Which Is Better: Hang On Back Filter Or Canister?

[mislisa]

I'm in the process of planning out a new 46 gallon tank that i'll be getting in the new year and am debating whether i should get a canister filter or a hang on the back filter such as the aquaclear. i've used the hang on back ones in the past,but have heard that canister filters are better... please help!

Also, if anyone has any fish suggestions, that would be awesome! It's been several years since i've had a tank and i am really excited about this one.

 

[Aqua Tom]

There is nothing wrong with an internal (hang on back filter) it does its job very well, but for a 46 gallon tank it will be a big piece of equipment inside your tank.
External filters have two big advantages, they can hold a load more filter media inside & they dont take up any room in the tank, so leaving more room for fish.

1 big disadvantage with an external filer is if it springs a leak your house will get wet but this is a rare occurance with the new gen of filters.


I vote external.





Also make sure it is fully cycled before adding the fish.

 

[Skins]

There is nothing wrong with an internal (hang on back filter) it does its job very well, but for a 46 gallon tank it will be a big piece of equipment inside your tank.
External filters have two big advantages, they can hold a load more filter media inside & they dont take up any room in the tank, so leaving more room for fish.

1 big disadvantage with an external filer is if it springs a leak your house will get wet but this is a rare occurance with the new gen of filters.


I vote external.





Also make sure it is fully cycled before adding the fish.

I agree, another thing to consider is you don't get as wet doing filter maintance on a external canister.

 

[Aqua Tom]

There is nothing wrong with an internal (hang on back filter) it does its job very well, but for a 46 gallon tank it will be a big piece of equipment inside your tank.
External filters have two big advantages, they can hold a load more filter media inside & they dont take up any room in the tank, so leaving more room for fish.

1 big disadvantage with an external filer is if it springs a leak your house will get wet but this is a rare occurance with the new gen of filters.


I vote external.





Also make sure it is fully cycled before adding the fish.

I agree, another thing to consider is you don't get as wet doing filter maintance on a external canister.

Obviously you havnt watched me

 

[AstonN24vantage]

ive never had a canister, but if hang on backs are cheaper i think. if ur getting a hang on back DO NOT GET AQUACLEAR. they are very loud, and require lots of cartridges.

 

[mislisa]

ive never had a canister, but if hang on backs are cheaper i think. if ur getting a hang on back DO NOT GET AQUACLEAR. they are very loud, and require lots of cartridges.

I've only ever used the aquaclear 50... is there a different brand you'd reccomend then? I'm in Canada BTW.

 

[Skins]

Another point to consider is what fish you plan to keep, if they are messy or delicate fish then i would recommend the external filter.

 

[mislisa]

Another point to consider is what fish you plan to keep, if they are messy or delicate fish then i would recommend the external filter.

So far, i've only decided on one type of fish for my tank. there are so many to choose from, and i want to make sure i match the personalities.

so far, I have decided to get 6 khuli loaches, and am considering whether or not a red-tailed shark or 2 kribs would get along. i'm also debating between a rubbernose pleco or several ottos. any feedback would be great!

 

[Uriel]

After i went over to canister i could never go back to hang on back . So canister in my opinion.

 

[Mikaila31]

Canister. I hate HOB filters with a passion. But out of HOB filters, IMO aquaclear filters are probably the better ones. ANY HOB filter is going to be somewhat noisy, that waterfall effect and the exposed motor will make noise. Not a lot can be done about that. Aquaclears and any filter in general do not require lots of inserts/cartridges. I don't care what kinda filter you are running, you should NOT be replacing media in any frequent manner. My Rena canister filter is 4 years old and is still chugging away with most of its original media. When you end up needing to change media you can fall to marketing and waste your money on the brand name media/sponges. Or you can fill it with pot scrubbers and pillow fluff. I had a aquaclear once and quickly sold it when I realized I did not like the HOB/waterfall style of filters at all. But it was a well made filter, instead of having the awful slide in vertical "pad" inserts alot of HOBs have it actually has something that resembles a media basket. You can swap lots of different kinds of media into aquaclears. Hence I SOLD my aquaclear, cuz even though I disliked it, it was a decent filter. When ever a cheap and normally used whisper HOB gets thrown my way I pull the motor out and throw the rest in the trash.

 

[karin]

I have both a HOB Aquaclear 70 and an Eheim 2215 canister external on a 60 gallon. I like them both okay. First, I would counter the other poster, Aquaclears have always been quiet for me and they don't have cartridges... they have media that while the company says to change out the biofilter, sponge and carbon regularly you don't do that. Just rinse them in old tank water once a month and you are good to go for many years. You do not have to buy "cartridges" or additional media.

The reason I have the two on my 60 gallon is that the Eheim, while a great biofilter, was not quite up to the job on mechanical filtration. So I have both and all seems to be okay.

 

[AstonN24vantage]

ive never had a canister, but if hang on backs are cheaper i think. if ur getting a hang on back DO NOT GET AQUACLEAR. they are very loud, and require lots of cartridges.

I've only ever used the aquaclear 50... is there a different brand you'd reccomend then? I'm in Canada BTW.

well, im trying to make it obivous that i want an emporor 280 for my 30g, emperors i think are they way to go. depends on tank. they come in 50g and 80g size, but you want to overfilter.

 

[Biulu]

What I like about canisters is that it looks very neat, apart from the fact that they do a good job. You can simply have your tank against the wall, with the canister in the cupboard below. Also no problems with evaporation. My friend has several tanks in one room and uses only HOBs (here in Mexico the canisters are very expensive, and there is no other way of getting proper biological filtration) and her room is very humid.

I suggest you have a look at EBay Canada, there are many US suppliers on there that ship canisters to Canada, this is how I got mine (a Marineland C-220). What about this one: http/cgi.ebay.ca/JEBO-Aquarium-Canister-Filter-835-3-Ply-w-FREE-S-H-USA-/190471925221?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5902ede5

This Rena filter also has been given good reviews: http/cgi.ebay.ca/NEW-Rena-Filstar-XP3-External-Aquarium-Canister-Filter-/360203950824?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53ddd41ae8

Good luck!

I found my canister on there as well (my tank is also 46 gallons): http/cgi.ebay.ca/Marineland-C-220-Aquarium-Canister-Filter-up-55-Ga-/270629551648?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f02c73e20. Although if I would have to choose again, I would probably take the bigger model, which is also available on there. Mine has been running for more than 2 years now, without any problems. The only disadvantage is that it doesn't have a spraybar.

 

[the biffster]

they both have there advantages
and disadvantages i wouldn't say one
was better than the other as both
can be used in totally different
situations

 

[drobbyb]

There is nothing wrong with either of the types of filter. I have used both in my time and both do the job more than adequately. It is true that HOB type filters do make a bit of noise since their method of returning water to the tank is via a waterfall, and that makes a trickling sound. I find it quite relaxing actually. HOB type filters generally are cheaper than their canister type cousins. I'd have to agree that as far as HOB type filters go, aquaclear are the best simply because of their reliability and media options. I have had penguin and emperor hob types before too, and they are decent filters, but because of the flexibility of the aquaclear they come in 2nd on my list.

In the end it's all about personal choice. Both types will do the job just fine.