Internal Vs External Filters

[CFC]

The media i use in my canisters is as follows, in order from bottom to top of the canister.

Ceramic rings, coarse blue sponge, Eheim substrat pro (sphintered glass beads), Eheim efi mech, fine blue sponge, KENT nitrate sponge granules in a mesh bag.

 

[One_Trick_Pony]

that really looks a good prcie and sounds like the servce is great to

 

[noelberg]

externals (which i assume also include HOBs) are hands down winners 95% -or more- of the time for reasons CFC has already mentioned. IMO internals have no reasonable place in large aquaria anymore.

I need to note that the 5% where internals are nice are with small tanks holding fish that require little surface movement like some anabantoids, killies, etc. AND with fry tanks. Sponge filters are great for fry because they don't suck em up ... maybe good for kuhlis too. They also prevent food from being sucked up, so fry -who are infinitely hungry- can nibble at will.

There is also the odd chance that somebody doesn't have the space to fit a canister or HOB filter into a crammed apartment, so that person might want an internal for space reasons.

</my $.02>

 

[henry2703]

I'm running a 10 gallon with a hang on filter, and a 2 gallon with a internal filter....

Well the hang on is great, but it doesn't quite suck the dirt from the bottom.... I'm thinking of starting out on a canister filter.... on the other hand, the internal filter is good at clearing dirt at the bottom, but it is really hard to clean.

Wait... what was i saying??? oh yah..... canister filter is way better then the rest, and it is definitely not noise....

But as to HOB filter vs internal filter... each has it pros and con.... i won't say which is better which is worst...

Edit: one more thing.. the internal filter i'm using (fluval 1 plus) has this tendency to heat up the water in a small tank. Do take note of that....