- Location
- Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
Hi,
I hope this is in the correct forum;
I am setting up an ADA 60-P (18 gallon). I have the ADA, an MP-10, and AI Sol Blue LEDs. The tank is going to be barebottom and have ~10-15lbs LR. For aesthetic reasons, I initially planned on running a canister filter (Fluval G3) with lilypipes so i could use an inline heater and keep all hardware/wires out of the tank (except the MP-10 wet side of course). After being aware of canisters being "nitrate factories" and "a bad idea" for a while, I am just now getting cold feet about using one as I sit down tonight to purchase one, of course.
(sidenote: I can't have a sump in my apt and I don't want a HOB or skimmer for aesthetic reasons, although I would run a Mame skimmer if I could get my hands on one).
Does anyone have any alternative ideas on what I can do here? Is there any other way to run a heater inline without a canister? Could I connect a lilypipe to a waterpump and then to the inline heater and back into the tank (the pump would have to be hidden below the tank of course!)? Or should I incorporate a phosban reactor and have the heater on the return of that? I'm not opposed to doing weekly, significant WCs to keep the water in check if I did happen go without any filtration other than the LR, but I wanted a little more advice before I make that decision. I do like the idea of the canister keeping the water crystal clear.
Heater aside, I'm also wondering if it's worth using a canister if I will have to spend just as much time weekly cleaning the canister out as I would doing 'larger' WCs which would be the case if I ran no canister/filter.
Planned livestock includes 2 clowns, BTA, CUC, softies, lps, maybe some sps.
Reef veterans please help me out! What would you do in this situation?
Thanks
I hope this is in the correct forum;
I am setting up an ADA 60-P (18 gallon). I have the ADA, an MP-10, and AI Sol Blue LEDs. The tank is going to be barebottom and have ~10-15lbs LR. For aesthetic reasons, I initially planned on running a canister filter (Fluval G3) with lilypipes so i could use an inline heater and keep all hardware/wires out of the tank (except the MP-10 wet side of course). After being aware of canisters being "nitrate factories" and "a bad idea" for a while, I am just now getting cold feet about using one as I sit down tonight to purchase one, of course.
(sidenote: I can't have a sump in my apt and I don't want a HOB or skimmer for aesthetic reasons, although I would run a Mame skimmer if I could get my hands on one).
Does anyone have any alternative ideas on what I can do here? Is there any other way to run a heater inline without a canister? Could I connect a lilypipe to a waterpump and then to the inline heater and back into the tank (the pump would have to be hidden below the tank of course!)? Or should I incorporate a phosban reactor and have the heater on the return of that? I'm not opposed to doing weekly, significant WCs to keep the water in check if I did happen go without any filtration other than the LR, but I wanted a little more advice before I make that decision. I do like the idea of the canister keeping the water crystal clear.
Heater aside, I'm also wondering if it's worth using a canister if I will have to spend just as much time weekly cleaning the canister out as I would doing 'larger' WCs which would be the case if I ran no canister/filter.
Planned livestock includes 2 clowns, BTA, CUC, softies, lps, maybe some sps.
Reef veterans please help me out! What would you do in this situation?
Thanks
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