Need some filtration advice...upgrading soon and could use some feedback

I really don't think you need a cannister filter. With a good skimmer ,RO/DI water,good live rock , good circulation and frequent water changes, a cannister filter doesn't add anything. As a matter of fact, it can become a nitrate fcatory for you as it captures waste. I'd save the money and skip the cannister filter.

 

for the money your spending on either canister you could build a nice sump setup and add a media reactor, while still being able to use your skimmer.

 

even if you just can not do a sump system, you dont need a canister! A protein skimmer that is rated for 90gal plus. {given you are going for a 55gal.} and 60+lbs of live rock is all you truely are going to need. Do not skimp on the skimmer though.

Mike
55gal sumpless

 

For all that i would go filterless aswell. Get a cheap canister and use carbon 1 or 2 time a month for 3 days or so, if the color of your water turns yellow.

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?idproduct=NX1113&idCartRow=20175710&isKit=0&tab=4

Spend your money on one of these and run carbon/gfo in it.

 

yeah  or you can get a biowheel, ditch the wheels and use the grey containers to run carbon and or gfo. plus you get nice surface movement from it.

 

I used that exact Eheim wet/dry in combination with a Eheim Pro II 2026 on my 55 gallon cichlid tank (freshwater) and it worked fantastic. I never had issues with nitrates and my tank was very overstocked (which is a known strategy to keeping aggression down in cichlids). I'm not sure how well it would work on the saltwater stuff, but I really enjoyed it on my freshwater setup. When I switched to saltwater, I sold it on eBay, so I no longer have it.

--AJ

 

Reactor's a great idea!
I use a H.O.T. 250 (HOT=Hang on tank) from Marineland.
Fosters & Smith is currently @ $51.99
It's a hang on canister filter rated @ 250 gph (has it's own internal pump) which adds flow to the tank, isn't too large, and is versatile.  There's an internal basket than can be filled with media and run with a foam filter or you can run the polishing filter (re-usable).
I run carbon in the media basket and rinse the foam filter weekly to prevent issues as it makes a great mechanical filter.
I've had it running since 2003 with no issues when Hung suggested it to me.  He uses them as part of his maintenance business.
Just a thought!
-Eric

 

eric, does that filter work any differantly then my biowheel?

 

No as Marineland does make a Bio-Wheel version - just cheaper to buy without the extra parts!
-Eric