or the skimmer in that soft coral reef tank. As my tanks got larger, and I started including more and more sensitive hard corals, I found that it was easier to maintain them if there was a sump, regardless of the type of "filtration" I chose to put in them.

 

[WVNed]

Messy Pain? Really? Wow, is this where we’ve gotten in society to where cleaning a bucket, and some sponges is a “messy pain?” It’s really not that bad you’re over exaggerating. Especially if you’re cleaning it on your off week when you don’t clean the tank because you’re “not supposed to do that.”

It a messy thing full of fish poop I have to carry into the fish room. Full of water it's heavy. It has no good way to get ahold of it to lift it either.
You enjoy yours. Mine is sitting there in the floor unused now.

 

[reefscrub_]

For similar price you can get an aquamaxx hang on back filter/reactor/fuge/skimmer combo(model hf-m). I have one and it’s like a mini sump on the back of your tank, even houses my heater/probes/dosing tubes. Looks stylish too like an aio without the price.

 

[Fourstars]

All you need is live rock skimmer or ATS, why gum up the works. KISS

 

[Quietman]

I think you'd have to pick the right canister filter. A lot of them now have well...too much stuff going on. Too much heaters, trays with odd flow patterns, prefilters, electronic controls and such. Plus (me being in planted tanks as well), they're not setup correctly for planted correctly let alone a SW/reef. Fine filters before coarse, less than optimal media, lower flow for size tank, hard to get at trays with too many screws or locks.

But, if someone carefully selects the correct canister and sets it up for a reef tank, then yes. No reason it can't work and be an inexpensive solution. Actually selecting the 'right' canister will save 1/2 the money over buying the many gimmick laden canisters out there.

 

[Frostblitz20]

i would argue with anyone who says no. ive been running one on a test experiment tank.. havent changed out the filter media or any water changes in 6 months. tank is going strong no algae outbreak. got tons of coraline algae and my fish are all healthy and growing strong.

while my main tanks that i do water changes daily and change out media on have some small traces of dinos.

 

[MohrReefs]

I had a canister filter at first and had horrible issues with algae, that promptly ended with the addition of a chaeto sump and skimmer. Not saying someone else won't have better luck, but I didnt.

 

[vintage detritus]

I have run an Eheim 2080 canister on my FW planted tank for ten years. It's a royal pain I would not wish on any reefer. It would take 30 minutes minimum every two weeks to haul it out, disassemble, clean, and replace, and that's assuming that the priming procedure worked. I say "would take 30 minutes" because that maintenance never gets done. I am seriously considering switching to a couple of HOB Aqua Clears.

Given the available alternatives, I think the canisters would just add another bit of high-maintenance equipment to an already overly complicated pastime.

 

[MnFish1]

1. Do you agree or disagree?

The question here to me relates to the specifics - you said 'to filter a reef tank'. As compared to clarifying, etc a reef tank. BUT - did you mean biologic filtration, did you mean particle filtration, etc etc. Here is my set up. I have a tank. It drains into a couple filter socks into a sump. In the sump is an oxydator and couple bags of carbon and a skimmer. So - no. Its not necessary.

But - if you had a tank - with no sump - especially the fluvial you pictured - yes - it is fine - with cleaning - which is a major (IMO) hassle

2. Do you run a canister filter on your reef now or have you in the past?

Yes - when I didnt have a sump - It was a FOWLR - I see no need at this point