External canister filter vs Live Rock to remove Nitrates

[mling]

I’ve been advised, by a LFS staff member, to buy an External Canister filter ( Eheim 2215 ) for my 45G tank because my 45 pounds of live rock together with a protein skimmer is insufficient. That the live rock will not remove Nitrates and I need an external filter to do that. It was either the $145 external canister or I fill up my tank with more live rock. He than suggested that I would need at least another 40 pounds of cured live rock to make up for the lack of the external filter.

Is it true that you need an external filter to remove Nitrates or is this a sales pitch to make a $145 sale ?

My Nitrate level has been under 10 N mg.l since it finished it’s cycle about 2 months ago. I have a ViaAqua Multi-skimmer which has a built in filter. Is this filter enough for an external filter ?

 

[Anonymous]

I think he's dyslexic, because it works the other way around, or maybe he knows it is the other way around, and is just trying to make a sale.


Unless your cleaning that filter quite often, every few days, it's probably making the problem worse.

I have no experience with that skimmer, so I cant tell you how it would compare to one of the mainstream models.

 

[ChrisRD]

45 pounds of good, porous live rock and a decent skimmer should be plenty of filtration for a 45 gallon tank (not familiar with your skimmer).

Whoever you talked to at the LFS is misinformed and IMO, NOT a good source of advice (unfortunately very common in the hobby)...

 

[insearch]

IMHO The LFS is full on trying to make the sale. Alot of these guys work on commision. The ratio LR to Gallons should be plenty. Especially because your bio load is ,I am assuming, very small. Do you have a sump and how often and what percent do you do your water changes

 

[Anonymous]

Yep!

If your nitrates aren't a problem, you don't need to spend money fixing them! :mrgreen:

 

[ADS]

ditto on above-