Hob or sponge?

[joeyr188]

I’m about to buy 2 10 gal tanks for breeding should I use sponge or hob? I do not care about noise because the will be in my closet, and if I do get sponge is it just a air pump hooked up to it or is it a whole different system.

 

[Benji k]

I’m about to buy 2 10 gal tanks for breeding should I use sponge or hob? I do not care about noise because the will be in my closet, and if I do get sponge is it just a air pump hooked up to it or is it a whole different system.

if your breeding like livebearers and you're going to leave the fry in i would use a sponge filter so it won't suck up the baby's and it grows good bacteria for the baby's to eat i would use a sponge filter but it doesn't really matter.

 

[joeyr188]

if your breeding like livebearers and you're going to leave the fry in i would use a sponge filter so it won't suck up the baby's and it grows good bacteria for the baby's to eat i would use a sponge filter but it doesn't really matter.

Yea imma breed guppies and tetras but do I have to replace the bio filter like the carbon filiters on hob

 

[Benji k]

Yea imma breed guppies and tetras but do I have to replace the bio filter like the carbon filiters on hob

i have a 5-gallon that's heavily planted I'm not bothered to change the cartridges i do clean it out but not much i think it would be fine with the bio filter you already have in it and if its been in another tank it will help cycle the tank.

 

[Boundava]

So having had experience with both sponge and HOB filters I would honestly vote HOB. That being said I have two pieces of advice for you. If, as mentioned you are using these as breeder tanks and it will have fry in the tanks I would strongly recommend getting some type of inlet sponge covering to go on the intake. Additionally I have never ever used a HOB filter with the disposable media that was provided for it. The cartridges are not at all necessary especially the carbon in the cartridges. Get yourself some good sponges and some good ceramic materials like matrix from Seachem and use that in the HOB in place of whatever junk they gave you. It is junk because they want you to replace it and throw away all of your good bacteria that has grown on it. The HOB filters are a lot quieter than sponge filters because you do not have to deal with the vibrating noise of an air pump. So long as you keep the water levels up in the tank, most HOB filters are not noisy. For 10 gallon tanks the company Azoo sell some really nice HOB filters for 10 gallon tanks. If you want examples the search YouTube for modifying hang on back filters and see what I'm talking about by improving the filtration in a HOB by swapping out the junk replaceable cartridges they give you for good stuff; as I mentioned before this would be sponge pieces and matrix or some other media that will encourage bacterial growth. This is not to say that the bacteria won't grow on the sponges as well, but Matrix or ceramic media will provide a bigger home for the beneficial bacteria.
I have the small Azoo mignon on my 6 gallon tank.The photos below show the filter with my sponge media in it. This tank is home to my tiger shrimp as well as a small assortment of nano tetras. The benefit of this filter is that it comes with its own sponge guard on the intake which prevents any baby shrimp or small fish to get stuck to the intake. Another benefit is that the sponge intake also allows additional bacteria to grow as well as filtering any large debris and stopping it from entering the filter. I also have the larger version of this filter on my 10 gallon, my four 5 gallon tanks, as well as an even larger Azoo filter as a support filter for my 33 gallon brackish tank. All of these filters are filled with my own media, actually the support filter for the 33 gallon is filled with cheato algae and it runs along with a Tidal filter. Along with the Azoo HOB I also have four Tidal filters and a large Marineland which has never had a replaceable cartridge in it. To be honest the Tidal filters are made without disposable cartridges, but I still modified them to hold more media.

 

[Rocky998]

On my fry tank I use a sponge filter... I strongly advice HOBs for almost every tank besides fry tanks... I feel like the flow can be too strong but also sponge filters are easy to clean and you may even have little microscopic things that the fry will snack on, on the sponge filter. There are many benefits. And its cheaper. With a HOB you would NEED an inlet cover in a fry tank 100%... Don't want little nemo getting stuck

 

[Boundava]

Another bonus of the Azoo HOB is that you can modify the flow.

 

[Alice B]

sponge filter

 

[Benji k]

So having had experience with both sponge and HOB filters I would honestly vote HOB. That being said I have two pieces of advice for you. If, as mentioned you are using these as breeder tanks and it will have fry in the tanks I would strongly recommend getting some type of inlet sponge covering to go on the intake. Additionally I have never ever used a HOB filter with the disposable media that was provided for it. The cartridges are not at all necessary especially the carbon in the cartridges. Get yourself some good sponges and some good ceramic materials like matrix from Seachem and use that in the HOB in place of whatever junk they gave you. It is junk because they want you to replace it and throw away all of your good bacteria that has grown on it. The HOB filters are a lot quieter than sponge filters because you do not have to deal with the vibrating noise of an air pump. So long as you keep the water levels up in the tank, most HOB filters are not noisy. For 10 gallon tanks the company Azoo sell some really nice HOB filters for 10 gallon tanks. If you want examples the search YouTube for modifying hang on back filters and see what I'm talking about by improving the filtration in a HOB by swapping out the junk replaceable cartridges they give you for good stuff; as I mentioned before this would be sponge pieces and matrix or some other media that will encourage bacterial growth. This is not to say that the bacteria won't grow on the sponges as well, but Matrix or ceramic media will provide a bigger home for the beneficial bacteria.
I have the small Azoo mignon on my 6 gallon tank.The photos below show the filter with my sponge media in it. This tank is home to my tiger shrimp as well as a small assortment of nano tetras. The benefit of this filter is that it comes with its own sponge guard on the intake which prevents any baby shrimp or small fish to get stuck to the intake. Another benefit is that the sponge intake also allows additional bacteria to grow as well as filtering any large debris and stopping it from entering the filter. I also have the larger version of this filter on my 10 gallon, my four 5 gallon tanks, as well as an even larger Azoo filter as a support filter for my 33 gallon brackish tank. All of these filters are filled with my own media, actually the support filter for the 33 gallon is filled with cheato algae and it runs along with a Tidal filter. Along with the Azoo HOB I also have four Tidal filters and a large Marineland which has never had a replaceable cartridge in it. To be honest the Tidal filters are made without disposable cartridges, but I still modified them to hold more media.

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yeah hob filters are really good if your putting a sponge over it it will be fine

 

[joeyr188]

So having had experience with both sponge and HOB filters I would honestly vote HOB. That being said I have two pieces of advice for you. If, as mentioned you are using these as breeder tanks and it will have fry in the tanks I would strongly recommend getting some type of inlet sponge covering to go on the intake. Additionally I have never ever used a HOB filter with the disposable media that was provided for it. The cartridges are not at all necessary especially the carbon in the cartridges. Get yourself some good sponges and some good ceramic materials like matrix from Seachem and use that in the HOB in place of whatever junk they gave you. It is junk because they want you to replace it and throw away all of your good bacteria that has grown on it. The HOB filters are a lot quieter than sponge filters because you do not have to deal with the vibrating noise of an air pump. So long as you keep the water levels up in the tank, most HOB filters are not noisy. For 10 gallon tanks the company Azoo sell some really nice HOB filters for 10 gallon tanks. If you want examples the search YouTube for modifying hang on back filters and see what I'm talking about by improving the filtration in a HOB by swapping out the junk replaceable cartridges they give you for good stuff; as I mentioned before this would be sponge pieces and matrix or some other media that will encourage bacterial growth. This is not to say that the bacteria won't grow on the sponges as well, but Matrix or ceramic media will provide a bigger home for the beneficial bacteria.
I have the small Azoo mignon on my 6 gallon tank.The photos below show the filter with my sponge media in it. This tank is home to my tiger shrimp as well as a small assortment of nano tetras. The benefit of this filter is that it comes with its own sponge guard on the intake which prevents any baby shrimp or small fish to get stuck to the intake. Another benefit is that the sponge intake also allows additional bacteria to grow as well as filtering any large debris and stopping it from entering the filter. I also have the larger version of this filter on my 10 gallon, my four 5 gallon tanks, as well as an even larger Azoo filter as a support filter for my 33 gallon brackish tank. All of these filters are filled with my own media, actually the support filter for the 33 gallon is filled with cheato algae and it runs along with a Tidal filter. Along with the Azoo HOB I also have four Tidal filters and a large Marineland which has never had a replaceable cartridge in it. To be honest the Tidal filters are made without disposable cartridges, but I still modified them to hold more media.

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So having had experience with both sponge and HOB filters I would honestly vote HOB. That being said I have two pieces of advice for you. If, as mentioned you are using these as breeder tanks and it will have fry in the tanks I would strongly recommend getting some type of inlet sponge covering to go on the intake. Additionally I have never ever used a HOB filter with the disposable media that was provided for it. The cartridges are not at all necessary especially the carbon in the cartridges. Get yourself some good sponges and some good ceramic materials like matrix from Seachem and use that in the HOB in place of whatever junk they gave you. It is junk because they want you to replace it and throw away all of your good bacteria that has grown on it. The HOB filters are a lot quieter than sponge filters because you do not have to deal with the vibrating noise of an air pump. So long as you keep the water levels up in the tank, most HOB filters are not noisy. For 10 gallon tanks the company Azoo sell some really nice HOB filters for 10 gallon tanks. If you want examples the search YouTube for modifying hang on back filters and see what I'm talking about by improving the filtration in a HOB by swapping out the junk replaceable cartridges they give you for good stuff; as I mentioned before this would be sponge pieces and matrix or some other media that will encourage bacterial growth. This is not to say that the bacteria won't grow on the sponges as well, but Matrix or ceramic media will provide a bigger home for the beneficial bacteria.
I have the small Azoo mignon on my 6 gallon tank.The photos below show the filter with my sponge media in it. This tank is home to my tiger shrimp as well as a small assortment of nano tetras. The benefit of this filter is that it comes with its own sponge guard on the intake which prevents any baby shrimp or small fish to get stuck to the intake. Another benefit is that the sponge intake also allows additional bacteria to grow as well as filtering any large debris and stopping it from entering the filter. I also have the larger version of this filter on my 10 gallon, my four 5 gallon tanks, as well as an even larger Azoo filter as a support filter for my 33 gallon brackish tank. All of these filters are filled with my own media, actually the support filter for the 33 gallon is filled with cheato algae and it runs along with a Tidal filter. Along with the Azoo HOB I also have four Tidal filters and a large Marineland which has never had a replaceable cartridge in it. To be honest the Tidal filters are made without disposable cartridges, but I still modified them to hold more media.

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so should i put foam where I would put cartridge and then put creamic and other medias where? (Sorry bout bad Quality idk why it so bad)

 

[Boundava]

Put theuld i put foam where I would put cartridge and then put creamic and other medias where? (Sorry bout bad Quality idk why it so bad)

Depends on how the water flows through the HOB. If the water comes in and goes from the bottom up and then out, you want to put the sponge on the bottom and the media on top. Sponge is always before media in water flow. You can leave the blue baffle in or remove it.

 

[joeyr188]

Depends on how the water flows through the HOB. If the water comes in and goes from the bottom up and then out, you want to put the sponge on the bottom and the media on top. Sponge is always before media in water flow. You can leave the blue baffle in or remove it.

Ok thank you I’ll order the stuff tomorrow

 

[Uberhoust]

I use sponge filters in my fry tanks, but with the HOB filters you can put a fluvial edge foam filter over the intake of the smaller HOB filters making it safe for fry as well. I have typically used Aqua Clear filters because they are pretty easy to setup with custom media and they are easy to find on the west coast of North America.

 

[Back in the fold]

With fry a sponge filter. A sponge won't trap your fry and if it is well seasoned it provides microscopical food. Outside power filters really do a job and the Aquaclears are the best and most perfect design ever. There is no substitute for Aquaclear.
But you know what ? All any filter does is circulate the the water. Without a filter you would have a still tank and with the right management they work. Filters do not clean the water to any great degree , they just swirl the water.

 

[Byron]

Sponge filters are superior here for a couple reasons. Primarily, it is the most efficient filtration with minimal water current, and this is pretty much what you always need in a tank as small as ten gallons. Also, fry will have a much easier life with a sponge filter. You don't mention what fish/fry, but very few need strong currents that any HOB will provide, it is simply too much in this small a tank for the fish suited to this sized tank.