The Puffer Forum

I'm curious on how to proceed with upgrading the filter from a power to a canister, right now we are still in fresh aside from the table salt added to treat ick.
Should I wait to upgrade the filter until we make it to brackish, or can I upgrade the filter and then replace the filter media once we make the step? Or can it just be upgraded and left alone?

When you reach your target for full marine for a GSP, SG 1.020 -1.022, you won't want to use a canister filter. They are designed for freshwater systems, and in marine systems, unless they are run empty just to provide flow (Which is less diverse and more expensive than circulation pumps), they produce too much nitrate. The filtration you rely on in saltwater is the liverock, which houses your tiny creatures and bacteria, and water flow, achieved by using circulation pumps.

So no filter at all but the live rocks and power heads once we reach marine?

Yep, and a skimmer.
But not powerheads, circulation pumps, with the wide front grill as opposed to the unidirectional jet of a powerhead.
Like these: http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Koralia-Nan ... B0010P7I3G

Ohhhhh, ok.
So the entire purpose of wanting the canister filter was to reduce the water noise, I know some people like it, but sometimes at night it becomes overwelming, this will do just the same.

Thanks again!

PS. as you can tell, I have a lot to learn yet.

No problem

Assuming you have a HOB, you can reduce to noise by raising the water level even with the output on the filter.

my problem with that is our floors aren't totally level, and no matter how much I try, I can't get it right up against without overflowing to the other side. Our house is well over 120 years old, but once I get the tank on a stand instead of my dresser I'll be able to level it out better.

you could always shim the bottom of the dresser to try to level it out.

Not all SW tanks have LR filtration. Quite a lot of SW tanks continue to use filter-contained bacterial filtration. Upkeep is significantly more expensive and laborious but the capital investment is lower.

Personally, I prefer LR, but I'd never use it or a skimmer in a single tank system. I am pretty picky about display tanks.

Why wouldnt you use LR in a single tank system?

Will my current filter be ok in brackish?

xrayjeeper83: Live rock occupies too much space and thus reduces the water volume quite a lot, way below what the fish is likely to need. You could enlarge the tank size used, but then you have a lot of rock jammed in and nothing but a rockscape. NIMFT.

I can have enough LR for aquascaping in the display, with the bulk in a sump along with the skimmer. That way the utilities and the display are separate. The fish gets all the water volume it needs for support, with plenty of swimming space. The utilities are out of sight but still doing their job.

jenrkit84: If your HOB filter is adequate to support the fish as an adult, then yes, it can still do the same job in SW. HOBs need higher flow than canisters to do the same job, but the carrying capacity need not change with the filter format.

HTH

What is the best option for SW?
LR or Canister with skimmer and weekly water changes?

I am reading some up and down reviews on using live rock as the only source of filtration, I have some time yet, but I would like to get a plan in action for when the total SW change is made.

I personally use liverock as my biological filtration. My GSP is in a tank that holds 55 gallons with nothing in it, the liverock does displace a good amount of water, but he and one other small fish are the only fish in the tank, and he is 2.75". If/when he grows larger, I will set up a larger system for him. I also have a 45 gallon FOWLR, with 2 small fish. They have plenty of space yet to explore and swim. The amount of liverock keeps up with their bioload, and it's not a jam packed liverock eyesore.

My personal suggestion to you, since you have time yet to plan, is to get a larger system so that the displacement from the liverock won't hinder his swimming/living space quite so much. Other than that, if you relied on the freshwater style filtration with a canister on that size of tank at full marine SG, you will still have to do the weekly 50% water changes to keep your nitrates down, and the $alt will add up quickly.