Canister vs hob ?
- Thread starter Pond9
- Start date
A rule of thumb I like to go by when shopping for canisters is to divide the factory rating by 2. For example an Eheim 2215, which Eheim claims can filter tanks up to 92 gallons, would only do 46 gallons. By following that rule, you can always ensure your tank has enough filtration.
Based off that, an fx4 would make a good filter for your tank. Fluval claims it can do tanks up to 250g, so it should be able to filter tanks up to 125g well. Your tank falls well under 125 gallons, so it would make a great filter for your tank.
As far as HOBs, I like how easy maintenance is on them, but the noise they create is what ruins it for me. I don't mind listening to water trickle, and I actually find it quite peaceful to listen to, but HOBs make annoying splashing sounds. The only way I've found to fix that is to top off the tank to the point where it's near overflowing.
Sorry if that post was all over the place. I was having trouble wording the post.
Based off that, an fx4 would make a good filter for your tank. Fluval claims it can do tanks up to 250g, so it should be able to filter tanks up to 125g well. Your tank falls well under 125 gallons, so it would make a great filter for your tank.
As far as HOBs, I like how easy maintenance is on them, but the noise they create is what ruins it for me. I don't mind listening to water trickle, and I actually find it quite peaceful to listen to, but HOBs make annoying splashing sounds. The only way I've found to fix that is to top off the tank to the point where it's near overflowing.
Sorry if that post was all over the place. I was having trouble wording the post.
I like the fact that canisters never lose their prime in power outages, but if they ever spring a leak they can drain the tank to the point of the intake level. I guess you could put a small hole near the top of the intake as a siphon break to prevent this. Canisters also give you more options to direct and control the output of the filter. They are more difficult to maintain and depending on your setup may not even fit under the stand and may have to sit to the side in the open. With a canister you can have the tank very close to the wall, where with a hob you will need about 5 or 6" of clearance. Hobs are easy set up, easy maintenance, and good flow. If you maintain a high water level hobs are also very quiet. I use both, combinations of both, and combinations with sponge filter and still do the same water changes on all the tanks. Nitrates accumulate at the same rate with all of them.
HOBs dont get the credit they deserve. You can always expand the siphon hoses and maintain the sump in an entirely different room. By placing a cover on the HOB you can eliminate any sound being produced as well. My sump is 8 feet away from the actual tank and the HOB is to thank for it.
I know I may be in the minority here.
And though nitrates accumulate at the same rate. if you clean the mechanical media often, there will be fewer nitrates.
I tended to clean (rinse out) my HOB mechanical filter media every other day, with my normal frequency of water changes. Easy, leave the filter running, while pulling out the mechanical part, rinse, and stick it back, less than 5 minutes.
When I had canisters, they tended to sit uncleaned for sometimes a month. And when I cleaned them out more often, the components like O-rings, and impellers would prematurely fail, allowing the pump to cavitate, and leak.
Not that the same problems won't exist with any filter, but when you compare replacement costs, or even replacement parts......
And though nitrates accumulate at the same rate. if you clean the mechanical media often, there will be fewer nitrates.
I tended to clean (rinse out) my HOB mechanical filter media every other day, with my normal frequency of water changes. Easy, leave the filter running, while pulling out the mechanical part, rinse, and stick it back, less than 5 minutes.
When I had canisters, they tended to sit uncleaned for sometimes a month. And when I cleaned them out more often, the components like O-rings, and impellers would prematurely fail, allowing the pump to cavitate, and leak.
Not that the same problems won't exist with any filter, but when you compare replacement costs, or even replacement parts......
Well, I am sitting here wondering when was the last time I cleaned my canisters, so you make a valid point.
+1
A gunk up canister is not just a nitrate factory, it can go anaerobic and spill out toxic gas in a power surge. A leaky canister can drain a tank all the way to the intake level. Such disasters will never happen to HOB because it is an open system and it has no external plumbing or O-ring to leak. The only perceived negativity of HOB is that it needs to be cleaned frequently due to small media capacity. But its negativity is its positivity because cleaning frequently means that nitrate build up will be curtailed.
