Can I use Canister, not Sump? FOWLR Tank?

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Street Fish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 5, 2009
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New York, NY
Hello MFKers

I live in a apartment building in NYC.

Therefore, I am nervous of SUMPs (it overflowing in case of power failure...ect)

I want to eventually convert a 125 gal to a FOWLR.

I am trying to decide whether I should buy a tank with or w/o overflows.

DO I NEED a sump? Could a good canister filter work just as well?

Also, recommendations as to what canister filter if so?

Thanks in advance people
 
I had to google FOWLR to find out it meant - Fish Only With Live Rock...

Since that is a slatwater system you may want to at the very least include that detail in your original post to prevent isinformation from people who do not take the time to find out what a FOWLR is but are still eager to give advice...

Futhermore, you may consider asking this question on a saltwater site as MFK is a freshwater site (although it has members with experience in both).
 
nc_nutcase;3261703; said:
I had to google FOWLR to find out it meant - Fish Only With Live Rock...

Since that is a slatwater system you may want to at the very least include that detail in your original post to prevent isinformation from people who do not take the time to find out what a FOWLR is but are still eager to give advice...

Futhermore, you may consider asking this question on a saltwater site as MFK is a freshwater site (although it has members with experience in both).
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I was under the impression FOWLR was a commonly used term on this forum. My sincerest apologies...
 
Street Fish;3261775; said:
I was under the impression FOWLR was a commonly used term on this forum. My sincerest apologies...
Click to expand...

I don't keep salt tanks so I don't read salt thread... so it may be quite common in saltwater themed threads/forums... but this freshwater junkie hasn't heard of it...

Midas Madness;3261737; said:
I agree with nc_nutcase, I have no experience whatsoever with saltwater. I think you will get the most help posting here...http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=187
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I had no idea that MFK had a Marine folder... I'll keep that in mind before directing anyone toward another forum... thanks MM
 
Well, i've got experience with both salt and fresh, so here it goes.
When designing a filtration system for a fishtank, the ultimate aim is to provide the best habitat for the fish at a level that the aquarist can provide. So there are pro's and cons to both.
Pro's
canister- less likely to overflow, or flood, although something as minute a piece of hair on a gasket can cause serious problems. It can hold a diverse amount of media. You can gang them up to get the gph you want, and as such have backup pumps in case one fails.
sump- can hold a larger array of media, can have more surface area for the bacteria, and provide for massive water flow.
cons
cannister- lower volume in total water volume, limited surface area and arraetion ability.
sump- can flood.
If you plan on having a farily low bioload in the tank, then a cannister filter is very appropriate. A high density will probably need the sump. a third option is to put in a deep sand bed, at least 4-6" thick, and about 120lbs of live rock. Then just use powerheads for circulation, and let the rock and sand filter the tank. It's used alot in reef tanks, but you must use live rock with this system, as the critters in the live rock will need to populize the sandbed to keep it aerated, or hydrogen sulfide pockets can be a problem.
 
I know plenty of people who have canister filters on FOWLR tanks. The only thing you should be mindful of is cleaning it out thoroughly as they become Nitrate traps. And for saltwater, that means death. And obviously, you'd want to go as big as you can afford. If it were me, I'd slap a Rena XP4 on that bad boy and be done with it.

However there really isn't any need to be afraid of doing a sump. Though the initial investment will be significantly more, the maintenance is significantly less. So long as you keep the water level topped off, overflowing really shouldn't be an issue. Also, if you go this route, look into setting up a refugium in/instead of the sump. In my experience, they seem to be the best way to filter any saltwater tank, reef or fish only.
 
I would definitely go sump. What if you decide to add corals later down the line? A sump will allow you to place protein skimmers, probes, reactors, etc. And even if you resist adding corals/anenomes a sump will allow you to have increased water volume which will equal better water quality. Plus a auto top-off (which will be essential in sw) is a lot easier to implement in a sump as you won't have float valves messing up your display.
 
Adhlc;3262637; said:
I know plenty of people who have canister filters on FOWLR tanks. The only thing you should be mindful of is cleaning it out thoroughly as they become Nitrate traps. And for saltwater, that means death. And obviously, you'd want to go as big as you can afford. If it were me, I'd slap a Rena XP4 on that bad boy and be done with it.

However there really isn't any need to be afraid of doing a sump. Though the initial investment will be significantly more, the maintenance is significantly less. So long as you keep the water level topped off, overflowing really shouldn't be an issue. Also, if you go this route, look into setting up a refugium in/instead of the sump. In my experience, they seem to be the best way to filter any saltwater tank, reef or fish only.
Click to expand...

Apologies, but what does "water level topped off" mean?
 
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