Which Is Better: Hang On Back Filter Or Canister?

[rhstranger]

I've never used canisters, but i do like my aquaclears. The 20's are perfect for 5-10 betta tanks, and the 50 I have on my 29g is great too. Easy to maintain, easy to clean. The ONLY thing I don't like, is at power outtages. They don't seem to self-prime back up. I have a whisper 30 on the 29g as well, and it self primes after a power out. I've come home to AC filters not running. That's ok if it's half a day and you are not too badly stocked, but on a vacation that could be disastrous.
From what I've read, canisters are definitely better for the larger tanks, as the amount of media they can hold is greater than the HOBs. Just my 2 cents.

 

[badtothebone322]

72 gallon tank. It's not the only filter as I have a penguin and a magnum 350 canister.

Ahhhh... I was looking at the magnum 350 canister filter, but was told it wasn't good... What's your opinion on it? IT'd be going into a 60 gallon tank.

 

[drobbyb]

Well, the filter itself is designed to be mostly mechanical and chemical, but I gutted mine and converted it into one huge bio filter. I removed the cylindrical micron filter and layered filter sponges and bio chem stars. Even though the filter was not designed to run this way, it functions quite well. If I were going to buy a new filter, it won't be a magnum. I would purchase one that is purpose built for bio filtration.

 

[AstonN24vantage]

my aquaclear also sounds like kids are playing with toycars on a hardwood floor downstairs. (no voices but you hear the plastic wheel noises) and it sounds like - even when the surface level is on the verge of getting all over the floor - somebody is relieving themself in ur tank.

 

[badtothebone322]

Well, the filter itself is designed to be mostly mechanical and chemical, but I gutted mine and converted it into one huge bio filter. I removed the cylindrical micron filter and layered filter sponges and bio chem stars. Even though the filter was not designed to run this way, it functions quite well. If I were going to buy a new filter, it won't be a magnum. I would purchase one that is purpose built for bio filtration.

Thanks for the advice.... Then, I shall just get an aquaClear or a Marineland.

 

[UNV_Rasta]

Well, the filter itself is designed to be mostly mechanical and chemical, but I gutted mine and converted it into one huge bio filter. I removed the cylindrical micron filter and layered filter sponges and bio chem stars. Even though the filter was not designed to run this way, it functions quite well. If I were going to buy a new filter, it won't be a magnum. I would purchase one that is purpose built for bio filtration.

Thanks for the advice.... Then, I shall just get an aquaClear or a Marineland.

I'm going Aquaclear too

 

[AstonN24vantage]

i would go for emporer (marineland) over an aquaclear, just imo

 

[UNV_Rasta]

maybe u had a faulty Aquaclear Aston. never heard some1 else say dey're as loud as ur describing

 

[waterdrop]

Ha, I really agree with Mikaila and Karin's posts. I'm like Karin, have both Eheim and Aquaclear (Eheim on display tank, Aquaclear on Q-tank.) Once you've experienced a good external cannister it's hard to go back. My eheim is an awesome piece of equipment, amazingly silent. On the other hand, Eheim's are quite expensive, whereas AquaClears are quite cheap. The main tradeoff for the low Aquaclear price is indeed that they will get quite a bit noisier with age (I have a really old one, so I know, but another way to look at is that hey, it's still working and it was dirt cheap!) Back to the other hand again, a very important thing about a serious external cannister is that it will have a really large media volume. The Aquaclear of similar flow capacity will probably have less media volume (although you could put two on a 46g.) If it were me doing my main display tank though and I could afford it, I'd go with external cannister filtering for its combination of high filtration quality, ability for it to be hidden, easier maintenance features, ability for it to be silent if I want it to be (the spray bar can be slowly lowered throughout the week as the surface lowers from evaporation and that let's you even control the amount of water noise.)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[drobbyb]

The main reason I like to have multiple filters is for the piece of mind. If one goes out, I still have 2 filters that are quite capable of handling the bio-load, plus this ensures that I will still have plenty of bacteria in case I get too vigorous when I clean a filter. I clean one filter out of the three with each water change. Of course this is probably overkill, but you must have clean filters and near perfect water quality when breeding sensitive fish.

 

[Tolak]

Which is best depends on your stocking. Canisters are generally lower flow with a greater media capacity, making them better for bio filtration, not as strong on mechanical filtration. AC's are probably the best hob filter, having a higher flow with less media than a canister makes them better at mechanical filtration than a canister, but not as good at bio filtration.

So, playing to the strengths & weaknesses, which all equipment has, if you run one of each set up each one for what they are best at. Load the Eheim with bio media, it will run forever, or nearly so from what I've found. Run the AC with sponges & floss, this will take care of the mechanical filtration.

This is a common setup for tanks with large messy fish, cichlids & plecs in particular, or in what might be considered an overstocked tank.