HOB filter performance?

[antoine doinel]

Hello, I have never used a HOB filter, only canister filters and wet/dry. How is their performance compared to a canister?

It seems they have much faster flow rate than most canisters, the aquaclear 500 pumps 1900 l/hr.

How would this compare to a canister with half this power? The aquaclear 500 has how much media capacity?

I am thinking of buying one as additional filtration to one of my tanks.

Thanks,
Antoine.

 

[Vitaliy]

That is a very open question as there are so many different HOB and canister filters. Generally I prefer canister filters such as Eheim and XP over any HOB filters.

EDIT: I just Googled AquaClear 500 for more information as I did not use one in forever now. It is rated for 150 gallons, there is no way in hell it can filter that.

 

[LoTech]

Flow rate on a HOB should not be compared to flow rate on a canister. In fact, flow rate really won't tell you much about the useful bio filtration. The capability of the filter is much more dependent on the surface area of the media, the amount of oxygen, and the efficiency of moving water thru all of the media.

1) I'm positive that my Eheim canisters are far, far better filters than my HOBs
2) I always have more than one filter on every tank, and HOBs are a great (cheap) second filter. But so is a sponge filter.
3) I agree there is no way in hell a AC500 can filter 150 gallons. I might consider it to be one of two filters on, maybe, a 75 at the biggest (I run 2 HOBs and a canister on my 75, but that's overkill, even for that tank).

 

[rallysman]

I go against the grain and like my AC filters better than my canister. I have an XP3 and I really dont like it at all. I can do much better with a couple of AC110s.
I've never tried an Eheim, but with all of the hype I think I might have to.

 

[antoine doinel]

rallysman you actually think the aquaclears do a better job? I have never used the XP3. Do you know how much media can fit into an AC500? I think this is the same as the AC 110 in America.

 

[rallysman]

AC500 and 110 are the same. I dont know for sure how much you can fit in the AC, but its not as much as the XP3. I'm just not impressed with the XP because I cant get good surface agitation and its a pain to clean IMO. My tanks with AC filters are much easier to clean than that XP3. The XP3 makes a mess every time I clean it. It also seems pretty weak as far as flow is concerned. I'm going to sell it and stick with wet/drys and HOBs on everything probably.

 

[Vitaliy]

AC500 and 110 are the same. I dont know for sure how much you can fit in the AC, but its not as much as the XP3. I'm just not impressed with the XP because I cant get good surface agitation and its a pain to clean IMO. My tanks with AC filters are much easier to clean than that XP3. The XP3 makes a mess every time I clean it. It also seems pretty weak as far as flow is concerned. I'm going to sell it and stick with wet/drys and HOBs on everything probably.

When I got my XP1 I was not too happy about the flow either, I ended up removing the "extension" at the end and it greatly improved the flow. Give that a try if you did not already try that..

 

[rallysman]

Thats removed and its just the 1 nozzle now. It still seems really weak.
The tank that it is on is also fairly tall, so that may have something to do with it.

 

[Fry]

the AC500/110 is rated for 110 gallons actually, hence the name; but if you go with the rule of turning the water 5x per hour the 428gph flow rate only takes care of up to a 85.6 gallon tank

of course HOBs can't compare to decent canisters but Aquaclears offer a good amount of media capacity and great flow rate for the money, also much easier to clean, i would go with aquaclears instead of canisters for anything less than 50 gallons

 

[cichlid savage]

I use both HOB filters and canisters. I think that you need to be more specific in comparing HOB filters and canisters. I have 2 magnum 350's on my 90 gal and they do a fine job. I like to filter approx 10 times the volume in my tank per hr depending on bio load. I have HOB filters on my smaller tanks 30-55 and with this formula and a moderate bioload they are more than efficient. Give us more info and we can give more acurate info.