What would be a better filter for my 55 gallon FOWLR?

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Jeffd1979

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I currently have a 37 gallon FOWLR... currently i am using a emperor 280 and a skilter 250 power filters.. I am going to be switching to a 55 gallon salt water tank soon and was wondering what if my powerfilters would be ok or should i go with this canister filter

http://www.petguys.com/-015561102100.html

What is better??

also how do these canister filters work?? My tank is a 55 gallon "all glass" setup.. there is no overflow or anything like that in it.. would the canister filter work in my tank??
 
Don't use Powerfilters on a salt setup. Go for a "CPR BakPak", its a biological filter and a protein skimmer in one that hangs off the back of the tank. My work sells 'em for $160, but Im sure you could find one elsewhere for less.

And canisters are a pain in the butt. I only reccommend them to people setting up a plant tank with a low fish load; they can't handle more than a few fish. And have you ever tired moving one of those suckers? Lmao, I got water ALL OVER when I tried to take one off of an old tank! :rolleyes:
 
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Macro-algae: one of several species of large (hence 'macro') algaes. The most commonly available are chaetomorpha (aka chaeto, spaghetti algae, brillo-pad algae) and many different types of caulerpa. They consume nitrates and other waste substances. When too much macro-algae grows, you just prune it. Then it grows some more, and you continue to prune, and by golly, you've got yourself a bona-fide nutrient export system! Much more efficient than mangroves, fyi.

Fuge: more properly called a refugium (pronounced re-FEW-gee-um, not re-few-GEE-um, accent on the second syllable). This is a place with slow moving water, often a sub-unit of a sump. The slow moving water and lack of predators allows microscopic flora/fauna, pods, etc, to reproduce in relative safety. Most fuges contain some sand, some LR rubble, and some macroalgae. The macro-algae provides nutrient-export AND a place for tiny critters to live. Once in a while, a critter will spill out of the fuge into the display tank, providing a nice treat for your fish and inverts.
 
All you need is a DSB, LR, and Macro Algae along with a skimmer depending on what you want to have in it for a reall good filtration system, powerfilters of any kind are not needed and actually help build up nitrates.
 
Gealcath said:
All you need is a DSB, LR, and Macro Algae along with a skimmer depending on what you want to have in it for a reall good filtration system, powerfilters of any kind are not needed and actually help build up nitrates.
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What is a DSB?? does it mean Deep sand bed?

Last night i started my switch over project.. Took my silver dollars to my local fish store.. cleaned out the 55 gallon... put about 25 lbs of "southdown" sand in it.. then covered that with 20 lbs of live sand... filled up the tank with the salt water and added 10lbs of live rock... i took my emperor 280 off my 37 gallon tank and put it on the 55 gallon in hopes the filter and bio wheel whould get the cycle process started faster.. i dumped 1 capful of pure ammonia in the tank..... After that ammonia and nitrites are gone do you think it would be safe to start adding some inverts???

I am going to order a new filter system this week for it.. either the back pack or this Macro Algae system.. Can you guys see anything i have missed??
 
Yep, DSB is a deep sand bed.
How deep does your sand end up being with that much sand? It ought to be around 3 inches, so if you don't have that much, you might want to get more...
You will probably want more liverock than just 10 pounds. The usual ratio is about 1 to 1.5 pounds per gallon of water capacity, so for your 55, you will want anywhere from 55 to 85 lbs. On the other hand, you can add more later without much trouble.
Sounds like you have it well in hand-I would get the backpak and the macroalgae, if I were you. You can put macro into your tank-your fish will eat it, but that's ok-keeps them regular! :p
 
saltyc said:
Yep, DSB is a deep sand bed.
How deep does your sand end up being with that much sand? It ought to be around 3 inches, so if you don't have that much, you might want to get more...
You will probably want more liverock than just 10 pounds. The usual ratio is about 1 to 1.5 pounds per gallon of water capacity, so for your 55, you will want anywhere from 55 to 85 lbs. On the other hand, you can add more later without much trouble.
Sounds like you have it well in hand-I would get the backpak and the macroalgae, if I were you. You can put macro into your tank-your fish will eat it, but that's ok-keeps them regular! :p
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It is about 2 - 2.5 inches... Would another inch really make that big of a difference.. if so i guess i will go and buy another bag of live sand and throw it in there... at 27 bucks a bag i want to make sure it will be useful though..

Ya i plan on adding more live rock.. i still have 15 lbs in my small tank.. i did not want to remove all of the live rock for my 37 gallon... so when i add that in i will have 25lbs.. I will be adding rock every week until i am up to about 60-65 lbs.. My LFS gets a shipment every friday so i go there and sort through it and get a new piece if they have any i like.. I am very picky about the the live rock i get ;) ... I will wait to get put the snails in as long as possible.. I am going to order the backpack this week... now where do i get this micro aglea at? and when i get it do i just throw it in the tank or put it in the backpack? sorry if that is a stupid question but i am not really even sure what micro algea is..
 
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