Reek Tank Canister Filter Success - Size Setup Contents Cycling Maintenance Saltwater Coral Aquarium

This video is on Reef Tank Canister Filter Success. I am going to go through all the aspects of using a canister filter in a reef tank and how I am successful support a reef tank with a canister filter.

I have successfully supported and grown many different types of corals with a canister filter, including:
- SPS Dominated including Acropora (Acro)
- Maxima Clams
- Mixed Reefs
- LPS Dominated
- Anemones including large carpets
- Softies and Leathers of all kinds

I will talk through:
- Why I use Canister Filters
- Canister Filter Sizing
- Filter Set Up
- Filter Contents
- Cycling the Filter
- Filter Maintenance

Why I use Canister Filters
3 simple reasons:
- I don’t like the trickle noise with sumps
- Ease of adding and removing multiple types of media
- Good flow through media without a reactor

Canister Filter Sizing
- Standard to Over Sizing is preferred
- GPH advertised is with an empty filter
- True flow will be reduced once mechanical and bio filtration, as well as absorbers are added
*Do not undersize

Filter Set Up
Hardware
- Recommend Port Out with Strainer and Port In with Nozzle
- I don’t use spray bars
Baskets Contents
1. Pads - to maintain BioLoad - Coarse and Fine
2. Ceramic - to maintain BioLoad
3. Media / Absorbers - water parameters control

Filter Contents
1. Filter Pads
- Coarse 1 - 2
- Fine 1 - 2
- No Filter Floss - I use fine pads instead in order to maintain BioLoad
- Mechanical and Bio Filtration
- Holds BioLoad
2. Ceramic Bio Filtration
- Bio Filtration
- Holds BioLoad
3. Chemi-Pure Elite
- Removes Phosphates, Silicates, Odors, Color causing dissolved Organic Molecules, and excess Nutrients
4. Purigen
- Controls Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates
5. ROWA-Phos
- Removes Phosphates and Silicates
6. Carbon
- Removes Odor, Discoloration, and Impurities
- Do not go heavy on carbon, a little goes a long way

Cycling the Filter
Microbe Lift Special Blend
- Complete Ecosystem in a bottle
- Organic and Nitrate removal
Microbe Lift Nite Out II
- Nitrifying bacteria
- Controls Ammonia and Nitrite
Together, Special Blend and Nite Out II can cycle an aquarium in as little as 24 hours

Cycling Day 1
- Dump 1/2 bottle of Special Blend directly into the canister filter

1st 30 Days
- Add Special Blend and Nite Out II per schedule

28 Days - 1st Filter Clean
- Direct dose filter with Special Blend again

Filter Maintenance
Cleaning Timeframe
- Every 4 weeks (13 times a year)
Media Change Timeframe
1. Filter Pads - every 6 months
- Ensure the change out of pads are evenly spaced
- Do not throw away pads when changing. Rinse, dry, and reuse.
- If 2 pads, every 3 months
- If 3 pads (2 Coarse, 1 Fine), every 2 months
- If 4 pads, months 1, 3, 4, and 6
- DO NOT change all pads at the same time - this would hurt BioLoad
2. Ceramic Media - every 6 months
- Change 1/2 every 3 months
- DO NOT change all ceramic at once - this would hurt BioLoad
3. Chemi-Pure Elite - every 3 months
4. Purigen - approximately every 2 months
5. ROWA-Phos - approximately every 2 months
6. Carbon - every month