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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kenchilada" data-source="post: 10639482" data-attributes="member: 103905">This thread is funny.  Here is the low down.Canister filters, skimmers, filter socks, and roller mats are all forms of mechanical filtration.  Canisters can also perform chemical filtration and biological filtration, but if you have good live rock that’s not significant.  So let’s agree that in a reef, a canister is an electric filter sock where you can run carbon.We should also agree that all mechanical filtration is only useful if you can remove the waste before it breaks down further. Socks should be changed every few days, and so a canister should have the media changed every few days.Skimmers work via foam fractionation and will remove waste that other mechanical filters cannot.  So you either have a skimmer or you don’t.  Other forms of filtration can’t replace it.  This limits what you can do with it, UNLESS you compensate for lack of a skimmer with large frequent water changes - which is a great option!So knowing a canister can work and knowing it needs cleaned every few days, and you still want to use one because it’s a good fit for your scenario, here is what you can do to make it easy…<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Buy a canister from a company that will sell you extra bodies and baskets.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">If you want to “clean” the canister only twice a month, buy 4-6 sets of baskets and 2 bodies.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Pack all the bodies and baskets with clean filter media, probably mostly floss and sponge.  Use carbon if you want.  Skip bio media, you have live rock.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Twice a week, turn off the canister, remove head/lid, swap in the extra body with a fresh basket, replace lid, plug back in.  Done.  Toss the dirty basket out on the porch.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Once a month, clean all the dirty baskets at the same time.</li> </ol>Easy.  Same schedule as socks, just a little more work.  I ran a 55G softie tank this way for years, skimmerless, and it was fine.  Do a big water change on the day you clean your baskets.Worked in the 90s, works today, even if you won’t see this on YouTube.</blockquote>

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