Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

HOB/Canister, Which is better

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • HOB/Canister, Which is better

    Ok, so my filter for my 45G stopped working three days ago. I was looking around for a filteration system. One member on here has a canister system for sell at a very decent price. I was at a LFS this afternoon and was asking about a Ehiem 2213 on sale. I asked the owner and he said that with the 45G, it is better to go with an AquaClear 100. According to him, it is better than an Ehiem 2217 for a third of a price. Either way, it is still way too much for my pocket. Should I got with a HOB or a canister that a member on here has for sell? In your opinion, which is better, HOB or canister?

  • #2
    In my experience HOB provide more oxygen than canisters but canisters are much quieter. I prefer canisters unless its my QT tank.
    Resident fish bum
    330G FOWLR
    34G Reef
    330G Discus biotopish (no longer running)
    28G JBJ Reef (no longer running)
    Treasurer, GHAC

    Comment


    • #3
      HOBs . easier to clean/change media/filterpads , cheaper and push more GPH for the money.
      25g - Reef
      3.5g - Surge Tank
      10g - Ichthyophthirius multifilis breeding colony

      Comment


      • #4
        i think i know where you went...xFP if im not mistaken...i personally use a AC110 on my 40g that i bought from xtreme fish last week and i LOVE it...i like canisters better on larger tanks but IMO as far as best bang for the buck, i think an AC110 would be best for you considering it still applies the same concept with media instead of a biowheel and the pump on the aqua clears are 500gph compared to a 2213 which puts out alot less turnover...my advice would be to go to xtreme fish and pets and get an AC110 because they have a GREAT 20% off sale right now and the AC110s are only 60$
        I make people happy

        Comment


        • #5
          i got my ac '110' on ebay for 60 sumthing shipped, not too bad

          Comment


          • #6
            I prefer HOBs for their ease of maintaince
            'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
            He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

            Comment


            • #7
              The canister is better, hands down. Take a look at the number of inches of actual filtration media in a canister and then compare that to the filtration media on an HOB. There is no comparison. The water will be filtered through much more media and many more different layers of media in a canister than an HOB.



              I also find maintenance on a canister to be much easier than an HOB. When doing water changes, you don't lose the prime on the canister (assuming you have quick disconnects on the canister). Turn the filter off, engage the quick disconnect to stop the flow of water to and from the canister, do the water change, and when the water level is high enough to cover the intake screen, disengage the quick disconnects to resume water flow. Turn the filter back on, and it's like nothing ever happened. But with an HOB, you must always reprime the filter because you cannot stop the water flow. This allows air to get sucked into the filter when the water level drops too low for the prime to hold.

              You can go for months without changing anything in the canister, but the HOB will need maintenance much faster. All the water is being filtered through a smaller amount of media which causes it to clog faster. You have to clean or replace the clogged media.

              Not only is there a lot more filter media for cleaning the water, but there's much more media for good bacteria to colonize.

              While it is true that an HOB will provide more oxygen, I have not heard of any reports that a canister filter provided too little oxygen for an aquarium. More of something you are not lacking isn't necessary.

              And canisters are virtually silent, unlike HOBs which are noisy and get even noisier as the water level drops due to evaporation between weekly water changes.

              While the AquaClear is one of the better HOBs because it uses more than a flimsy cartridge for filtration, it still cannot compare to the actual filtration media in a canister.

              Having said all that, while I prefer Eheims as work horses, I prefer Rena XPs for ease of use. They are also less expensive. I'd suggest a Rena XP2 for a 45g tank. They're not very expensive and will do all you want and more.
              Vicki

              • 90g Planted - Journal - New Pics Mar23
              • 75g Planted - Journal (on PT)
              • 29g Planted - Journal
              • 29g Planted
              • 5g Planted RCS

              Comment


              • #8
                +1 Perfectly stated complexity. That's what I was thinking but was to lazy.
                Resident fish bum
                330G FOWLR
                34G Reef
                330G Discus biotopish (no longer running)
                28G JBJ Reef (no longer running)
                Treasurer, GHAC

                Comment


                • #9
                  I perfer canisters, much mor flexability. Not only for what has ben mentioned above but you can also add equipment inline and get it out of your tank.
                  Houston Areas Aquatic Plant Society

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    HoB's provide more oxygen, but adding a few plants will do the same thing. I think canister's look better, because you just have the tubes coming down rather than the whole unit sitting on your tank. HoB's are very noisy. I have a HoB for the tank in my bedroom. Sometimes I find myself adding water at 2AM just so I can get some sleep. Canisters are more expensive, but I consider it a very wise investment.
                    75 planted (Being Renovated)
                    Endlers
                    gobies
                    lots of nanos

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      duplicate post
                      Last edited by mark razmandi; 10-19-2009, 12:05 PM.
                      I make people happy

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        very well said complexity, however the only thing i disagree with is the noise. most HOBS are noisier, however, my ac110 is quieter than all my filters...but its brand new too...
                        I make people happy

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          On the issue of HOBs have better oxygen inducing capabilities, you can always raise the spraybar or point the flow of the spraybar a little up towards the water surface and acheive aration with canisters. just my two cents

                          Also, if you are going the planted route then you will want a canister, surface agitation will diffuse your CO2 levels out of the water.
                          Houston Areas Aquatic Plant Society

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            If I was a begininer, I would love the simplicity of HOB's.

                            No doubt in my mind that Aqua Clears are the best HOB's in the market.
                            380G For Sale $3000 Acrylic tank & stand
                            300G Petrochromis Trewavasae and Tropheus mpimbwe Red Cheek & Duboisi
                            180G For Sale $1,100 Oceanic Cherry with Stand, T5HO Lights, (2) Eheim 2262
                            150G Tropheus Annectens Kekese & Ikola

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I like the fact that I can change the filter in 10 sec on my HOBs, but would rather have canisters just becouse they are quieter. When new my cheepie HOB's had a calming hum now they sound like a turbine spooling up. I guess thats what I get for buying cheepies.

                              --I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
                              -Stephen Roberts

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X