Canister Vs. Hob Filters

The controversy between the Canister Filter and the HOB filters. As most of us know there's a big following of both filter types. For years with smaller tanks the HOB was the filter of choice other then the sponge filter. Now we also have the smaller canisters available for small tanks. For the HOB's the recommended filtration rates are double that of the canister filter due to limited capacity of the filtration media. Something else that you here from the HOB side is lower initial cost acquisition of the units. The aquaclears are about the best on the market for HOB, I'll go with the 110 model. A quick look on Amazon and both Ebay the unit averages between $79-89 starting prices. On the the canister a decent middle of the road canister filter that can handle a tank the size of the Aquaclear 110 is the Marineland Magnaflow 360's. Made for supporting a 100 gallon tank and at a good price point for buying if you do a little searching. Over the last 2 months I have acquired 2 more of these filters brand new off of eBay for a total cost of $153. I know the complaints on canisters is they are expensive, heavy, and take to much time to clean. Here's the deal they can be heavy my Fluval FX 4's are heavy when they are full, it's a big filter. But when running a pair of filters on a tank maintenance is cut down on the filters. Start to finish you can really clean or add media in about 20 minutes, plus with the added media capacity inside the canisters you can have extra cycled media available for a quarantine tank or to give to a friend just getting into the hobby. So for those that want to get into a canister filter and don't really want to go with completely cheap, there are alternatives out there. It's a matter of a little digging.

 

I think ascetics comes to play as well. I like HOB systems but I also prefer a clean look that canisters offer.

I can stuff a canister into the stand and only have two hoses coming up from behind. Where the HOB is there. You can see it even with it behind the light fixtures.

 

Honestly canisters aren’t that hard to clean. More work than just replacing a filter cartrage but you get a lot more filtration capacity as a result. Once a month cleaning of a canister filter for a very good quality of filtration is worth it in my book.

 

I use both on all our aquariums. I am not sure which one I would choose if I could have only one.

 

I think ascetics comes to play as well. I like HOB systems but I also prefer a clean look that canisters offer.

I can stuff a canister into the stand and only have two hoses coming up from behind. Where the HOB is there. You can see it even with it behind the light fixtures.

They do look much cleaner and so much quieter, I have to check from time to time to make sure they are still running. HOB you end up with the water trickle sound.

Honestly canisters aren’t that hard to clean. More work than just replacing a filter cartrage but you get a lot more filtration capacity as a result. Once a month cleaning of a canister filter for a very good quality of filtration is worth it in my book.

I end up going a couple of months between cleaning, then again lately it seems like all I have been doing is cycling new filters off of established filters.

I use both on all our aquariums. I am not sure which one I would choose if I could have only one.

I had a canister and an HOB on the small 55 gallon tank, when I moved I just went with straight canisters on it.

 

I used to use HOBs when I first started owning fish. I have had a Sunsun canister for about 3 years and a Marineland Magnaflow 360's for less than a month (got it 1/2 price). I got hooked on canisters. They are so quiet. They also seem to require less cleaning. A canister is like a portable minI sump. I am going to go with Hamburg-matten filters on 2-29's and do blackwater wild betta tanks-- but that is later.

 

I used to use HOBs when I first started owning fish. I have had a Sunsun canister for about 3 years and a Marineland Magnaflow 360's for less than a month (got it 1/2 price). I got hooked on canisters. They are so quiet. They also seem to require less cleaning. A canister is like a portable minI sump. I am going to go with Hamburg-matten filters on 2-29's and do blackwater wild betta tanks-- but that is later.

In a way they are like a minI sump, once you see the light on a canister filter it's hard to got back. The next project possibly when I move to Texas is setting up a monster tank using an old 125 gallon tank I have around here for a sump. That's if I don't sell it to someone who needs a tank that size for breeding.

 

I have both HOB's and canisters. I prefer canisters for silent operation and better filtration.

 

I have both HOB's and canisters. I prefer canisters for silent operation and better filtration.

I have run both, plus a UGF run with a powerhead.