Hi, i am planning to set up a planted nano with a couple of platies in, and i do not want a small internal as it will take up to much room. My question is are they noisey?, i haqve never had one before and as it is in my bedroom and i hate noise when im trying to sleep lol. I am going to get the $12.99 HOB from walmart, the one that does a 5gal tank. Thanks alot.
Are HOB filters quiet???
- Thread starter rust9000
- Start date
Depends on which brand you get, and in my experience they get louder as they get older. It helps to keep them as clean as possible. I have a 5-20 gallon Aqua Clear HOB filter right next to my bed on my 2.5 saltwater tank. As long as i keep the water high enough that it dosnt splash alot, i cant hear it at all. I frequently put my hand on it to make sure its still on. As for a brand preference, dont get a Topfin they dont work. Penguin brand works well enough.
Thanks alot, im not sure which brand it is, but ill take alook before i buy it, thanks for the heads up. 
You get what you pay for...however, I've run a few Aqua-Clear filters (20, 70, and 110)with really really good results. They are quiet and very easy to maintain. Go to petsmart.com, print out a price list, and your local petsmart will match the price. They are not much more expensive than the walmart filters, and of much better quality.
Most HOBs are pretty quit as long as they are clean. If mine are noisy, I degunk them and then they are clean.
Thanks guys, im from the UK but im visiting my farther in the US so i thought id make the most of it and spend less for more lol.
What do you mean by "if the water level is right"? do u mean it has to be at a certain level in order for the impeller to be quiet? or just so the trickling is hidden? or both thanks