HOB filter performance?

[JAK]

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

when we all talk about filtration and gph isnt the important thing contact time.corect me if im wrong but you could turn over 10 times per hour.but that realy dosent always mean your getting good filtration right?so basicly you would want media space first.i personly like the ACs flow control,slow it down more contact time to filter the water.right or WRONG?

 

[freeskierrocket]

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.

I've got 2 xp3's and an eheim 2028 (along with 18" bubble wand and seio 620 power head) on my 125g african cichlid tank...............love them all. What I did to help the flow rate a little was drill out the holes on the xp3's spray bars a couple gages bigger.........i think it helped............also if you are running the spray bar make sure it is paralell to the ground but spin the spray bar so it is angled up a little just past flowing straight out......that way it agitates the surface, especially if your water level goes down a little from evaporation.............I personally have my eheim agitating the surface on thge left side of the tank ( my angle concept), and my seio 620 angled up and towards the front of the tank on the far right rear of the tank. both my xp 3's are angled down at a 45 deg angle (1 on each side of tank), and my 18" bubble wand is on the far left bottom side of the tank (bubbles flow up and left to right being pushed from the xp3 and the eheim on that side..................I used to run 3 AC 110/500's on that tank, along with the bubble wand but I just like the simplicity (i think) of the canisters and the fact that i can pretty much flush mount the tank (maybe 2 inches from the wall) with my new canister setup!!!!!!!!!!

I must admit that I do miss the better surface agitation from the AC filters but I do not miss the everpresent waterfall sound in my bedroom (tank since moved to basement)...................Both type filter have +/- 's , you just have to decide what kind of setup you desire and are comfortable maintaining and living with!!

Now go my MFK friend in to the land of filters, try not to go semi mad like I wandering the aisles of the Lfs's comparing boxes and flow rates etc..........try a couple different filters and see what ya like then.............hell if it sucks...............Petco and Petsmart etc have wonderful return policies!!!!!! hahahahaha!!!! Good luck bro!!!

 

[rallysman]

when we all talk about filtration and gph isnt the important thing contact time.corect me if im wrong but you could turn over 10 times per hour.but that realy dosent always mean your getting good filtration right?so basicly you would want media space first.i personly like the ACs flow control,slow it down more contact time to filter the water.right or WRONG?

That is definately an important factor. I'm going to test that theory. I'm making a wet/dry with about 70 gallons of bio media and i'm going to turn it over 3x per hour and see how that goes.

 

[freeskierrocket]

when we all talk about filtration and gph isnt the important thing contact time.corect me if im wrong but you could turn over 10 times per hour.but that realy dosent always mean your getting good filtration right?so basicly you would want media space first.i personly like the ACs flow control,slow it down more contact time to filter the water.right or WRONG?

The flow control knob on AC filters is pretty much for feeding time but you are right in assuming that more contact time equals better posibility for biological buildup.

 

[Fry]

biofiltration is the most important factor but don't forget moving the water and mechanical filtration are also responsibilities of the filter

i'm not sure slowing down for contact time makes a difference for submerged media, wet/dry is a different story, if you have a good flow rate theoretically the beneficial bacteria would be working non-stop anyway as there is always new water from the aquarium going to them (non-stop flow of ammonia, nitrites, and dissolved gases)

 

[JAK]

The flow control knob on AC filters is pretty much for feeding time but you are right in assuming that more contact time equals better posibility for biological buildup.

ok so wouldn't it be better for someone to consider contact time of filtration rather than GPH? so if someone has say 65g and you want 10 times per hour.so you need 650 GPH.would say 3 filters total of 650GPH.BE BETTER THAN 1... more contact time with 3 small filters than with 1 big one right?

 

[freeskierrocket]

ok so wouldn't it be better for someone to consider contact time of filtration rather than GPH? so if someone has say 65g and you want 10 times per hour.so you need 650 GPH.would say 3 filters total of 650GPH.BE BETTER THAN 1... more contact time with 3 small filters than with 1 big one right?

Well I, alongs with a lot of the members here on this site believe in overfiltration........And I would have to agree that 3 medium sized filters are better that 1 huge one for a multitude of reasons..........but rember if you go too small filter wise you are limiting the actual amount of media that is being contacted by said flow rate .....whatever that flow rate is................... anyone agree???

 

[JAK]

biofiltration is the most important factor but don't forget moving the water and mechanical filtration are also responsibilities of the filter

I'm not sure slowing down for contact time makes a difference for submerged media, wet/dry is a different story, if you have a good flow rate theoretically the beneficial bacteria would be working non-stop anyway as there is always new water from the aquarium going to them (non-stop flow of ammonia, nitrites, and dissolved gases)

your right a filters responsibility is mechanical filtration.but i don't use my ACs for mechanical filtration.only bio.. i use a power head with a mechanical filter on it.much more effective i think.one of ACs selling points is flow control and contact time.so i think submerged media is effected by contact time.i could be wrong...

 

[Ducati996]

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).

You grossly under estimate the effectiveness of the AC 500 (or 110's) both with 500 gph ratings. I had 2 AC 500's on a 180 for years - running probably longer than some of the posters on this site have been alive. I had an extra AC 500 to add to the tank, but it was never needed. It is the best value vs performance out there - still is at $42 and under

 

[freeskierrocket]

your right a filters responsibility is mechanical filtration.but i don't use my ACs for mechanical filtration.only bio.. i use a power head with a mechanical filter on it.much more effective i think.one of ACs selling points is flow control and contact time.so i think submerged media is effected by contact time.i could be wrong...

AC's are pretty much mechanical powerhorses.................That would be the whole point of the high flow rate........................TO MECHANICALY remove the waste...in an expedited manner....