Filters - pros and cons

[BarbG]

I have always used hang on the back (HOB) filters. I have 2 on each tank - gives double filtration/aeration, backs up in case of failure and I rotate replacing them in order to maintain my bio filter.

I got a second hand 90 gal and need to buy a filter system for it. I have been looking in the stores and the prices of external canister filters are freakin me out. I can buy 2 Aqua Clear 90 gal HOB filters for half the price of a Fluval or Eheim. I also think the HOB style is easier to maintain (is this true?)

So my question is, Why would I buy an external canister filter? What are the benefits of this system over what I do now? Remember that I would use double filtration if I used a hang on the back style.

The new tank is going to be Malawi Mbuna's (I think).

Thanks

[GaryofMontreal]

I hate canister filters. They are tough to clean and often to restart, and the Fluvals are very poorly made. They break very easily. I would take a HOB Aquaclear over a canister any time, even though the AQ impeller shafts are now ceramic and wear out or break very easily.

[_Aaron_]

I am of the opposite mind, I love cannisters & would chose them over any HOB anyday.

Even though they take a little longer to clean, they typically require less maintenance.

Never had a problem priming them either.

An added perk is there is more potential capacity for media.

[Melody]

I heard they're better than they were, which could account for the different experiences.

I use HOB's - I like the easier maintenance, the versatility in media and my Topfins all use the same media for every size (their larger ones just have two outflows instead of one). I like that because I can alternate which one I change to keep the bio system healthy, and if I start a new tank, I can use an established filter easily. I run two 60's on my 90G and that has been plenty. They produce a lot of current so I wouldn't want more than that. I find two smaller ones much more efficent than one big one - it grabs much more.

Downside, replacement media is EXPENSIVE. A box of 8 cartridges is pushing $20. It's so expensive that I bellyached about it constantly, which inspired Jay to make replacement media that lasts longer.... I don't know if it was inspiration or to shut me up, but it works anyway.:laugh:

[brnttoast]

melody
measure the size of the floss bags your filters use and post dimensions
we have a clearance store in the city that has a shelf full of filter replacements.
boxes were like 5 bucks the last time i was there, in my travels i'll pop in there and let you know if they have your size and the price per box
i got myself 4 boxes that fit my wally world filters the last time i was there :)

[brnttoast]

i have both HOB and fluvals
fluval is a bit more work to clean, but you dont have to do it as often and the sponges last years, but they eat impellers :(
small HOB use those floss bags that can be pricey and need to be changed often, throwing away alot of the bacteria you need
and i've had a few floods thanks to HOB filters too

[fish]

When I had the HOB filters I never bought cartridges I just bought the AC sponges and cut them to fit in the HOB filters. Its way better and you don't have to replace them every month. Just an idea for you Melody if you want to cut expenses and the sponges work great in the Top Fin filters.

Fish

[Melody]

Well that's what Jays sponges do...lol...only they are FAR more heavy duty than Aquaclear sponges so they last an indefinite period and the waterflow is better. I don't have to cut or play around, I just slip it in and I'm done with it until it needs to be rinsed. I've saved a mint already. Month? My filter cartridges had to be changed weekly.

Thanks brnttoast, but I'm all set now. I have so many filters that the shipping would kill me anyway. :eek: I appreciate the offer though!

[OldMan]

I have several HOB filters on different tanks, a few sponge filters with power heads and several Rena canister filters. For any tank larger than about 40 gallons, I end up with a right sized Rena. I own 2 other brands of canister filter which I do not like as much but my Rena XP series seem to just go on for months at a time before they need cleaning. When they need cleaning the "chore" takes at least 10 minutes to do and priming the filter before plugging it in takes a full minute of standing and waiting for it to happen. You don't replace media in a canister so you don't need to worry about the cleaning impact on your biofilter. What I see is that most HOBs take weekly or every few weeks maintenance while the canister is measured in months. The HOBs are noisy with the biowheels and similar items causing splashing or running water noises while the canisters are silent. The HOB filters do not hold much media but it does seem to be enough. The return from most HOBs cannot be directed where it is wanted but just runs into the tank while the canister usually has a spray bar or similar attachment to direct flow where it is wanted. Very few of the HOBs give you any choice on what filter media to use and most of them use proprietary media. The canisters have big baskets that you stack with whatever media you want.
For me, the ease of snatching a cartridge out of a HOB and rinsing it out in 30 seconds or less makes them worthwhile on the small tanks. Who can afford a canister for a 10 gallon? Sponge filters is where I lean for those small tanks rather than HOBs but they take up space in the tank so that is a down mark. Larger tanks mean larger filters and that is where the beauty of a canister comes in with its low noise and large media volume.

[Melody]

Most HOB's (Whisper, Topfin, etc) use cartridges that are clipped bags - you can put any media you want in there. I've used oyster shell and coral w/aragonite in mine. Aquaclear is more limiting, I agree. Mine are only noisy when the waterline is low. Can't say the same for the air pumps my box filters use, but that's life in the fish lane. :wink:

I've never used canisters so take this as my view from the topside, not as a comparison.

[GaryofMontreal]

I always buy AQ hang on the back filters, because there is no issue with inserts. I'm running some here that I bought in 1992, and using the same sponge they came with. I use a sponge and water hardening rocks in those filters, in my livebearer tanks.
We don't see a lot of other brands here, as Hagen is based in Montreal and the stores are very loyal in their stocking. Only Big Al's carries competitive brands, and I haven't bought them because of insert issues.

[Melody]

1992? Aquaclears? I'm lucky if a sponge lasts me a couple of months. I find they clog up to a point that I can't get them clean and then start to smell really bad. :Eeewww:

[OldMan]

I do use the clipped bags in my HOBs Mel but the available volume is very small. A couple of dozen ceramic noodles would totally fill the bag to the bursting point in mine. Instead I measure things like noodles by the multiple cupfuls in my canister. It is mostly a question of scale to me when it comes to HOB vs canister. That is why I have some on my smaller tanks.

[Melody]

There are lots of options to ceramic noodles, which contribute nothing to the water column. If you use something that adds minerals to the water column, for example, you get both the minerals and the bacteria bed for your bio filter. If you don't want to add anything, there are very small items which are inert that you can use in the filter. Jay had something or other on the auction awhile back but I forget what he called them.

Cannisters don't appeal to me, never have. Everytime I look into them, I decide I don't want it. It's great that we have so many options these days and naturally some work better for individuals than others. Now if they'd just outlaw UGF's, I'd be happy. :rolleyes:

[BarbG]

Thanks for sharing all your experiences. I think I'll stick with what I know (HOB).

Barb