Canister Filters

paulb

Does anyone have problems with external canister filters? My tank was just born about a year ago and whenever I clean the filter there really isn't much debris. Do these things really work the way they are supposed to? Buy the way I have a Rena XP2.

Nereaga

I dont know about the Rena models. I currently am running a Eheim Classic 2213 for my 55 g salty. My tank has been up now for 4 months or so. I clean mine every 2 weeks. My filters inside are dirty as can be by 2 weeks. I removed the ceramic media and just run my canister with biological media for extra bacteria colonization. I have the bare mininum of LR(55lbs) for natural biological filtration.

I dont know the Rena's and what they run inside them. Can you elaborate what yours has in it? Brad

Tommy Gun

Welcome to the forum paulb!

I agree with Nereaga....I run Marineland cannister filters on both my salty and freshwater tanks and always find that they collect debris quite well...almost too well sometimes. I clean mine every other week as well, unless I do something that kicks up a lot of stuff, which has been often these days.

I am also not familiar with the Rena line of cans, but you might be well served by taking a closer look at how you have it set up and/or are running it. I would ensure that there is not a path for the water to by-pass the filter media as well as making sure that the intake(s) for the filter are positioned in an area where it/they are going to be the most effective for you and your fish friends. I often see that many people place their intake too close to the return flow, so in theory, their filter is continually filtering the same water over and over, and the rest escapes filtration completely. I have found that in my saltwater tank, the intake is better off closer to the water's surface, but my freshwater tanks are best off with the intake deeper in the water. This is mostly because, unlike Nereaga, I have an abundance of live rock in my saltwater tank, so the filter is there more to 'polish' or remove fine particles rather than for bacteria populations (although I am sure I do gain some benefit from my filter in that aspect as well).

Like Nereaga, I am sure that if you could provide more information, you would get more concise answers so feel free to do so. I am glad you could join us here at FTF and look forward to talking to you again soon!

paulb

Thanks. I checked my connections and it seems to be filtering better. I still don't think it is doing a good job though. I will probable be looking at a different filter.

I checked my intake tube and tightened thimks up a bit. It seems to be doing better but I think I will be looking into a different filter. Thanks for the help.

Jay

I run a Rena 3 on my planted 75 with excellent results. I use it only as a mechanical filter using various size sponges and filter floss on the top. It is ready for cleaning about every 10 days.

Jay

BJP

I noticed Marineland has a new series of cannisters at the pet store last week I'm assuming will be replacing the Magnums. Anyone using one of them yet? How about some first hand experiences?

88cupfan

I run a Rena Sp2 canister on my 60 Gal. FW as well as an Emperor 280. I to would expect to find more grunge in the sponge pre-filters. I would guess that there is so much more water flow through them that the grunge gets torn to bits and sucked into the micro-filtration pad. I have to change that every 10-14 days. I also found that I can buy one of those 12 inch wide rolls of polishing cloth and cut it to size myself. In fact, I think it does a better job because I have to replace it even more often.

I'm not sold on the benefits of canisters because I think they need serviced as often as HOBs. The HOBs are much more convenient and Have the Bio-wheel which houses bacteria better than the canisters by far. I also have a problem with white colored slime buildup in the hoses that gets pushed into my tank if I don't clean them at least once a month. So, I have to remove the hoses, clean them out and reinstall them.

If I could choose again, I would use 2 Emperor 280 HOBs for my 60. You can get a media basket that slides down into one of the 2 slots for filters. I put my polishing cloth into that basket and my water is CRYSTAL CLEAR ! I also used the basket to cycle my tank by placing gravel into it from my well matured 10 gallon tank that houses the Kids fancy Gold Fish. It was like having a pre cycled tank. The Emporors mechanical filters with carbon are much larger than the Penguins and the intake tube with its extension sets about 2 inches off of the gravel at the bottom of my tank. I would assume that you may need to shorten it a bit with a hack saw for a 55. It my not be long before my Rena becomes an Ebay listing.

Gods Best, Kenny

BJP

I love the ease of use of HOB filters compared to cannisters also but you can easily add bio-wheels to any cannister filter, powerhead or pump in general with the Pro series. They come as individuals or as duo's ready to plumb to the outlet or return line of anything in the appropriate flow range.

I agree they're larger but that's kinda their worst feature. The larger surface area as you step up in size from one Penguin to another, to another, to the Emporer's which are the largest allows for them to fall apart easier giving you a shorter useful life compared to the next size down. That's one of the factors that lead heavily to me selecting to use four of the smallest generic Penguins on my new tank as oppossed to say two of the larger models. The smaller cartridges hold together the longest. At some point though all the cartridges will get replaced with prefilter sponges eliminating the need for them altogether which is another option for cannister filters also to keep you from having to open them for mechancial filtration clogging or removal.

Let me know when. In another month or less I'll need a cannister for my goldfish tank that's pending. If I go with HOB filtration on that tank then in it's current location I'd have to drop it from the 18 inch wide tanks down to the 12 inch wide tanks to still have room to walk around the tank. I'm still thinking I want the 50% extra tank size even if it means buying a cannister. Since the tank will be continual flow I shouldn't have to touch the cannister until flow reduction is noticed since whatever breaks down inside would be flushed out of the water with the continual flow arrangement I use. It'd be soley for current and aesthetic mechanical collection.

paulb

I just cleaned my filter and again no grunge. A I missing something? There seems to be alot of very fine build up on the tank glass. Is this the microscopic dirt that I am not filtering?

Do you have more noise from the water flow or is there a way around that?

88cupfan

To answer your question about water flow- if the proper water level is maintained there is minimal water noise. My Emperor 280s out flow shoot extends far enough below the lip of the tank that the return water doesn't free fall into the tank. And the spray bar return for my canister is set below water level so its not an noise maker at all. I like BJPs suggestion about the Bio-wheel retrofit but it doesn't solve my issue with scum buildup in the hoses of the canister which blows into the tank at service restarts. I do like the flow from the spray bar but an additional HOB would provide that also.

I haven't had the issue of filter media falling apart at rinsing the way that BJP suggests. I rinse mine about every 3rd day and don't replace the media until I get a whiff of foul odor. This is my sign that the carbon is exhausted in both the canister and the HOB. I really like the additional media basket in my Emperor that I use for placing a fine filter cloth inside. My water couldn't be more clear! I replace the cloth weekly in it and the canister.