- Canister filters have been the long go-to filtration
option for larger tanks in the fresh water world.
But are they good for salt water tanks too?
Let's find out.
(upbeat music)
Hi, this is Wayland from Marine Depot, and thanks
for tuning in.
Today, we're looking at canister filters and their
applications in marine aquaria.
But let's first take a look at how they work.
Canister filters at their core, are very simple.
They incorporate several baskets for different types
of filter media and a small circulation pump
housed inside of a compact case.
Once that initial siphon is created, the pump draws water
from the tank through the inlet tube.
It then passes through several stages of mechanical,
chemical and biological filtration.
Once it reaches the end of the canister, the water hits
the pumps and is returned to the tank via the outlet tube.
One of the biggest issues that canister filters come with,
is that they can be tough to clean out.
As with all aquarium equipment, a canister filter
will slowly collect waste and detritus.
Meaning that it will need to be periodically cleaned.
Unfortunately, canisters are filled with water,
and don't really have a great way of draining it.
Depending on the model that you have,
most filters have a way to lock the inlet and outlet
to maintain the drain siphon while still allowing you to
move the filter away from the tank.
First things first, you'll need to unplug the filter
to stop the filtration pump.
Next, just unlock and remove the inlet and outlet tubes.
Take the now disconnected canister to a sink, outside,
or wherever you choose to do your aquarium maintenance.
From here you can drain the filter and remove the media.
Double check your mechanical and chemical filtration,
and replace it if need be.
Also, take a look to see if your biological media has
started to collect waste.
If it's gotten too dirty, take either the water you've
drained from the filter, or some newly-mixed salt water
and rinse the media in it.
Make sure that you clean the biological media in salt water
otherwise you'll kill the bacteria that colonized on it.
While you still have the filter open and empty,
rinse out the body and make sure it's clear of any debris.
Once everything is clean, replace the media and hook
the canister back up to your tank.
It's also a good idea to have some newly mixed up water,
as you'll need to replace whatever you've drained from
the filter initially.
So why do canister filters get a bad rap when it comes
to salt water tanks?
Well, in a fish only situation, you can certainly put
a canister filter to use when used alongside
a protein skimmer.
Unfortunately, this isn't always the case for reef tanks.
Once you add coral to a tank, it makes everything
a bit more complicated.
Unfortunately, canister filters just don't measure up to
how sumps perform in these areas.
First, sumps hold much more water than a canister,
greatly adding to your total system volume and keeping
your parameters much more stable.
Second, and also do to it's lack of size, there simply
is not enough surface area in the canister for bacteria
to grow, when compared to a sump.
This can be combated by filling your canister primarily
with biological media, but even then, there may not be
enough space to make up the difference.
As fish are a little less picky than corals, a canister
filter is likely a better fit for fish only
with live rock tanks.
Keep in mind that you'll still need to perform regular
maintenance on it and replace your media on a schedule.
Otherwise you'll risk letting it become
a nitrate-producing factory.
Despite these issues, canister filters can still definitely
be used on marine aquariums, but are often best saved
for nano-tanks, where a sump just isn't practical.
Outside of being a permanent filter for your tank,
canister filters do have a number of other uses
in the hobby.
We have highlighted a few of them
in the videos linked in the cards, but I'm sure
you can think of a few more if you get creative.
Here at Marine Depot we carry a variety of canisters
from Eheim, Fluval and Zoo Med,
that are great for both salt water
and fresh water applications.
They all get you to the same end point,
but each one has different features
which may appeal to you more.
Let us know the different ways you've set up
a canister filter and what kind of media
you load them with in the comments below.
Please share this video if you've found
it helpful, and subscribe for more helpful
content in the future.
As always, thank you for tuning in,
and let's build a better aquarium together.
(upbeat music)