Power filter (HOB) or Canister?

[wannabe68]

You folks have been so helpful with my questions. I can not thank you all enough.
If you have followed my recent filter questions, I get the impression that it is pretty much a 50/50 split between HOB filters vs canisters. My question is, which will perform better, my HOB (Emporer 280) or a "good" middle of the road priced canister?
I'm just not happy with the water clarity of my HOB.

 

[Butterfly]

What kind and size of HOB are you using. what size is the tank?
Carol

 

[wannabe68]

Sorry Butterfly
My HOB is a marineland emperor 280. The tank is a 42 gallon hex tall. 23" height and 25" wide.

 

[Butterfly]

you usually want to shoot for ten times your gallons to figure how much water turn over you need. That's called Gallons per Hour= GPH. For your tank you really need approx 420 GPH. 42 x 10 = 420GPH. The Marineland emperor 280 has 280 GPH. That may be why your water is not as clear as you like.
Since I don't have any canister filters I can't say which is best, but I love my HOBs
Carol

 

[Boxermom]

I highly recommend the Rena XP series canister filters. They work as well as the more expensive Eheims (and other brands) and cost a whole lot less. And IMO, they are much easier to maintain.

 

[Isabella]

I've heard on Plant Geek that both Eheims and XPs are very good, only XPs are much cheaper than Eheims are. Filtration you choose really depends on the size of your tank, on the kinds of fish you have, on the number of fish, and whether you have live plants. Every individual may have different filtering requirements. For my 75 gallon planted tank I'll be getting either XP or Eheim, but I am leaning more toward the XP since it's good and much cheaper. However, I'll still see.

I personally have an Aqua Clear power filter (HOB filter) over my 30 gallon tank and I really can't complain about it. It's really up to you what you'll get. As I told you in another post, you could have either of the two types above, or even a combination of the two. Some people have HOBs combined with canisters, while others have 2 canisters or 2 HOBs only on their tanks. The only HOB that I have experience with is - like I said - the Aqua Clear, and I'd recommend it to anyone with tanks up to 75 gallons. For a tank larger than 75 gallons, I'd personally get a canister filter - BUT this is just my personal preference. For a 75 gallon tank, you may as well get 2 HOBs such as Aqua Clear, or 2 canisters such as EheI'm or XP. Once again - it's up to you. The most important thing for you is to have a filter (or 2 filters combined) that pump 10 times the volume of your tank per 1 hour. You could have a filter (or filters) that pump more than 10 times the volume of your tank - that certainly wouldn't hurt you but would only make it better (of course as long as you don't have a whirlpool in your tank, lol, and as long as your fish are able to easily overcome the water flow).

 

[Jason]

You guys are lucky though because prices here are like double yours even when you convert the US$ to Aussie$. A HOB may have trouble filtering such a tall tank mind you, compared to a canister, but just take the advice of these people they know.

 

[Butterfly]

wannabe68 I think I'm following you all over the net LOL All good advice here on filters and your getting good advice at plant geek on canisters. Hope between the two your decision will be easier
Carol

 

[Gunnie]

I personally hate the HOB filters, and only have them running in my 20 gal. community tank. My HOB filters have let me down many times by losing their prime. I have never come home to a tank with a sponge or canister for filtration where the filter was not working, but I have come home many times where the HOB is whining and who knows how long there was not water flow through the filter. Canisters are generally used for larger tanks, and for my smaller tanks, I prefer to use sponge filters.