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08-01-2009, 07:22 PM
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#1
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squid
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 5
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skimmer, canister filter, or both??
Hi all. I am setting up a 55g saltwater reef and am not sure about the whole filtration thing. I plan on having LR and various LPS, softies etc. with a small number of fish. Do I need both a protein skimmer and a good filter? I guess I assumed coming from a FW setup that I would need a filter and then a protein skimmer as well. Let me know what you guys think.
Oh, and I don't plan on having a sump...
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08-01-2009, 07:42 PM
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#2
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Gone Snorkeling...
  
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Greenville,SC
Posts: 8,531
Reviews: 52
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Protein skimmer... if you have a canister filter already, you can use it for the occasional water polishing.
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08-01-2009, 07:56 PM
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#3
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Son of Jor El
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Springfield MO
Posts: 4,580
Reviews: 52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat Tony
Protein skimmer... if you have a canister filter already, you can use it for the occasional water polishing. |
+1
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Jeremy http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f7...ef-119089.html
Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky went hunting? Well anyway, Brasky decides he's gonna hunt down all four members of the Banana Splits. He stalks and kills every one of them with a machete. They all beg for their lives, except Fleagul.
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08-01-2009, 08:11 PM
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#4
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Keeper of the Kracken
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Martin, SC
Posts: 11,407
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 Welcome to TRT!!!
As the others have said, the cannister can be used occasionally but you do not want to run it all the time. Another option is to have a power filter, like the Aquaclear 110, available for any time you may need to run some chemical filtration as it gives you a place to put it. The major issue with one of these filters is you need to clean the sponge quite often. All of your biological filtration will take place in the live rock, so you do not need any type of bioballs, ceramic cylinders, or anything else that is meant to colonize bacteria. |
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08-01-2009, 09:26 PM
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#5
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 992
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+1 on just skimmer..canisters cause more problems then they fix!-drew
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08-02-2009, 12:33 AM
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#6
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I've got the REEF rash!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 34,137
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Just use a good skimmer with the rock!
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08-02-2009, 07:05 PM
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#7
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squid
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 5
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awesome! one quality skimmer coming up! Any advice on brands? It seems everyone here is pretty partial to the Bubbleking or Reef Octopus...looking for a hanging skimmer as I don't plan on having a sump
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08-02-2009, 07:41 PM
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#8
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Keeper of the Kracken
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Martin, SC
Posts: 11,407
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Octopus makes good HOB skimmers, I use on on my 40 gallon and like it. I am currently using a CPR BakPak 2R on my 54 gallon tank and really like it as well. If you are not worried about cost, then you could always look at the Bubble King or Deltec lines.
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08-04-2009, 06:16 PM
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#9
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New York
Posts: 118
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I highly recommend doing them both, best move I ever made was to add a canister with mechanical filtration and carbon, along with my remora skimmer. Skimmer removes tiny nasties from the water and pulls it out of your tank. The canister takes care of the large detritus that a skimmer doesn't pull. Also you can add carbon to it to get some extra polish.
Blow off your rocks every few days with a turkey baster, change the entire contents of the canister every 2 weeks (water and floss, you can keep your carbon longer).
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08-04-2009, 10:04 PM
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#10
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75, 75, 29, 20, 20, 10
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Rochester, Minnesota
Posts: 1,063
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Skimmer and canister filter 
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