Best HOB Filter?

[FishFanatic88]

Hi guys i am looking to buy a new filter and i want to do it right this time. the filter i currently have is a topfin 60 and it is horrible. i want a filter where i can use custom media and not the crappy carbon packs. i heard fluval has good filters and i know biowheel does. or are there other options? i have a 29 gallon tank.

please let me know what yall think.

 

[Laser]

Aquaclears are your best choice for custom media, no contest.

 

[Jesselav1233]

I like my penguin bio wheel 350 (50-70gal rating) I just tore off the carbon and filter media from the insert that came with it now I rubber band my own filter media to the plastic insert (much cheaper) I don't use charcoal anymore. I'm sure if u wanted u could just take the insert out and put your own choice right in and it has to separate sides to the filter so u can replace one side without wiping out your BB count

 

[Bbarb27]

I'm slowly working to replace all of my existing filters with aquaclears, as they are the best HOB for customizing media and not losing bb due to media changes.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Aquaclears are your best choice for custom media, no contest.

+1... No doubt. Good flow, good media basket, easy to remove basket without needing to take entire filter off of tank, built in tab to level filter, quiet... I'll never buy a different HOB...

 

[tamtam]

I like my penguin bio wheel 350 (50-70gal rating) I just tore off the carbon and filter media from the insert that came with it now I rubber band my own filter media to the plastic insert (much cheaper) I don't use charcoal anymore. I'm sure if u wanted u could just take the insert out and put your own choice right in and it has to separate sides to the filter so u can replace one side without wiping out your BB count

I run biowheels as well and take a similar approach. I actually just cut open the plastic bit and removed all the carbon. When I need to replace this media I think I'm going to switch to a combo of floss and sponge. Gonna build up the bb on the sponge on the right and then remove the cartridges slowly on the left to add floss.

If I had the money though I would do aquaclears for my next tank.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

If I had the money though I would do aquaclears for my next tank.

It was actually pretty cheap.. I think I got my AquaClear 70 for like $30 on sale at PetCo or something like that

 

[hpiguy]

If you buy a Marineland BioWheel filter and then order the generic BI03 media and clamshells from Foster Smith for them ($1 or so), you can customize anything you want in the media slots.

I like Marineland because they flow their true gph flow rate and have always worked well for me. I also like their design for strainers and mid level pickup if desired.

I also hear excellent things about the Aquaclears.

I think if you wanted media baskets and such, Aquaclear is the good choice.

 

[tamtam]

It was actually pretty cheap.. I think I got my AquaClear 70 for like $30 on sale at PetCo or something like that

I seriously wish we had some of these chains up here. I live in a small city in south eastern Canada. I found 1 store that sells them, which is actually pretty new, and it's 66 bucks for an Aquaclear 70 which I would probably need to have ordered in. I'm hoping to maybe catch a sale some time and pick it up for cheaper.

 

[LyndaB]

Aquaclears are your best choice for custom media, no contest.

+1

For HOB filters, AquaClear rocks! I've tried Fluval, Penguin, and some other low budget filters. Didn't clean the tank well enough and couldn't handle the biomedia I wanted to put in. Make your filter work for you! Get an AC!

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I seriously wish we had some of these chains up here. I live in a small city in south eastern Canada. I found 1 store that sells them, which is actually pretty new, and it's 66 bucks for an Aquaclear 70 which I would probably need to have ordered in. I'm hoping to maybe catch a sale some time and pick it up for cheaper.

Check Petco.com that's where the sales are and it's usually an online only price... Good luck!

 

[LyndaB]

If you bring the on-line page printed out with the sale price to the store, the store will honor that price.

 

[Uncle Dirty]

At dr foster smith their sale ends sept 4th

AC30 $24.99
AC70 $33.69
AC110 $56.19

$5.99 shipping

 

[Uncle Dirty]

Oops
AC50 not AC30

 

[LyndaB]

Hagen Aquaclear Power Filters

 

[jlbfish]

+1 to what Lynda said

 

[Athaocity]

when I started keeping fish and looking for filters, I saw the aqua.clear and I just knew right off the bat that this! this filter is the filtrr that will do dirt. he will do his job. lol
w/o any doubt I had to get, eventually I did and it was wonderful.

 

[Brox]

What about fluval c4?! It's basically an upgraded Aquaclear amd better organization

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

What about fluval c4?! It's basically an upgraded Aquaclear amd better organization

Never ran em, can't comment. It's double the price though...

 

[LyndaB]

What about fluval c4?! It's basically an upgraded Aquaclear amd better organization

I previously had the Fluval C4 on my 46 gallon. It just didn't keep the water clear. Switched over to the AquaClear and within 24 hours, the water was clear.