# HOB vs Canister filters...



## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

I had been contemplating for a long time using a HOB filter over a Canister filter for a new setup I wanted to do. 

Pros and cons of HOB/Canister filters?

The biggest issue I've had with HOB filters are how much room they take up.


----------



## Dolfan (Apr 8, 2005)

It sort of depends on the tank in my opinion, especially size. For anything over 30-40 gallon I think a canister is the way to go. For smaller tanks, while canisters are still great, most HOB's will do a good job on them. I really like the SunSun canisters. I have a HW-302 on my 40 gallon and it is great. And for $40ish including shipping (from eeeeebay) to your door, they are just as cheap as many HOB filters. 

HOB pros 
- for smaller tanks are cheaper
- easier to do maintenance
HOB cons 
- little bit noiser
- need to do maintenance more often
- can contribute to off gasing of CO2 in planted tanks (not a ton, but a little bit)
- takes up space on side of tank, some consider to be an eye sore visually

Canister pros
- great filtration
- quiet
- tons of media space/options
- doesn't need maintenance as often
- can hide filter underneath tank, or to the side
Canister cons
- can be a bit more expensive, depending on brand
- maintenance can be a bit more difficult
- if leak develops you have a bigger mess to cleanup (rarely an issue, especially with quality filters)

Those are just a few things that I could think of. Like I said if you have anything over a 30-40 gallon check out the canisters.


----------



## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

One thing that really irks me about HOB filters is how much room they take up. Both on the outside of the tank and in the inside. I guess it just depends on the brand, though. Cause I found a Marineland Penguin filter that actually doesn't really take up much room in my 75g besides the impeller tube. 

Canister filters to me honestly seem pretty complicated to get started up and running! That's one pro of HOB at least for me. They're usually pretty easy to install.

HOB filters tend to be kind of noisy. Depends on the brand I'm sure though because I used to use Cascade Power filters and they were virtually silent.


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I think Dolfan covered it pretty well. Like all things, there are things to learn on each. The HOB can be easier to set up but then after a time, they can also get harder to clean. Much of that depends on where/how the tank and filter are located and what you have in the way of things to make cleaning easy. I had bio wheels on Emperor filters and thought they were great until it got harder and harder to keep them clean so they would run. 
Maintenance is a pain if you can't get the thing off the tank without splashing and throwing water out of the bucket! 
One biggie that is often overlooked is what can happen if sand, etc. gets sucked into the intake. On HOB, the water goes to the impeller first where the sand can stick in the moving parts and ruin the impeller or shaft. On canisters, the water goes through the media first and is unlikely to wind up at the top of the water where the impeller sets. Very expensive to replace impellers and shafts! But one thing to check on the cheaper filters is whether they let water bypass the media and go straight around and to the impeller. Cascade 1000 was really bad for doing that. 
Final thought is to look at how many people have changed from HOB to canisters and never gone back. One is hard pressed to find anybody who has a canister and wants to go to HOB.


----------



## fishhes (Oct 18, 2014)

I am thinking of going to a canister filter myself, but have a few questions that I am trying to find answers to before I take the plunge. I have a 29 gallon setup with a full fish load and several plants. I saw that the sunsun 302 canister filters are cheap and, I believe, should provide plenty of filtration for a tank my size. The only concern of mine is the amount of available oxygen. I am wondering if it is necessary to run additional filtration such as the HOB filter I now have to generate enough surface agitation for a healthy amount of dissolved oxygen? Do people run additional filters or air stones simply for DO or is a filter such as this adequate enough?


----------



## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

One of the pros for canisters is the ability to control flow.


----------



## fishhes (Oct 18, 2014)

That is certainly a nice feature since my tank size might require a little less flow than larger tanks (don't want my fish stuck to the back wall). I have also seen that you can position the outflow bars to point upwards towards the water surface or perhaps even raise them above the waterline and point downwards. This would really chop the water and certainly introduce more oxygen into the tank. I am just wondering if using a canister filter alone would be enough?


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

You may be overstating how much it takes to get air into the water. Water has a certain level that it will hold on things like O2 and CO2. For O2 we can shoot all we want into the tank but the excess will just leave very quickly. Simply exposing the water to the air will get good gas exchange done. I don't think there is any real reason for the good ripple that is often recommended other than that is one way for us to see that the water is moving. So in planted tanks when we don't want to really stir the water and lose CO2, just making sure that all the water is moving around and getting to the surface, will do for the O2 content.


----------



## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

fishhes said:


> That is certainly a nice feature since my tank size might require a little less flow than larger tanks (don't want my fish stuck to the back wall). I have also seen that you can position the outflow bars to point upwards towards the water surface or perhaps even raise them above the waterline and point downwards. This would really chop the water and certainly introduce more oxygen into the tank. I am just wondering if using a canister filter alone would be enough?


If the flow is to strong from a spray bar you can enlarge the holes to reduce the force of the discharge.

Also surface agitation balances out not only the O2 but the CO2 as well 

I only run a canister filter now, I removed my power filter about a month ago, and things seem to be doing just fine.


----------



## Clear Water (Sep 20, 2014)

Here's my thoughts with a canister it not a matter if they will leak but when they will leak. I've never had a hob leak on the floor but had both my canister leak at one time or another. Most of the leaks were minor and both were gasket problems. For me I plan on keeping some parts on hand for my canister. But I have seen quite a few canister sitting in buckets because of leaks. As mention they do a great job of filtering the water and have large capacity for media. But it is a concern that needs to be addressed.


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Leaks are pretty much the same concern for me whether it is a hob or canister. If you've never had a AC HOB leak around the gasket at the impeller or run over, you've been lucky. The media can get clogged and lift so that water runs out. The truth is that all gaskets can get out of place or worn and leak. So the prudent thing to do is place a canister in a tub so that when/if it happens, you are protected. Hard to do that with a HOB?


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Me thinks much of the problem's with leaking canister's is user related ,or perhap's buying second hand where some other user has also maybe been a bit rough with the filter,failure to lube OP ring's, etc.
I used HOB filter's for nearly thirty year's and the Emperor series by Marineland and also the Aquaclear are my favorites.
Still using an aquaclear 70 but do love the eheim classic's.


----------



## flight50 (Apr 17, 2012)

roadmaster said:


> Me thinks much of the problem's with leaking canister's is user related ,or perhap's buying second hand where some other user has also maybe been a bit rough with the filter,failure to lube OP ring's, etc.
> I used HOB filter's for nearly thirty year's and the Emperor series by Marineland and also the Aquaclear are my favorites.
> Still using an aquaclear 70 but do love the eheim classic's.


+1
I never had any issues with my Ehiem 2213's. They actually replaced my AquaClear 300s. At the time the AC's are all I wanted to run. Dual sponges and I called it a day. But eventually, water will evaporate and the waterfall effect just gets too loud for me. I needed something a bit quieter were I could have more control over flow. I do think the HOB was much less of a pain to clean but my 2213's are simple to maintenance. There is just a few extra steps and sometimes more awareness needed. 

HOBs do require more room. If space is limited and you want to avoid seeing something bulking on the edge of your tank, a canister is a great option. If power goes out for too long, your bb will suffer from the lack of oxygen and water movement thru the canister though.


----------



## goodbytes (Aug 18, 2014)

I got a SunSun HW-302 a few weeks back to replace a sponge/powerhead setup freeing up the sponge for a 20 gallon. After sawing out half of the shelf under the stand, it fits out of sight nicely and the hoses easily conceal behind dense background plants. Looking at the one side where everything is 80% concealed vs the side with a big ol' AC70 hanging off the back is a pretty stark contrast so I'll be replacing it with another canister eventually. Probably an Eheim 2213 just so I can see what all the fuss is about. The big difference is how quiet a canister is and the dramatic difference in media capacity. Considering what SunSun canisters can be gotten for it is safe to say that I have bought my last HOB. There are very few legitimate reasons to use an HOB over a canister because canisters are just functionally better in every way. Maybe if you wanted to do a planted HOB which are always amazing when you see them but other than that the canister is the superior choice. For me it just comes down to the aesthetic advantages of using a canister.


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Only advantage I have found for me over canister filter's is the HOB filter media is usually exposed to more oxygen, and thus they help get bacteria established in new tanks a bit faster than sealed canister's with less access to available O2.
Or at least that's my theory.
Oh,,and ease of service is a plus for the HOB filter's I have used.


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

When talking about which is better we all have things we like or don't. Free country, right?
But to keep it simple, I always go back to knowing that lots of people who use HOB do move to canisters but I rarely hear of folks moving from canisters to HOB.


----------



## James` (Oct 11, 2014)

Canister filters are closed filters with ample room for filter media. In return this means you can have a greater bacteria colony in a canister than a HOB. If you get a hob get one rated for at least 2x your tank. I wouldn't get anything other than Aquaclear as a HOB. 

I have seen people run refugiums out of a HOB before... Clip on LED and plants... Consider it haha

If you choose the media you put in a canister, such as bio balls, rings, and porous rock and little to no filter floss you'd barley ever have to open it... Get a canister with no floss and a small HOB you use only for Mechanical filtration with floss only. You can use the hob for medication or other things like Purigan, Chemipure, Carbon. These need to be replaced more often than the canister may need cleaning. It may be easier to have the HOB access. Some canisters are a bitch to open.


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

PlantedRich said:


> When talking about which is better we all have things we like or don't. Free country, right?
> But to keep it simple, I always go back to knowing that lots of people who use HOB do move to canisters but I rarely hear of folks moving from canisters to HOB.


 I still use both.:hihi:


----------



## Clear Water (Sep 20, 2014)

Me too. My quarantine tanks are hob and I would never like to deal with canisters on small tanks. Just to much of hassle.


----------



## touchofgreen (Nov 3, 2014)

I thought about a canister, I was even pricing them out...there are a few that make a tiny one for a tiny tank but in the end I bought an Aquaclear HOB. I kept hearing about how much of a current the canisters make and the fish I was wanting to stick in the tank wasn't one that liked currents (even more so now that it has a Betta in there). With the HOB filter I am able to completely control the water flow with a sponge baffle, where as with the spray bar it might be a little harder.

Also, I like having the option of sticking a few plants into the filter if I like.


----------



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Quote: With the HOB filter I am able to completely control the water flow with a sponge baffle, where as with the spray bar it might be a little harder.

I'm guessing that you are missing a point on controlling the flow. I can't imagine anything much easier that closing a cutoff valve part way to shut down the flow.
When the spray bar is a problem, I take it off.


----------



## titan319 (Oct 21, 2015)

That is a false statement about the oxygen. The canister ripples the water from the output which causes the oxygen exchange into the water that is taken by the intake. If anything I would say that the canister cause's more water movement over a hob. I have a fluval 406 and the ripples carry throughout the the tank from end to end with my Aquaclear I have a small break in the water so not much surface breaking.


----------



## TINNGG (Mar 9, 2005)

Then there are the hybrids like the HOT Magnum and the Canistar (discontinued long ago, darn it!).

I've never really noticed the outflow from my canister being too strong for fish. I have seen HOBs making things tough. Some of the older ones anyway had a knob on the intake tube that allowed you to turn them down.

The biggest issue I have with HOBs (and internals for that matter) is that they tend to be very proprietary about media. A canister, you use the noodles 'til they disintegrate (might be a while - I think I might be running 15 year old noodles in mine), and unless you're really a glutton for punishment and insist on name brand pads, you can use cut to fit floss. You can fudge it a bit with some of the HOB, but some of them have weird molded cartridges.


----------



## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

You can always direct the output of your canister into an HOB. But difficult to feed the output of the HOB into the canister .

Sent from my SGH-M919V using Tapatalk


----------



## GrantUresh (Nov 11, 2013)

AquaClear 50 hob all the way!

http://amzn.to/1MFV88v


----------

