Hob Filter Vs Sponge Filter

So I want to replace my hob filter for a sponge filter. What are the pros and cons of each filter?

 

What kind of HOB filter do you have currently?

HOB are good for having different media types and more water movement. Typically they are more expensive as well. Good ones are very quiet. If you want or need to use things like Carbon or Purigen, you can use those in it.

Sponge filters are cheap, simple, and can be very effective. They move less water typically, if your fish don't like a strong flow they are very good options. You get mechanical and biological filtration from a sponge. When it is time to clean, you rinse in tank water and put it back in. A quality air pump will be relatively quiet, depending on your threshold for the noise they make. The bubbles mine generate are actually louder than the pump if I have the air going full blast. They also create excellent surface agitation if you are after that. You can also run them using powerheads instead of air pumps (depending on the filter and pump).

It really depends on what you are after and why you are thinking of changing your filter. Also I like to run both in my tank. Currently in my 29 gal, I run a Tidal 55 HOB along with a Hydro Sponge II (driven by air pump). I have a air stone inside the sponge filter which makes the bubbles smaller. I actually used my sponge filter to seed my HOB when I set the tank up. I keep the sponge filter going so that if I need to set up a QT tank, I can move it over to that tank and have a cycle already establish on it. Then move it back when done. I like the agitation it creates as well, to get more O2 into the water which I think helps the fish a bit and my ADF that are in there.

Some people like me run both, I know people that run dual sponge filters with nothing else. All depends on your needs and if the filters can handle the bio-load

 

What kind of HOB filter do you have currently?

HOB are good for having different media types and more water movement. Typically they are more expensive as well. Good ones are very quiet. If you want or need to use things like Carbon or Purigen, you can use those in it.

Sponge filters are cheap, simple, and can be very effective. They move less water typically, if your fish don't like a strong flow they are very good options. You get mechanical and biological filtration from a sponge. When it is time to clean, you rinse in tank water and put it back in. A quality air pump will be relatively quiet, depending on your threshold for the noise they make. The bubbles mine generate are actually louder than the pump if I have the air going full blast. They also create excellent surface agitation if you are after that. You can also run them using powerheads instead of air pumps (depending on the filter and pump).

It really depends on what you are after and why you are thinking of changing your filter. Also I like to run both in my tank. Currently in my 29 gal, I run a Tidal 55 HOB along with a Hydro Sponge II (driven by air pump). I have a air stone inside the sponge filter which makes the bubbles smaller. I actually used my sponge filter to seed my HOB when I set the tank up. I keep the sponge filter going so that if I need to set up a QT tank, I can move it over to that tank and have a cycle already establish on it. Then move it back when done. I like the agitation it creates as well, to get more O2 into the water which I think helps the fish a bit and my ADF that are in there.

Some people like me run both, I know people that run dual sponge filters with nothing else. All depends on your needs and if the filters can handle the bio-load

Well in a couple weeks I’ll be adding a pair of electric blue rams with the hopes of breeding so I don’t want the fry to get sucked up and I feel like it would be easier to breed them if there was little to no current. Also I currently have a Aqueon quietflow20

 

Hi, I can see that you have two tanks - a 20 gallon with a HOB and a 10 gallon (no specs). So to put things into context, I would say:

HOB vs sponge:

1. tank size/filter capacity: HOB for 20g, sponge may do for 10 gallon or smaller
2. effectiveness: HOB can have mechanical filtration for dirt, carbon for chemical filtration and a sponge for biological filtration - each section can be cleaned / replaced or exchanged individually. A sponge filter can only do mechanical and biological filtration.
3. water agitation: HOB has a motor and pump, so you can direct the output where you want to with or without water surface agitation. Sponge filters use air as a medium to move the water. As a result, bubbles appear at the water surface and increase water surface agitation
4. Price: HOB more expensive than sponge filter HOWEVER, don't forget to add the price of a air pump to the sponge filter.
5. Noise: HOB is more quiet as the motor is quiet and only water movement generates sound. A sponge filter requires an air pump (noisier than HOB pump) and generates air noise as the bubbles pop at the surface of the water.

Having said of all of that, sponge filters are easy to use and hassle free. HOBs need to be dismantled and cleaned every 2-3 months.

Hope you find this usefull

 

So I want to replace my hob filter for a sponge filter. What are the pros and cons of each filter?

Hello Fan...

There isn't a filter made that will do a good job of keeping the tank water clean. You have to change most of the water weekly to really benefit the fish. So, I'd go with a dual sponge filter. They're inexpensive and with a good air pump, the system works as well as anything.

Old

 

Also keep in mind that it will probably take a good month or so of running in the tank with your current HOB to establish a sponge filter with a bb colony so that it could be used on it's own.

You could also put a pre-filter sponge on your HOB intake to keep fry out of it. If your filter is adjustable, you can reduce that or baffle it with a sponge to reduce the flow coming back in.

 

Hi, I can see that you have two tanks - a 20 gallon with a HOB and a 10 gallon (no specs). So to put things into context, I would say:

HOB vs sponge:

1. tank size/filter capacity: HOB for 20g, sponge may do for 10 gallon or smaller
2. effectiveness: HOB can have mechanical filtration for dirt, carbon for chemical filtration and a sponge for biological filtration - each section can be cleaned / replaced or exchanged individually. A sponge filter can only do mechanical and biological filtration.
3. water agitation: HOB has a motor and pump, so you can direct the output where you want to with or without water surface agitation. Sponge filters use air as a medium to move the water. As a result, bubbles appear at the water surface and increase water surface agitation
4. Price: HOB more expensive than sponge filter HOWEVER, don't forget to add the price of a air pump to the sponge filter.
5. Noise: HOB is more quiet as the motor is quiet and only water movement generates sound. A sponge filter requires an air pump (noisier than HOB pump) and generates air noise as the bubbles pop at the surface of the water.

Having said of all of that, sponge filters are easy to use and hassle free. HOBs need to be dismantled and cleaned every 2-3 months.

Hope you find this usefull

I'll just run a sponge filter or 2 on the 10 gallon when I decide to add fish into it

 

I run dual sponge filters in my 60 gallon tank. I also have a hob that I run when I need some extra mechanical filtration. I bought a large bag of polyester pillow fill so I can fill the hob with that and it's cheap enough to toss in the garbage when I'm done using the hob. I just run the hob for a day and stir up any debris in the tank, and I use a circulation pump to move the particles to the intake of the hob.

 

From a mechanical point a HOB can clean the water and provide you the crystal clean water that makes it look like the fish are floating. That's when you add poly fil to it.

With a sponge you don't get that effect at all since the sponge is just a biological media. They are easy to maintain but if you are looking for crystal clear water a sponge won't provide that.

 

I run HOB/canisters and sponge filters on all of my tanks, that way if I need a seeded sponge for the fish fry, you have it.

If you’re going to try to breed Rams, you’re almost guaranteed to have the parents eat the eggs, so it’s so much better to take them and artificially hatch them. I can help you there in the future if you’d like.

 

I run HOB/canisters and sponge filters on all of my tanks, that way if I need a seeded sponge for the fish fry, you have it.

If you’re going to try to breed Rams, you’re almost guaranteed to have the parents eat the eggs, so it’s so much better to take them and artificially hatch them. I can help you there in the future if you’d like.

I pm'd you

 

I’ve been wondering for a while if I use just a sponge filter long term or even just sponge in my internal filter ( will my water start to smell or get cloudy) part of me wants to forgo carbon but I have not had the guts to do it.

 

I should mention I have small tanks all under 15 gallons and 1 betta in each so low bioload.

 

If you want to forego the carbon, use Seachem's Purigen. Works great!

 

I'm a little late, but a sponge filter never needs to be primed manually if it is already completely submerged. Hang on back filters may depend on the water level and perhaps also the brand (more specifically how it was designed), so as not the lose the siphon on the water.

Some sponge filters can be adjusted to change the direction of the water output. Out of the box, I have not seen a hang on back filter able to adjust the direction of the water flowing out.