Canister filter vs. HOB filter for a planted tank
- Thread starter fort384
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runninwoof
Aquarium Advice Activist
well the good points are:
-u wont have to look at an ugly hob
-cleaner water, theres more room for bacteria and floss and such
-they are silent
-u can get a heater for the inline to your tank so no more looking at ugly heaters.
-if you want CO2 it wont be gassed out by the aggitation
bad points
-flow might be too high
-and the biggest is the $$$, if u have $100 to shell out then go for it.
-u wont have to look at an ugly hob
-cleaner water, theres more room for bacteria and floss and such
-they are silent
-u can get a heater for the inline to your tank so no more looking at ugly heaters.
-if you want CO2 it wont be gassed out by the aggitation
bad points
-flow might be too high
-and the biggest is the $$$, if u have $100 to shell out then go for it.
dmoney87
Aquarium Advice Freak
Ill never use a HOB for as long as I have an aquarium. Rena Filstar xP series.. best filter Ive ever used. Worth every penny.
cbwmn
Aquarium Advice Freak
I agree with dmoney.
Canister is by far the best for an aquarium. I have an XP2 on my 46 gallon and love it.
Very little maintenance. When the media needs attention, you ust unplug, lift the lever that connects the hoses to the canister, and pull the unit out. No water leaks out.
You can choose any media. I use polyfill, Rena stars and the sponges thaat come with the filter. You don't have to buy the expensive media for the canister.
It's so quiet that I have to get down and put my ear next to the filter to see if it's running.
It's also convenient for CO2 use. Just inject the CO2 into the intake.
Charles
Canister is by far the best for an aquarium. I have an XP2 on my 46 gallon and love it.
Very little maintenance. When the media needs attention, you ust unplug, lift the lever that connects the hoses to the canister, and pull the unit out. No water leaks out.
You can choose any media. I use polyfill, Rena stars and the sponges thaat come with the filter. You don't have to buy the expensive media for the canister.
It's so quiet that I have to get down and put my ear next to the filter to see if it's running.
It's also convenient for CO2 use. Just inject the CO2 into the intake.
Charles
FastFly67
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I went with a canister when I upgraded from my 25 to my 29. I LOVE it. Less noise (virtually none), my fish love the current (I use the spray bar vs. the nozzle). I price matched the one I bought at Petco with an ad I printed from Big Al's. The best $60 I've spent so far on my aquariums.
black hills tj
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree. I run a Rena Filstar XP4 on my 75 gallon tank, and I love it. You can find them reasonably priced online, as well.
If you are dead set on using a HoB, I've had decent luck with the Hagen Aquaclear line.
shrek_vn2002
Aquarium Advice Activist
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2008
- Messages
- 104
i'm using xp2 filter for my 29gl tank too. I love it. I just put some more fiber padding on the top case and water is never as clear as it is now.... i just need to change the fiber 1.5 month a time....
mgamer20o0
Aquarium Advice Addict
the only time it is a must is with co2. other then that i run hobs on plenty of tanks as long as you keep the tank filled they can be silent too.
cbwmn
Aquarium Advice Freak
With all due respect:
The AC HOB's are silent but not as silent as the canisters.
I have had Renas, Whispesr and Ac's but ALL are louder than canisters.
It's not even a close "quiet" race.
Charles
black hills tj
Aquarium Advice Addict
As long as I keep my water levels up, the AC is fairly quiet. I'm 3 feet away from my 20g tank, and I can't hear the AC 50 at all. My 29g with an AC70 is 15 feet away right next to my 10g with an AC30, and I can't hear either one of them.
I don't think it is a must. I run pressurized CO2 with my HOB without any issue. My big concern is mostly surrounding water quality/clarity. I am not sure the HOB I have is good enough. It came in one of those packaged deals with the tank that I bought before I knew anything about the hobby, and it just seems like it takes too long to clean the water up after a cleaning, or moving anything around. Plus, I like the thought of being able to customize the stages of filtration in a canister, or swap around some stages based on what is going on with the tank. With my HOB, it is pretty much filter, bag, with or without carbon, and that is about it.
BTW, my HOB is silent. I sleep about 10 ft from it each night, and I cannot even hear it running. When the fan goes off with the lights, you could hear a pin drop in the room. Sometimes, I check to see if it is still even on... it is that quiet. Like you said, so long as the water is full, which is never an issue since I do weekly PWCs.
Thanks all for the excellent info and replies. I think it is something I will consider upgrading to when I move my tanks this summer.
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