Aquarium filters

[Steve2223]

I'm interested in trying to understand why manufacturers are going away from H O B and replacing them with in tank filters. I personally wouldn't own one for two reasons.
First they take up space and look ugly in the tank
Second they make a mess when you have to clean them taking them out of a aquarium I would get water all over the place
How does anyone else feel about this?

 

[Coursair]

They've always made In Tank, HOB and Canister. I think beginners often buy In Tank because they are cheaper ?

Sponge Filters in tank are a thing because Shrimp and fish breeders use them a lot.

What brands are stopping making HOBs ??

 

[Barliman]

I'm interested in trying to understand why manufacturers are going away from H O B and replacing them with in tank filters.

Really? I haven't noticed that. In fact, I was recently surprised to learn they still made in-tank filters. (I remember, when I first started in the 70s, how the filter would come loose from the gravel and float up...)

I think people with large fishrooms (or store owners) use those and sponge filters because they're less expensive, as Coursair mentioned. I'd use sponges in a fishroom for that and the extensive biological filtration they provide. Personally, though, I can't think of why I'd use an in-tank filter anymore, though I'm sure there must be a good reason.

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[Andy Sager]

Every filter has a down side to them. They all have water in them so they all can be messy to clean.
Internal filters have come a distance and can be more easily disguised with decorations and HOBs have changed from overhead power motors to under filter magnetic motors more about sucking water in than blowing water out. Personally, I don't use today's HOBs as I have seen many misuse them causing them to overheat and warp. I prefer the sponge filters more because I am breeding but if I were just doing a display tank, I would seriously consider a canister filter as the intake and outlet pipes are much easier to hide and there is less noise from the filter ( and if it is noisy, it can be placed away from the tank in a closet or somewhere else.)

If there is a decrease in HOBs being manufactured, it may be because there are just too many of them on the market and with many pet manufacturers buying each other out, the need for all of them is decreasing. Less companies means less options means more sales of 1 item than slow sales on a number of items.

But to me, the best filtering system is the sump( a.k.a Wet/ Dry) system where everything is out of the tank making it more convenient to work on and adding specialty filtering options easier to achieve.

 

[Barliman]

But to me, the best filtering system is the sump( a.k.a Wet/ Dry) system where everything is out of the tank making it more convenient to work on and adding specialty filtering options easier to achieve.

If I ever have a larger tank (75+), I'm seriously going to give a sump a try. I get tired of all the equipment in the display tank.

 

[Potluck]

I absolutely swear by aquaclear I have yet had one fail or malfunction, if one does they sell replacement parts to them plus modification parts, I do like canister because of the clarity and less stuff inside the tank but I can achieve the same clarity with my AC HOB's

 

[Andy Sager]

If I ever have a larger tank (75+), I'm seriously going to give a sump a try. I get tired of all the equipment in the display tank.

A wet/ dry can be made for any sized tank. In fact, smaller tanks will benefit most from a wet/ dry because it increases water volume thereby increasing time it takes for things to go bad. There is no size maximum for a sump, only a minimum. You could even have 100 gallons of water in a system that only has a 10 gallon tank display area. ( But that doesn't mean you can have 100 gallons worth of fish in the 10 . )

 

[aseradyn]

I got sick of HOB filters because my power goes out pretty frequently, just long enough for the filter to drain enough that it won't re-prime without me scooping water up to fill the box. So if I'm not home, the motor grinds and grinds, for hours or days, doing nothing. Even the new Aquaclear I put on my 29 a few months ago couldn't restart on its own (it also made horrible grinding noises even when it was full, so maybe it was defective?).

The canister just picks up where it left off like it didn't even care, humming along silently in the cabinet. Not even water noise, because my outflow is under water.

I liked internal filters (with submerged pumps, not air pumps) on my little tanks a while back for the same reasons: silent operation, no fuss if the power went out. Haven't seen those at my local shops for years.

 

[TMaier]

I my canister.

 

[FishKing74]

I love the aquaclears, too. Lot of bang for your buck with these little HOB filters. Looks like other manufacturers are beginning to use this idea of canister-type media in a HOB. I wonder if this trend will result in fewer small to medium canisters in the long run.

 

[Barliman]

I got sick of HOB filters because my power goes out pretty frequently, just long enough for the filter to drain enough that it won't re-prime without me scooping water up to fill the box.

I'm lucky I've only had to deal with one power outage since moving in to my current apartment, but my Aquaclears started right up when the power came back. But I keep the water's surface near the outflow, so there's nothing to drain and break the siphon.