Wanting to get a snowflake moray eel

[Trustyworm]

I am planning on getting a 75 gallon tank for a snowflake moray eel. But I don't have space for a sump. Can I just use a fluvial canister? I heard eels are messy eaters, so I also plan on putting a hang on the back skimmer. Also, is using regular distilled water from the store good enough to fill the tank up? I don't have a rodi system, but I do have a ro system that will produce enough water to fill the tank back up for a water change.

 

[dedragon]

are you sure you dont have space for a sump because they usually just go into the stand?
Cannisters work but are annoying to deal with because you have to take it apart before cleaning, which usually end with a little water on the floor as well (not a problem with tile but can be with carpet or hardwood). With a sump you can cut time changing filters which also makes it much more likely that you will change the filters regularly.
Hob protein skimmers are very finicky and if something goes wrong they can overflow onto your floor.
This is from my experience with both a cannister filter and hob skimmer in the past. I would try to get a sump if you can just because it will make your life a lot easier in the long run and you cant exactly drill your tank after it is filled (i mean you CAN but its a huge hassle)
I also cant see any advantage to a cannister other than smaller space

does your ro system use the standard 1/4" tubing? if so you can set up a bipass to be able to use a di cannister with it (linked below) but also still have access to your ro water as well

Single Deionization Canister

Single Stage deionization canister. Perfect for adding a DI stage to your RO system or adding an additional stage to your current system. Comes with the Canister, Cartridge full of DI resin, and 5 feet of 1/4" tube. Features Perfect for adding a DI stage to your RO system or adding an...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Trustyworm]

are you sure you dont have space for a sump because they usually just go into the stand?
Cannisters work but are annoying to deal with because you have to take it apart before cleaning, which usually end with a little water on the floor as well (not a problem with tile but can be with carpet or hardwood). With a sump you can cut time changing filters which also makes it much more likely that you will change the filters regularly.
Hob protein skimmers are very finicky and if something goes wrong they can overflow onto your floor.
This is from my experience with both a cannister filter and hob skimmer in the past. I would try to get a sump if you can just because it will make your life a lot easier in the long run and you cant exactly drill your tank after it is filled (i mean you CAN but its a huge hassle)
I also cant see any advantage to a cannister other than smaller space

does your ro system use the standard 1/4" tubing? if so you can set up a bipass to be able to use a di cannister with it (linked below) but also still have access to your ro water as well

Single Deionization Canister

Single Stage deionization canister. Perfect for adding a DI stage to your RO system or adding an additional stage to your current system. Comes with the Canister, Cartridge full of DI resin, and 5 feet of 1/4" tube. Features Perfect for adding a DI stage to your RO system or adding an...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I’m using an aqueon 75 gallon, so I don’t think I can drill holes into it for a sump because it would shatter. That’s why I wanted to know if the canister and hob skimmer would work for the eel.

 

[dedragon]

i believe they sometimes substitute tempered but usually it is regular glass on the sides. you can check you can use this method to check
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i...=take a lap top and,' pattern, it is tempered.

 

[Soren]

I got into saltwater aquariums with a rehomed aquarium from a co-worker several years ago. It was a 75-gallon tank with a ~9inch snowflake moray eel (Echidna nebulosa) like you want. It had 2 cannister filters and a 90-gallon-rated skimmer. The eel grew to ~16 inches within the next several months until triggerfish aggression killed several tank mates and caused a tank emergency/crash. I left a ~1.5inch gap behind my lid screens to dangle mangroves into the tank and the eel slithered out that back gap and fell on the floor behind the tank. I did not find it for a couple days. It was already dead, though not completely dry.
Keeping a snowflake eel in a 75-gallon aquarium with cannister filters definitely can be done, but I agree with @dedragon and general consensus that cannister filters are more nuisance to clean or replace the filter than a sump.

Also, I have drilled the end panel of a 75 gallon Aqueon tank and think the bottom panel may also be un-tempered glass, but you would want to confirm before taking the risk of drilling your own tank.
If possible, a sump has many advantages over cannister filters.

Another note: I don't know exactly what is meant by eels being "messy eaters" and requiring heavy filtration. This may be true if you try to keep moderately difficult corals in the same tank, but a FOWLR with an eel does not seem more dirty/difficult to me than most any other FOWLR. A hang-on-back filter may be enough if regularly maintained, although I hardly ever hear of anyone other than beginners running a tank as cheaply as possible using this method. People that stick with this hobby seem to typically end up with sumps for filtration options... it really is mostly a matter of opinion, though, as I think a snowflake eel is simpler to keep than all corals except maybe the hardiest/most invasive corals.

 

[Poshangcun]

I got into saltwater aquariums with a rehomed aquarium from a co-worker several years ago. It was a 75-gallon tank with a ~9inch snowflake moray eel (Echidna nebulosa) like you want. It had 2 cannister filters and a 90-gallon-rated skimmer. The eel grew to ~16 inches within the next several months until triggerfish aggression killed several tank mates and caused a tank emergency/crash. I left a ~1.5inch gap behind my lid screens to dangle mangroves into the tank and the eel slithered out that back gap and fell on the floor behind the tank. I did not find it for a couple days. It was already dead, though not completely dry.
Keeping a snowflake eel in a 75-gallon aquarium with cannister filters definitely can be done, but I agree with @dedragon and general consensus that cannister filters are more nuisance to clean or replace the filter than a sump.

Also, I have drilled the end panel of a 75 gallon Aqueon tank and think the bottom panel may also be un-tempered glass, but you would want to confirm before taking the risk of drilling your own tank.
If possible, a sump has many advantages over cannister filters.

Another note: I don't know exactly what is meant by eels being "messy eaters" and requiring heavy filtration. This may be true if you try to keep moderately difficult corals in the same tank, but a FOWLR with an eel does not seem more dirty/difficult to me than most any other FOWLR. A hang-on-back filter may be enough if regularly maintained, although I hardly ever hear of anyone other than beginners running a tank as cheaply as possible using this method. People that stick with this hobby seem to typically end up with sumps for filtration options... it really is mostly a matter of opinion, though, as I think a snowflake eel is simpler to keep than all corals except maybe the hardiest/most invasive corals.

I agree. The HOB filter should be enough for your eel.

 

[Soren]

I agree. The HOB filter should be enough for your eel.

@Trustyworm I've currently had a ~6inch (grown now to ~10inch) snowflake eel in a 75-gallon quarantine with live rock and a hang-on back filter for over a year. It has done well, though not growing as fast as the first one from my co-worker. Due to delays in my main system progress along with concurrent house remodeling, it has been in this "quarantine" much longer than originally anticipated, but I have not felt concerned over the wellbeing of the eel.

 

[KQuillan]

@littlefoxx

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I've got an eel with an AIO tank. I have a skimmer but I rarely use it. No sponge or actual mechanical filtration. There's a 12" snowflake eel, Valentini puffer and a coral beauty angelfish, started with TBS live rock and i have a let a few weedy corals go wild. I feed every couple days rods mix, and nitrates stay around 30ppm. Everyone does their tanks different there's no "absolute" right way.

 

[littlefoxx]

@littlefoxx

They are messy, but manageable with that filtration if you are on top of water quality. I ran my 300 gallon for about a month with no filtration at all just circulation when I had an equipment malfunction and plumbing issues and my 4 eels were fine. Snowflakes are wonderful eels. This is Ghost, she is a sweet heart. Shes in the back