Canister Filter? - Page 2

aka_bigred · 10-27-2004, 01:40 PM

Ah yes, the Magnum's running on my FW setup. Diatom powder works great on the FW for extra sparkle, but it clogs up quite quickly and kills your flow from my experience so I think it'd be pretty much worthless on SW tanks. Not sure that I'll bother with one on the SW setup once it's running.

HFG · 10-27-2004, 03:25 PM

Right, when it comes down to it... not really much use on a reef.

I have used my old FW cans on my salt tanks for.

Emergancy pump, when my main went out.
QTank pump

loads of carbon when I cured 60lb of rock in a 40g tub.

Dead snail caused a amonia spike great emergency carbon for that.

So don't get rid of it. Infact, i would keep it empty with carbon ready to go incase of an emergancy. Unfortunatly, you never know what could happen

redwinger · 10-27-2004, 03:53 PM

Great advice I pulled it out of the system and will keep it handy for an emergency. Also will put it in an run it for 2-3 a month.

aka_bigred · 10-27-2004, 05:56 PM

Sorry for thread-jacking for a bit there Redwinger. I thought about asking before, just never got to it, and you already had people on the track.

Sounds like I'll too follow the general notion that they are great in a pinch otherwise just keep around until you're in a pinch.

happy · 10-27-2004, 08:15 PM

Here is what I do. I take some foam blocks and put them in my sump or overflow so that they are always biologically active. Then, if I need to set up a quarantine tank, or take some fish or animals out I can put them in a big trash can, put the foam into the canister, or a hang on the back filter, and I have a good biological filter ready to work. it comes in very handy every once in a while, and it is no bother.

jules77 · 10-27-2004, 10:32 PM

Hey winger,
My opinion is this- You bought 40#s of LR. You are seriously boarderline on Bio Filtering capabilty with that amount. The reccomended amount is 1 1/4- 2 #s per gallon of capacity. I would go with another 20#s minimum of LR or Run the canister w/out carbon until you get more. Hey that's 2 cents. I might drag your butt to the golf course again here soon, looks like the weather is hangin warn for a little while...

redwinger · 10-27-2004, 11:09 PM

Sounds good I could you some time on the course to get me away from my tank and computer. LOL

the_colonel · 10-28-2004, 08:50 AM

Okay, I have decided to take the advice here and only run my Filstar XP3 canister filter a few days a month with carbon to "polish" up the water, avoid the "yellow tint water", and have a standby to run carbon in an emergency.

So heres my questions:

What do I do with the canister filter the rest of the time?
Can I just unplug the filter and leave it alone, or do I need to remove the input/outputs from the tank?
If I just leave it, can I leave the carbon pouch in the filter, since no water is flowing through it?
Will the water in the hoses/canister "go bad" since it is not moving?

Thanks in advance,

Havre · 10-28-2004, 09:41 AM

YES the water will go bad ,very bad! You dont have to disconnect the hoses but before you start it up again you will have to take the filter off and empty and clean. Better off taking it off when you shut down. Take it apart and let the air dry it out.

the_colonel · 10-28-2004, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harv

YES the water will go bad ,very bad! You dont have to disconnect the hoses but before you start it up again you will have to take the filter off and empty and clean. Better off taking it off when you shut down. Take it apart and let the air dry it out.

What if I set it up on a timer, and ran it for 30 minutes, or an hour a day. Would this keep the water from "going bad"? This would still be less overall time then running it for three days a month. Anyone ever try this? Downsides?