Sick of My Canister

[jcook54]

I really hate my Rena xP3 canister filter and just want to get rid of it. I'm afraid to fool with it because whenever I do something always goes wrong. Coming home today to wet and swollen oak flooring was the last straw. In the last month or two I have been cleaning, upgrading and adjusting my equipment with the notion of keeping corals. I've upgraded my old wet/dry to a 20g sump powered w/ a Mag 7 & and added a CPR2 HOB fuge. I have 70 lbs. of live rock in the display tank with around 10 lbs. between my sump and fuge. There are also 2 JBJ SP-1800 powerheads with dual outputs to help circulation. I have an Excalibur skimmer that isn't great but that's next on my list of things to upgrade.

I guess I have two questions. First, does getting rid of the Rena sound reasonable? I like the idea of a canister filter for media and to aid in water "polishing" but the xP3 is just too big and I really hate dealing with it. Second, does anyone have any experience with a smaller canister filter that would work as an additional filter and media container? It may be a mind thing but I'm almost scared to maintain the xP3 because whenever I do something goes wrong.

 

[drnecropolis]

jcook54;220969 wrote: I really hate my Rena xP3 canister filter and just want to get rid of it. I'm afraid to fool with it because whenever I do something always goes wrong. Coming home today to wet and swollen oak flooring was the last straw. In the last month or two I have been cleaning, upgrading and adjusting my equipment with the notion of keeping corals. I've upgraded my old wet/dry to a 20g sump powered w/ a Mag 7 & and added a CPR2 HOB fuge. I have 70 lbs. of live rock in the display tank with around 10 lbs. between my sump and fuge. There are also 2 JBJ SP-1800 powerheads with dual outputs to help circulation. I have an Excalibur skimmer that isn't great but that's next on my list of things to upgrade.

I guess I have two questions. First, does getting rid of the Rena sound reasonable? I like the idea of a canister filter for media and to aid in water "polishing" but the xP3 is just too big and I really hate dealing with it. Second, does anyone have any experience with a smaller canister filter that would work as an additional filter and media container? It may be a mind thing but I'm almost scared to maintain the xP3 because whenever I do something goes wrong.

Fuge/Sump setup would be ideal for a reef..I would go ahead and keep the Rena as a media filter..I mean hell you already have it..Why not keep it on hand to run Purigen, or ROWAphos,Carbon or hell anything for that matter

 

[dannybradley]

I second your hate of the Rena canister filters. I've owned/worked with 4 and every single one has leaked. They say that was an issue caused by the temperature in the shipping container getting too hot and causing the o-ring to flatten out, and that they have fixed the issue. They're now in the 3rd generation of design on that fitler.

Hagen makes great canister filters if you don't want to go with a sump, however, a sump is the better choice for a reef tank.

 

[jcook54]

I plan on keeping it. I just want to unplug it, clean it, order and replace all o-rings and gaskets so it will run without leaking or blowing micro bubbles into my display. In reality I think the xP3 and I just need some time apart. We can still be friends but I just need some space from it.

I have a new sump that I got when I posted a need for one on the WTB forum. In fact it's great and a huge upgrade from my wet/dry in terms of size and ease of use.

 

[oz]

I have the smaller Rena Canister that I don't use if you were looking for the smaller one. Never leaked for me.