I use (air-driven) sponge and box filters in almost all of the tanks in my 50+ tank fishroom.
I run air slowly through the sponges so that they don't pull in too much gunk (and serve primarily as bio filters)...and run a lot of air through my box filters (so that they serve as primarily mechanical filtration).
Cleaning sponges packed with gunk is a PITA and involved a bucket, dunking, etc. Switching out the fluff in a box filter takes seconds.
Running powerheads, HOBs, canisters, etc. uses a lot more energy than a large air pump or two, which matters in a big fish room...
Matt