Fish Only

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nfored

nfored

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 4, 2008
2,597
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Missouri
Can you have a FO tank with just a Canister filter? and then plumb the Canister to the Protein Skimmer?

I have a 55 Gallon tank, and would be building a DIY Skimmer. The tank is not drilled so I would like to use a Canister Over a Sump, but could go sump if I have to. I have been trying to find information on properly setting up a FO tank. Any pointers to articles or what ever would be nice. I have no problem reading and I am not asking for anyone to hold me had just point me in a good research direction.

I will be keeping ClownFish ( 2 or 4) and 2 or 4 Bicolor Pseudochromis
 
It is possible to maintain a fish only aquarium with a canister filter. But please be aware, canisters are a basic type of "closed loop". If you attempt to integrate equipment, such as a skimmer into it, you will compromise the loop. In short, if your power goes off, your aquarium water will drain down through the skimmer, and flood your home.
A sump would be the preferred answer, you could run all of your equipment from that.
 
Get an over flow box that hangs off the back of the tank and a return pump. Practically you can't plumb a skimmer into a canister but you can make the skimmer hang off the back of the tank with a power head. Also you can get in tank skimmers that just use an air stone, not sure how effective they are.

and 2 or 4 Bicolor Pseudochromis
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No just one. Unless you luck out and get a mated pair they will kill each other. Awsome fish and failrly hardy but foul tempered.
 
I can do a sump, I just don't like to rely on those overflow boxes as they can fail. I never thought about the canister hooked to the Skimmer risking a flood, thanks. The reason I ask these dumb sounding questions is I really don't know what is and what isn't needed for fish only.

If I where to do a sump, do you think I can do an over head sump made out of a 20 gallon tank with the bottom drilled? Basiclly I would hid a pump in the 55 behind the rocks and pump the water up over the rim of the 20 gallon and have it flow back down the stand pipe connected to the bottom of the sump.

If you think I can do the above setup, what do i need to add to the sump? just like 6 inches of sand? Then just have the pump Tee'd off so half goes to the sump and half goes to the protein skimmer?
 
If you decide on an overhead sump, you would have to seal the bulkhead in the base, and drill additional bulkheads into the sides just below the water line. If not, once again, your display system would overflow in the event of a power failure through "drain down"! Sorry to keep sounding so negative, but it realy is best to have a sump beneath/beside your display. The reason for this is the sump design allows for "drain down" the display has no such safeguards. Unless of course you would be happy with a system that is half full of water ?
 
The bulk head at the bottom would have a stand pipe?you fill the above sump to the level just before the drain level on the stand pipe. then turn on the pump in the display tank the water comes up from the display and raises the level in the sump to the hight where i drains back down. when the power goes out the water will drain down to just under the stand pipe, where it originally was.

How would it ever over flow the dispaly? the only place that could over flow is the sump because of a clogged drain?
 
So do you think it would work then? a single pump with a Tee going to the sump and skimmer? Any suggestions on how I should setup the sump?
 
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