Filter question

J

JonP

New Member
I currently have a 90 gallon tank with 2 Rena XP3. The tank is pre-drilled, but is currently sealed. It was used for freshwater, but I'm switching over to salt. My question is, are the Rena XP3's fine to run a FOWLR tank?
 
H

HowardW

Member
Most any canister type filter would be fine as long as you regularly change the filter media and keep it clean.
 
Chris3859

Chris3859

Member
The Rena xp3 is a great filter. I, however, just got rid of mine. I took the plunge and went with a sump in order to keep the nitrates down. In a FOWLR, clean the pads often, or change them. Allow the LR to be the bio filter.
 
Jason25

Jason25

Active Member
To be honest with you, the amount of time and money you are going to spend changing the filter pads and media, in the long run a sump will save you a ton. Plus you're adding water volume to your tank and you can hide your heater and most other equipment you may have in your DT.
 
J

JonP

New Member
Thanks for the help so far!


As far as another type of filter, a guy at a LFS was telling me about the Rapids Pro PS 3. Anyone use this? Is this type of wet / dry filter any good?
 
JWarren

JWarren

Active Member
Why don't you just ask the guy at the LFS to show you how to hook up a sump?

For the money you will spend on a wet/dry, you could have a nice sump and a killer skimmer. If the guy at the LFS doesn't know how to hook up a sump, then you need to find someone who dose. When you find someone who knows then you will have a more professional person to deal with.

Take some pictures of your setup and post them here. There are plenty of people here that can give you good advice.
 
lcstorc

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
A sump with a good skimmer is a much better option.
If you want to stick with equipment you already have then as said before just keep it super clean. If you are going to upgrade then save the money from a wet dry and get a sump and skimmer with the same money. It will more than pay for itself over time.
 
J

JonP

New Member
Ok, sump it is. Anyone know a good site to explain how to build a sump? I have an empty 30 gallon tank that should be good to use as a sump, correct?

As far as pictures for the setup, it's just Flourite and a little water that I still need to clean out. Then it's cleaning the tank time. I just wanted to make sure I knew what filter was best to run so I know where whether I have to take the silicone out of the holes when I clean it or not.

Thank you guys alot for the help so far.
 
Chris3859

Chris3859

Member
A DIY yourself sump is pretty basic and pretty cheap to build. Google DIY Sump and you will be bestowed upon, a plethora of plans, drawings and suggestions. Good luck and take pics of the build for us.
 
prow

prow

Well-Known Member
IMO you dont need a sump or canisterfilter or any other. for a FOWLR all you need is LR flow and a heater. thats really it. but you have a built in overflow, so use it. add a sump. you can just a buy a empty new 20gal for about $20, silicone a couple baffles for a bubble trap. it will end up costing about $30 in all. put your heater and return pump in there, BAM!! your good to go. adding a skimmer is a good thing to save you on some water changes and if you go heavy on stocking levels.

adding canister filters and bioballs is more for FO. all they do is collect waste(if not clean about 2x a week things rot and end up adding bad things, so it can do more harm than good) and provide surface area for aerobic bacteria to grow. really, you do not need to provide any more surface area for bacteria to grow other than your live rock. IMO, much better for a FOWLR to leave it at that, a FOWLR tank, its all in the name:)
 
J

JonP

New Member
It's going to be a FOWLR tank, but how long does it really last the people on here before they add some coral.:yup:

I rather set it up with a sump knowing I can add just about whatever I want, then set it up as a FOWLR with only live rock and then have to break it down again to setup better filtration to have coral if I wanted it.
 
prow

prow

Well-Known Member
so very ture, most all that have FOWLR either turn it into a reef or get another tank to start a reef, just a matter of time in most cases. go sump now if you can, but if you can not swing a sump now, you can always add it later without tearing down anything, the filtration is the same in a reef as it is in a FOWLR. but better yet why not just go with a reef now, the main dif is more water flow, lights and chemistry.
 
J

JonP

New Member
I can always switch out the lights later if I wanted to go reef. I just wanted to get my hands wet with a FOWLR until I go further with coral and what not. Right now I have 4 x 55 watt PC lighting (2 6700k and 2 7800k bulbs) and from what I read, I can grow some lower light coral.

I think I'm going to run a 30 gallon sump and do all the plumbing and what not while I have it broken down.
 
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