IMPOSSIBLE: MIXED REEF RUNNING ON CANISTERS

[Evil1]

65 gallon mixed reef running on 2 Oase Biomaster 600’s dosing 50ml of AFR daily, 4ml Nopox daily Aquamaxx 1.5 skimmer, 2 RS 90’s and Orphex Blue plus. 6 years running. No issues.

How are the suction cups on that oase surface skimmer? Was always skeptical if they would hold up long term but like the water output straight down

excellent! I just replaced the 350 with the 600. awesome

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Impressive for sure. So your using the FX6s for biological filtration? Seems like full of rock they would be great as a cryptic zone. I've been tempted to set one up full of rubble on my 40g that I'm running with a hob.

This is what I did with my Oase' 600 canister. Filled it with rock rubble and hoping for a cryptic zone. The Oase' has a pre filter that is easily accessible, and I clean that every week. But My plan for the rock rubble is yearly.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

65 gallon mixed reef running on 2 Oase Biomaster 600’s dosing 50ml of AFR daily, 4ml Nopox daily Aquamaxx 1.5 skimmer, 2 RS 90’s and Orphex Blue plus. 6 years running. No issues.

excellent! I just replaced the 350 with the 600. awesome

I have the 600 running on my 90 gallon for 2 years now, and I do love that thing! Oase' made an excellent design for sure.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Not impossible at all. Just more work. I ran a successful 75G mixed reef on canister for a long time.

I ran a fx6 and did weekly 5G water changes, the fx6 holds exactly 5 gal so it was convenient. Just stay on top of cleaning, every week filters got rinsed in the old water. I didn't like have the HOB skimmer on the back but built a big canopy to hide it. was a very cheap tank to setup and got most of it used or free.

 

[IntrinsicReef]

Softies are great help for keeping tanks low maintenance. I have found all my tanks with Softies ( especially fast growing leathers) grow less algae and are more stable with less work. It's a shame they are not more popular.

 

[Mongo1.0]

I have a 75gal with a 407 Fluval canister. Probably need to get dosing pumps set up at some point to save myself time, be more consistent and to add the dose slower. I vacuum and replace what water I need to top it off. Rinse the foam in the filter probably every 2 months or so. I seem to have less issues and everything more stable than when I was cleaning and doing 20 percent water changes weekly.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I have a 75gal with a 407 Fluval canister. Probably need to get dosing pumps set up at some point to save myself time, be more consistent and to add the dose slower. I vacuum and replace what water I need to top it off. Rinse the foam in the filter probably every 2 months or so. I seem to have less issues and everything more stable than when I was cleaning and doing 20 percent water changes weekly.

I was doing 25% water changes every other week until recently when I came across @vetteguy53081 who does mini changes every day in his 400 gallon system. I am trying that out in my 90 by doing 2 gallon changes every other day. So far so good. super easy, no time at all, and while I don't really see a difference yet (been about 2 weeks) at the very least, it is not detrimental and seems more stable for sure!

 

[Bear22]

I went the canister route on my 11 gallon nano for simplicity/KISS sake. (Oase Bio2 250)

It's dead silent (quieter than any of my Eheims on my planted tanks) and I like that I don't have to plumb-in/wire up a heater. Plus the flow is decent enough where I don't have to have to run an in-tank powerhead.

 

[Mongo1.0]

I have a 75gal with a 407 Fluval canister. Probably need to get dosing pumps set up at some point to save myself time, be more consistent and to add the dose slower. I vacuum and replace what water I need to top it off. Rinse the foam in the filter probably every 2 months or so. I seem to have less issues and everything more stable than when I was cleaning and doing 20 percent water changes weekly.

I was doing 25% water changes every other week until recently when I came across @vetteguy53081 who does mini changes every day in his 400 gallon system. I am trying that out in my 90 by doing 2 gallon changes every other day. So far so good. super easy, no time at all, and while I don't really see a difference yet (been about 2 weeks) at the very least, it is not detrimental and seems more stable for sure!

I probably lose 2 to 4 gal naturally a week in both my saltwater and freshwater tanks. Most of the time I am just topping them off. Since I started this, seems like my corals have looked healthier.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I was doing 25% water changes every other week until recently when I came across @vetteguy53081 who does mini changes every day in his 400 gallon system. I am trying that out in my 90 by doing 2 gallon changes every other day. So far so good. super easy, no time at all, and while I don't really see a difference yet (been about 2 weeks) at the very least, it is not detrimental and seems more stable for sure!

Took me about a month to see changes especially SPS and the key is- Doesnt really take much time. I think scraping the glass with a magnet cleaner takes longer

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Took me about a month to see changes especially SPS and the key is- Doesnt really take much time. I think scraping the glass with a magnet cleaner takes longer

LOL i think you are right! Scraping the glass does take longer! Water changes no longer feel like a chore at all.

 

[Mongo1.0]

I was doing 25% water changes every other week until recently when I came across @vetteguy53081 who does mini changes every day in his 400 gallon system. I am trying that out in my 90 by doing 2 gallon changes every other day. So far so good. super easy, no time at all, and while I don't really see a difference yet (been about 2 weeks) at the very least, it is not detrimental and seems more stable for sure!

Took me about a month to see changes especially SPS and the key is- Doesnt really take much time. I think scraping the glass with a magnet cleaner takes longer

I use a scraper with a razor blade on the glass, works faster. Just don't dig into the silicone in the corners.

 

[Bear22]

I was once told that it would not be possible for me to have a mixed reef running on canisters...its a set-up for failure. You can only keep softies.......
Well, here is a little slice from my 125G.
Equipment:
3 FX6's filled with LR - Once a year clean tub out/motor clean
1 Icecap K3-250 Skimmer
1 Razor 300w Light
1 LR500 (Octo Clone) chaeto reactor
Dosing: 15ml AFR daily
Dosing: 15ml DIY NoPox (Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley) every other day
Water Change: This Decemeber will be 2 years no water change. Tanks been up 4 years.

Thoughts?

Curious, how are you incorporating the skimmer in plumbing terms?

 

[Wilbert]

I was once told that it would not be possible for me to have a mixed reef running on canisters...its a set-up for failure. You can only keep softies.......
Well, here is a little slice from my 125G.
Equipment:
3 FX6's filled with LR - Once a year clean tub out/motor clean
1 Icecap K3-250 Skimmer
1 Razor 300w Light
1 LR500 (Octo Clone) chaeto reactor
Dosing: 15ml AFR daily
Dosing: 15ml DIY NoPox (Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley) every other day
Water Change: This Decemeber will be 2 years no water change. Tanks been up 4 years.

Thoughts?

Looks awesome! I run my 40G on a aquael ultramax 1500 cannister with no trouble at all. The only thing is the maintenance, it is and will remain a pain to do imho. Not made the jump to corals yet with my tank being 8 months old, but great to see a fellow cannister user going the distance! keep it up man :)

 

[Evil1]

I have the 600 running on my 90 gallon for 2 years now, and I do love that thing! Oase' made an excellent design for sure.

They really do! Love my 600 canister filter too! The pre filter is so easy and quick to clean! I bought an extra pre filter set up so I just remove replace and thoroughly clean sponges and pre filter housing for next change.

 

[cdemoss01]

Tank is incredible.

 

[BryanM]

I was once told that it would not be possible for me to have a mixed reef running on canisters...its a set-up for failure. You can only keep softies.......
Well, here is a little slice from my 125G.
Equipment:
3 FX6's filled with LR - Once a year clean tub out/motor clean
1 Icecap K3-250 Skimmer
1 Razor 300w Light
1 LR500 (Octo Clone) chaeto reactor
Dosing: 15ml AFR daily
Dosing: 15ml DIY NoPox (Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley) every other day
Water Change: This Decemeber will be 2 years no water change. Tanks been up 4 years.

Thoughts?

Looks great, and this is just a testament that there are 1000 ways to reef.

 

[FUNGI]

Curious, how are you incorporating the skimmer in plumbing terms?

HOB

 

[Sophie"s mom]

They really do! Love my 600 canister filter too! The pre filter is so easy and quick to clean! I bought an extra pre filter set up so I just remove replace and thoroughly clean sponges and pre filter housing for next change.

yEP! tHAT IS EXACTLY WHAT i DO. bUT i USE THE BLUE SPONGES. i THREW THE BLACK ONES IT CAME WITH AWAY.

 

[FUNGI]

Not impossible at all. Just more work. I ran a successful 75G mixed reef on canister for a long time.

I ran a fx6 and did weekly 5G water changes, the fx6 holds exactly 5 gal so it was convenient. Just stay on top of cleaning, every week filters got rinsed in the old water. I didn't like have the HOB skimmer on the back but built a big canopy to hide it. was a very cheap tank to setup and got most of it used or free.

IMO...its actually less work. Key is minimal sponges in the filter (the only spong is the small one to protect teh motor intake ...just Live Rock Rubble I only rinse the filters once a year.....skimmer dumps skimmate into 3 gallon container that has auto-shut off at the fill line .......