HOB vs Canister Filter

[goldmullet]

I have a 36 gallon fish only saltwater setup with live rock a protein skimmer a powerhead and an HOB. I am thinking of upgrading to a Rena XP3 canister for my tank. What are the pros and cons of the canister filter compared to the HOB?

 

[karsseboom]

Really both are bad for saltwater, they cause nitrates and have no way of breaking the nitrates down. So IMO i wouldnt use them. Some people will still use them but they keep them very clean and wash weekly. All you need man is some live rock and a skimmer and your set, you already have the skimmer just get some good live rock. In this hobby the filter is your rock and skimmer people dont use things like this anymore.

 

[moondoggy4]

Just do more water changes.
Dilution is the solution for pollution.

 

[UnoZeus]

With proper maintenance I believe a hang on has its place. It is not preferred for it's biological filtration but it is handy for housing different chemical filtration media such as gfo and carbon.

A canister filter can serve the same purpose as the hang on but it is often more difficult to maintain. I believe that the wisest choice is a hob filter with he biological filtration media replaced with additional chemical media.

 

[goldmullet]

So if I keep it clean the a canister is a good way to go right? Here is a picture of my tank so you can see all my live rock, is that enough live rock?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/at...3&d=1304987751

 

[moondoggy4]

Link did not work

 

[goldmullet]

Does this work?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2017500

 

[goldmullet]

Is this enough live rock?

 

[forddna]

I just posted in your other thread. Yes, that looks like plenty of live rock. What skimmer are you using? Are you using a sump?

I own an XP3..running on my freshwater tank. It's a great filter, but you will get sick of cleaning it as regularly as you need to for a saltwater tank. I know I would.

Aquaclear makes a great HOB filter. I have also used Emperor 400s on my freshwater tanks. The water pouring back in can be noisy. That is not an issue with a canister. The XP3 is dead silent.

Just remember that filter media in a saltwater tank is going to need to be cleaned VERY often, so set yourself up for the easiest way to do this or you will get sick of doing it. You're already doing water changes and cleaning skimmer cup and such.

 

[goldmullet]

Right now I am using a CPR BakPak 2 protein skimmer with no sump. I just have a Aqueon 30 HOB filter with a powerhead.

I would rather do the XP3 cause it's queitter and seems to filter better than the emperior 400.

What do you think? Is cleaning the XP3 really annoying?

 

[forddna]

Depends on what you find annoying. I'm a petite female, and my XP3 is in the back corner of the stand of my corner tank. It's heavy for me to drag across to the front, lift, and carry to the sink for cleaning. Also, the mechanical filtering media that goes in the bottom basket holds a ton of gunk and takes a long time to clean out to the point the water runs clear.

With a HOB, you just reach in, remove media, and drop new media in.

Have you tested your water? Do you know that you need additional filtering? If you don't go overboard stocking the tank, you may be fine with what you have now. If it was me, and I was going to spend money for additional filtration, I'd invest in a Lifereef overflow, a sump, and a small in-sump skimmer and call it a day.

 

[goldmullet]

Well my nitrates are high and it's hard to maintain them. And I want to add more fish to my tank. So I think I need additional filtering. How much or what's a good sump for my 36 gallon setup?

 

[moondoggy4]

A biggest glass tank that will fit. What are the usable measurements.
Two options either do not have any baffles and have a ATO for the same water depth.
Or have baffles but you will need to know which skimmer to use first and have a ATO also.

 

[goldmullet]

Is there a good website where I can look at different sumps?

My Stand is 30" long by 15"deep

 

[forddna]

Adding a canister filter is more likely to just add to your nitrate problem. If you have 30 full inches of width to put a sump, you can get a 20Long to use as a sump. It is 30x12x12. They are super easy to find. If your stand is tall, you can use a 29g. Same as 20L just taller.

Where do you live? Have you looked at the local reef clubs on here? That's your best bet for finding a sump and pretty much everything else.

You could get yourself an Aquaclear hob and convert it into a refugium. Google it. I can't seem to find a link on RC and I don't want to link to other places.

 

[goldmullet]

I live in Thousand Oaks california. Where do you find the reef clubs?

 

[moondoggy4]

where

where

I live in Thousand Oaks california. Where do you find the reef clubs?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=191 this may help

 

[forddna]

Here's all the "west region" reef clubs. See if any of these are near you. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=538 You can also ask your LFS if there's any local reef clubs.

 

[dzfish17]

In your other thread you said that you have 5 chromis and 2 clowns in your tank already. If you add anymore fish you will have even higher nitrates and other problems to deal with. Adding another filter is not the answer to your situation. The best thing to do is take out the chromis (they will probably fight untill there is one left) and add a couple of other fish, keeping the total to about 4-5 fishes. You said you wanted a tang but they get way to big for a 36g tank.

 

[goldmullet]

I am thinking about taking out sone chromis. What is a good bigger fish that would be good for my tank?