Fluval 306 canister filter. Any good??

Gdk414 · Aug 8, 2016

Hi everybody, im in the process of setting up my first reef tank in my 44gal corner tank.
I know that protien skimmers have great advantages. And consistent water changes are essential for successful reefs. but i have a brand new Fluval 306 that i was going to use...
Can anyone give me any input based on experience not opinion on using these canister filters on a reef tank.

Untamedrose · Aug 8, 2016

You can have a successful tank with a canister...AND a skimmer. Really wouldnt recommend just the one.

and your going want to set the canister up a bit different from FW useage, and Clean it out when you do water changes.

Gdk414 · Aug 8, 2016

Set up diff how?

Untamedrose · Aug 8, 2016

Most canister filters come with foam layers at each layer...dont want that.
Bottom layer mechanical should be course and then medium and/or fine foam. This is what you have to clean out, least once a month or it can cause issues. Its a bit of a PITA but so are socks IMO. Stick it in a deep pan and clean it out
next should be chemical...Id suggest some polyfilter(Especially if your skimping and using tap!) this will soak up all kinda of heavy metals and bad chems...IF it ever turns any kinda color besides white and tan there is an issue it likely just saved you from, purigen in a sock and leave room to stick active carbon for when you need it...not a run all the time thing.
Next is Bio. marinepure is your best option.....LR rubble works too, lots of other bio media out there but bang for buck the marinepure is the way to go
if you have more levels...more Bio filters

IDK the Fluval 306 but id check the reviews on priming and getting it running... when it comes to canisters that getting the suction going question is KEY to are they a total hassle to just a chore like vacuuming the rug. Some start with a Few like 5 primes Others your arms about to fall off before its going.

Gdk414 · Aug 8, 2016

Thanks for the info. I run a few diff canisters on other tanks and know they can be a hassle to get going. But this 306 is supposedly an easy prime. Btw i will not be using tap water

wkscott · Aug 9, 2016

I actually have used canister filters on marine tanks, the first one being almost 40 years ago. In those days, we didn't keep corals, just fish, and nitrate was the least of our worries. Twenty years ago I was still using a canister filter (a Fluval) on a fish only tank. They work very well as a mechnical filter for polishing your water and pretty good when using chemical media like Poly Filters, Chemipure, granular activated carbon, etc.
It's probably best not to use it specifically for, or depend on it, for biological filtration. This is because you will need to clean this filter, not just when you do a water change, BUT AT LEAST WEEKLY. Otherwise your nitrate levels can get out of control. Also, the cleaning, even if you are careful, can disrupt the biological filtration that will be taking place inside of that canister possibly causing a mini cycle in your tank. You'll want your live rock to be your primary biological filter and you don't want to waste any of your valuable bacteria in a canister filter, especially on a new tank going through its initial nitrogen cycle.
I always keep a large canister filter available for my 90g reef tank just in case of an emergency where I need to very quickly use carbon or other chemical media to clear up a problem.

Fluvals are well-made and dependable and your model is easy to restart after cleaning. So back to your original question, you have a good machine there. It's just up to you how, or if, you use it.

Gdk414 · Aug 9, 2016

Great info. So you are saying that it could potentially harm my tank? Should i exclude the bio filter in the fluval?
Thanks

Gdk414 · Aug 9, 2016

I also have 30 to 50lbs of pukani going in the tank and some 20 to 40lbs of fiji pink sand

wkscott · Aug 9, 2016

No, the Fluval will not harm your tank as long as you religiously keep it clean. If you are not going to have a sump with the new tank, then your Fluval will be perfect for mechanical and chemical filtration.
You've got some great live rock for your biological filtration. Do NOT use any biological filtration media in your Fluval. You are good to go.
Welcome to saltwater!

CodyRVA · Aug 9, 2016

Ran a 45g system on a hydor canister with awesome success housing various fish and corals from softies to SPS. As indicated its all about how you setup the canister, maintain it, and what other means of nutrient export will be incorporated. Always buy a canister several ratings higher than recommended.

+1 on PITA filter socks. I spend more time swapping/cleaning socks than I ever did cleaning my canister.

Tip: don't buy the actual filter pads for the canister, stupid expensive. Buy felt by the yard and cut it to fit. You can buy large squares of course filter media and do the same thing. The cut felt pieces are essentially filter socks, course media used to stop large particles. I never washed this stuff, just cut new and replaced since it was so cheap.

Gdk414 · Aug 9, 2016

Great info guys thanks this is the feedback im looking for

CodyRVA · Aug 9, 2016

Gdk414 said:
Great info guys thanks this is the feedback im looking for

This is the generally the ideal setup.

Gdk414 · Aug 9, 2016

I like how he did that. Good video. But is the pukani and sand going to be enough bio or should i buy the high end media like he had in the video. ??

CodyRVA · Aug 9, 2016

Gdk414 said:
I like how he did that. Good video. But is the pukani and sand going to be enough bio or should i buy the high end media like he had in the video. ??

Definitely get some media for the canister. You can use marine pure, I use sintered glass. The goal is the same, you want to catch all the waste in the course and felt filter pads at the bottom of the canister so your bacteria get clean filter media to colonize.

Gdk414 · Aug 9, 2016

CodyRVA said:
Definitely get some media for the canister. You can use marine pure, I use sintered glass. The goal is the same, you want to catch all the waste in the course and felt filter pads at the bottom of the canister so your bacteria get clean filter media to colonize.

This makes sense to me but i want to be sure. Scott just said no bio in the canister...any input?

wkscott · Aug 9, 2016

That video is questionable, even for a freshwater tank in that it doesn't even allow for ANY chemical filtration, such as carbon.
Again, you do not want BIOLOGICAL filtration in your Fluval. You want your biological filtration to take place in your tank, in your live rock and sand. I strongly urge you not to put in any sort of biological media into the Fluval and reserve the top two chambers for chemical filtration media. At some point you will most likely need to use some carbon and GFO, or other chemical media.

Gdk414 · Aug 9, 2016

I follow you scott i need to learn more lol. Keep the replys comming. Im fairly new to this and 100% new to saltwater so all this feedback is great.

CodyRVA · Aug 9, 2016

wkscott said:
That video is questionable, even for a freshwater tank in that it doesn't even allow for ANY chemical filtration, such as carbon.
Again, you do want BIOLOGICAL filtration in your Fluval. You want your biological filtration to take place in your tank, in your live rock and sand. I strongly urge you not to put in any sort of biological media into the Fluval and reserve the top two chambers for chemical filtration media. At some point you will most likely need to use some carbon and GFO, or other chemical media.

Canisters are drastically inefficient for using media like carbon or GFO hence why he's not using either in his canister, he has several videos, not sure if he mentions it in this video.

You need to run these types of filtration in a separate reactor for best efficiency; this is why he's using the extra canister space for bio filtration. I ran this setup for a long time and I assure you it works. You can absolutely use carbon or GFO for example in the canister, but it just will not be as efficient compared to a reactor.

wkscott · Aug 9, 2016

Yes, I agree that any canister filter is not as good as reactors but looking at the complete thread, I do not believe that a sump is going to be used nor a protein skimmer. If this is the case, then the canister will have to be used for chemical filtration.