Sponge Filter vs HOB for these two tanks

I have the majority of my tanks on sponge filters, with a few exceptions. We're moving soon, and I have the following two tanks I'm torn on if I should do a HOB or Sponge Filters for. Both are 40 breeders, and I have two 40 gallon HOBs I can use for them, but I'm generally trying to keep electricity usage to a minimum post-move, and as I said, most of my tanks are already on sponge filters (All connect back to one or two air pumps - I've had them this way for years and don't plan to change it).
One of the 40s is my blind cave tetras and a few stragglers that I've found to be more confident with the blind fish:


The other is a collection of random shoaling fish whose shoals have dwindled over the years, but they have been quite content together:


And this is the tentative layout for my animal room post-move, with green X's being tanks/tank racks on sponge filters, purple X's being ones with HOBs, and red O's being the two in question:


If I don't use the HOBs for these tanks, I have another tank that could use them

So what do you guys think? Use my two HOB filters? Or get them some sponge filters?

 

I have ten tanks. One has no mechanical filtration (plants only), and only two of the others have HOB's. The rest all have sponge filters, and the two with HOB's also have sponge filters. You can probably guess what I'll recommend.

Plus, I think there's a reason the people you see on youtube with big fish rooms all have sponge filters.

 

I think when you get above a 55g that you have to go beyond a sponge filter.... or a HOB really, if you are comfortable with what a sponge filter does, and doesn't do, and what you need to do to clean and keep it good, I'd stick to sponge filter only. HOBs in my opinion are just more hassle and impellers to jam, and Sponges are simple. it's people that don't understand the differences I worry about transitioning from one to the other, but not the people that knows how it goes.

 

I have ten tanks. One has no mechanical filtration (plants only), and only two of the others have HOB's. The rest all have sponge filters, and the two with HOB's also have sponge filters. You can probably guess what I'll recommend.

Plus, I think there's a reason the people you see on youtube with big fish rooms all have sponge filters.

Very true, very true. The ones that have HOBs are either high bioload/mess (Goldfish) or for current!

I think when you get above a 55g that you have to go beyond a sponge filter.... or a HOB really, if you are comfortable with what a sponge filter does, and doesn't do, and what you need to do to clean and keep it good, I'd stick to sponge filter only. HOBs in my opinion are just more hassle and impellers to jam, and Sponges are simple. it's people that don't understand the differences I worry about transitioning from one to the other, but not the people that knows how it goes.

Makes sense!

Thank you both!!

 

For me sponge (alone) isn't enough flow in a larger tank, and takes up too much room in a smaller tank. Air pumps that run them are almost always louder than HOB filter motors. I've not had the problems mentioned above with HOB. I've had units run decades without issue and I don't often fuss with or clean them. Just another POV, filter preferences are quite personal. In the end, they all work!