Filter question

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richardhmc

richardhmc

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 25, 2006
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Hi! I am new to the great fish hobby and I have some questions.
I have a 10 gallon tank and will move to a 55 gallon tank very shortly.

The question is.. What is different between a canister filter and a hang-on filter?
Right now, i have a hang-on filter and it doesnt seem to get the job done. By this I mean that usually the water is cloudy and it doesnt pick up much.

I want my 55 to look sparkly clean so is a canister filter better?
Thanks. :)
 
Are you doing water changes? How many fish do u have in your 10 gallon and how often do u feed?.

A canister imho is alot better than most hang on filters. When you get the 55gallon, why not make a diy wet/dry you can use the old 10gallon for it.
 
richardhmc;626985; said:
The question is.. What is different between a canister filter and a hang-on filter?
Right now, i have a hang-on filter and it doesnt seem to get the job done. By this I mean that usually the water is cloudy and it doesnt pick up much.

I want my 55 to look sparkly clean so is a canister filter better?
Thanks. :)
Click to expand...


The difference between a canister and HOB is quite a bit. Overall the canister does filter better because you have much more filter media inside the cansiter as opposed to the HOB. But HOBs are good for filtration because most of them move a high volume of water, which helps surface agitation which in turns promotes better oxygen levels in the water.

If you havent had the tank running for very long chances are the water is cloudy because your filter has yet to become established, in other words the bacteria that has to form on the filter media (which cleans the water) has not grown yet, it takes time.

Really canisters or HOBs work well, for your 55, get a decent HOB in conjuction with a canister. Its always good to have more than one filter in case one breaks down anyway.
 
For the 55 an Ehiem, Rena XP3, Magnum 350 run in conjunction with a AC 110 will be the perfect set up.
 
RadleyMiller;627029; said:
For the 55 an Ehiem, Rena XP3, Magnum 350 run in conjunction with a AC 110 will be the perfect set up.
Click to expand...

:iagree: do both for sure
 
I see. I have 7 fish. And i feed them everyday and do water changes everyday.
How does a canister filter? Is it inside the tank? I havent ever seen one before.

That sounds like a good idea - getting both kinds

I dont know what a wet/dry filter is although I have heard of it so many times.
 
boisblancboy;627052; said:
The canister filter actually sits below your tank inside the tank. It has a intake and return line that go into your tank. Here are canister filters:

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp17290/cl0/canister?viewType=

I wouldnt bother with a wet.dry for a 55, but if you decided to ever go bigger, then it would probably be a good idea to check out.
Click to expand...

:iagree: If you do go bigger, bring the canister with you to the bigger tank along with the AC110 and add your sump. Right now you don't need to go bigger, but in about a year you will, Dempseys and Plecos, good luck!
 
I see. How does the water go into the canister filter? from a long tube?

What is the point of a wet/dry?
 
richardhmc;627092; said:
I see. How does the water go into the canister filter? from a long tube?

What is the point of a wet/dry?
Click to expand...

Canisters are fed by a syphon, when water is pumped out of the canister, it draws more water in because of differences in pressure.

A wet dry is basically a tank that has some water in the bottom and some dividers in it. The water leaves the tank through an overflow and pours into the sump. The water trickles over bio material which is usually in a column. Some of the biomatrial is always in the water at the bottom of the sump and is the "wet" part, and the rest of it is in the air and constantly has water trickling over it, hence the "dry" part. After the water leaves the biomedia area, it flows to the pump and gets returned to the tank.
 
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