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CANISTER FILTER AS A SUMP ?


MOJOEJOEJOE

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MOJOEJOEJOE

Anyone ever use a canister filter as a sump. I know it sounds weird but what if I took out all the crap and added some live rock and live sand. Would it have more benefits than just a standard canister filter? Just trying to make my 12gnc a little better.

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I looked into it before and my understanding is that doing it that way would trap a ton of detritus and then turn it into a nitrate factory. The other concern is that the creatures that would normally thrive in a dark environment like that don't normally like a whole lot of flow. (Look for more information on cryptic zones).

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Do you plan to have live rock and live sand in your tank? If yes, no need to do that in the canister filter, You can add a bunch of filter pad in there for better filtration.

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acropora1981

You can't really use one as a sump, but if you clean it often enough you can certainly use it as a chemical media reactor. Take out the bio media and clean the sponges 2 to 3 times per month.

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i dont see why it wouldnt work..you would need to do some fabrication. Gut the inside so only thing in there is the pump..then figure a way to make a plexi top or cut out sections on each side and replace with plexi. you can then light it..fill it with live rock and throw a clump of cheato on top of it..it would add to your bio filtration due to being full of live rock but its not gonna do anything for total system volume. its not the best thing but if thats what you have to make due it can work.

if you did it this way only being full of live rock there is no way it will become a nitrate factory anymore then a standard sump...Personally i think people just like to scream nitrates for everything. It seems some people will say your gonna have a nitrate factory if you look at your tank to long..so I personally take the whole nitrate, cycle, and acclimation thing the way I want. some of the stuff I hear people spout out on these 3 topics are absurd.

 

if you want to make it even better..attach a filter sock to the incoming line in the canister..and then clean it every 2 weeks..that will trap most of the big stuff from getting into your canister..thats what i do with my sump so not really any different.

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I guess i don't really get the point. A canister filter is a great way to run carbon, chemipure/phosban/purigen. those things will clean your tank up a lot more then adding another pound of live rock. That's what your tank is for, but your tank isn't a good place to run chemical filtration...so.....using it what its meant for seems like the best choice to me.

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i dont see why it wouldnt work..you would need to do some fabrication. Gut the inside so only thing in there is the pump..then figure a way to make a plexi top or cut out sections on each side and replace with plexi. you can then light it..fill it with live rock and throw a clump of cheato on top of it..it would add to your bio filtration due to being full of live rock but its not gonna do anything for total system volume. its not the best thing but if thats what you have to make due it can work.

if you did it this way only being full of live rock there is no way it will become a nitrate factory anymore then a standard sump...Personally i think people just like to scream nitrates for everything. It seems some people will say your gonna have a nitrate factory if you look at your tank to long..so I personally take the whole nitrate, cycle, and acclimation thing the way I want. some of the stuff I hear people spout out on these 3 topics are absurd.

 

if you want to make it even better..attach a filter sock to the incoming line in the canister..and then clean it every 2 weeks..that will trap most of the big stuff from getting into your canister..thats what i do with my sump so not really any different.

 

I run a canister on my 40b . but I kinda modded mine. the foam is still there but filterfloss gets hit before the foam. which is clean with ro every week. but the media chambers have had the bottoms cut out, and my chemipure elite, and purigen are in the bottom with another piece of filter floss lying on the bottom of the canister. then the top has the bio media. I don't have any problems with nitrates ...But I do like the Idea of 05xrunners post, about cutting out the side and molding a clear plastic back on, and using liverock. But to add to that. I might install a divider with a 1in gap on the bottom, and put a sock on the input side, and live rock rubble on the return side then cheto with the blue plastic baskit on top so it doesn't get pushed back in the return line. With that 4 led JBJ mag/fuge light..... This sounds like a project , I might consider doing.....

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Without light wouldn't it act like a mini-cryptic refugium? Make sure you use filter floss to trap the detritus and replace it weekly.

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MOJOEJOEJOE

I like all the feedabck. Makes me think about some other advantages of leaving it as is. I have been running it for a while but I only clean it out once a month or so. not good but I get lazy with breaking it down. I run some floss and have some rock and carbon in there. I really should test my water because I have not done it in a while. The tank is about 3 years old and overall pretty good. I do get lots of green hair algae but thats probably because the local guy who sells RO dumped his business so i have been using tap water when needed to top off. I know not a good thing.

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  • 2 months later...
wesley42079

That is insane. You use tap water for top off?

 

You should have more things going on than just GHA, but if its working for you, keep on truckn.

 

 

 

I have been using tap water when needed to top off. I know not a good thing.
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