Anyone use a big canister filter to remove crud or vacuum the water? (only on tank cleaning day)

[AZMSGT]

Today was tank cleaning day. I go in with a tooth brush and clean out any spots that are a bit fuzzy. I also take a power head and blow out all the rock of junk. As you can imagine this puts allot of junk in the water column. I let it settle a little then do my water change sucking up as much as I can. But no matter what I do I still can't get as much junk out as I would like.

So I was thinking about using a large canister filter to help remove the stuff floating free in the water while power head blowing and even during vacuuming. Or for that matter using the Canister filter as a vacuum.
Any thoughts?

The tank is a Red Sea 625 (130g) and a bare bottom. Has been up and running for near 7 Months. My turn over is 3000lph.

 

[reefwiser]

Yes I recommend it that a diatom filter to keep the water clean is. A great combo

 

[Rybren]

I know that @Paul B uses a diatom filter to create a storm in the tank and then filters it clean.

 

[Slim64684]

I think it would work. And a lot less work than siphoning into a sock then dumping the water back in.

 

[Feet4Fish]

Using a canister works fine as a vacuum. I have done it on previous ya J’s for years. A few years ago Marine Depot released a video on uses of a canister and a vacuum was one.

 

[rhdoug]

I use a magnum canister filter with a reusable paper cartridge a couple of times a year on my main tank, and every couple of months in my frag tank. The water is sparkling after running it for a couple of hours. Just be sure to rinse the cartridge immediately and soak it overnight in water with some bleach. Works great.

 

[X-37B]

I tried it with an old eheim and it works but this is easier for me.
I have an area on my bare bottom that collects detrius.
Once a month or more I use a 1/2" pvc pipe and flex tubing and suck up all the detrius into my filter sock.
I blow off my rocks once or twice a week and it settles out in that one area.

 

[bluprntguy]

Running your gravel vac into your filter sock is probably just as effective and seems like far less work than setting up (and then cleaning) a canister filter. I do that all the time. There's no way I'd set up a canister filter for a day. I'm lazy.