Filter Advice Needed!

[Guinevere55]

Hi!

I have just bought a 46 gallon tank, and plan on eventually adding 3-4 fishies and a few anemones/corals. I'm new at this, so I want to make sure I get it right the first time!

I have a FLUVAL MSF 304 Power Canister Filter. Is this the only filter I need for a mini-reef tank? Should I get another kind of filter? I've read a few books on the subject, and I'm rather confused. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[yekim_4321]

Hi, i'm new to when i set my tank up all i added was living rock (well cured) and a good protein skimmer and thats my filtration and so far so good!

HTH

Mick

 

[macpegg]

i stuck an external on mine just 2 make sure, just have no idea if i should add carbon to it or not.... good for taken copper out just incase it gets in.. other than that, dunno if shud implement it....

 

[Great Lakes]

Guinevere, Welcome.....

When you have a reef tank established, the live rock and protein skimmer are adequate.

The canister will help in the interim and to occsionally run carbon though.

GL

 

[ostrow]

Cannister not needed really. Likely a hotbed for nitrates. I disconnected mine. When I need to run carbon, I put a pad in one of the baskets and drop it in the sump.

 

[SaltyMist]

The thing about canisters are, or any filter for that matter, is that it's a backup to the natural filtration of the liverock.

I like the knowledge that I have my canister sitting there running in case something goes seriously wrong with the liverock, or visa versa.

They are not nitrate factories if maintained properly. I only use mine with the presponge in it (and this gets rinsed out weekly or every 2 weeks at most in the water change water, and occassionally throw a bag of carbon in one of the containers to clear up the water if it gets nasty looking, but as time goes on I find that I dont really need to add any carbon anymore, and the water just stays clear, I guess everything is working together in harmony.

I have been intrigued to turn off my canister and just run with the liverock, skimmer, couple powerheads to see if it's more of a natural system thats going to work, but I just can't concieve the possiblity that if something is not in balance then I will be the killer of the inhabitants, though I do have friends that run with only a couple powerheads in their tank and a skimmer, and all is well for them.

But I like having a backup just in case.