Switching out the canister

[Beverly]

Canisters or HOB filters with floss or foam are only nitrate factories if they are seldom or poorly cleaned. I clean the foam in my HOB filter a couple of times a week and I don't have algae problems of any kind. I also run a bare bottom tank and siphon out the crud during weekly water changes. It's my firm belief that tanks in general are nitrate and phosphate factories and the only way to keep them clean is by doing frequent and thorough maintenance on them. Crud build up in any part of a reef system ALWAYS equals algae and/or excess nutrients.