I hate HOB filters
- Thread starter Lou
- Start date
Wouldn't you all agree that basically a HOB is a HOB? I've had several brands and they all seem the same. Biggest problem is I have small tanks, 10s and 20s gal, so if you get behind...it goes nuts.
Our community tank got over stocked as the fish grew...they really grew...and so the filter couldn't cope. I think an UGF would have reacted better to the situation. I vac the gravel once a week and do 20-30% water change with that, so I think a UGF would have kept up better. I'll have to research reverse flow UGF...I've read repeatedly that that is an improvement over regular UGF and I have to get rid of this HOB.
Our community tank got over stocked as the fish grew...they really grew...and so the filter couldn't cope. I think an UGF would have reacted better to the situation. I vac the gravel once a week and do 20-30% water change with that, so I think a UGF would have kept up better. I'll have to research reverse flow UGF...I've read repeatedly that that is an improvement over regular UGF and I have to get rid of this HOB.
I think it's a tetra tech whisper something like that...Aren't they all the same...you got your filter bag full of charcoal and a sponge and an ineffective impeller thing.
I've had good luck with UGF, so I don't get people's bad attitude about that at all. Like I said reverse flow is supposed to be an improvement, but I don't know about it yet...
I've had good luck with UGF, so I don't get people's bad attitude about that at all. Like I said reverse flow is supposed to be an improvement, but I don't know about it yet...
oh god, dude-- go get an aquaclear.
aquaclears do not use a thin "bag" with carbon in it-- they use a giant sponge than fills almost the entire filter box! they also make a bag of carbon you can put on top of the sponge, but i just use 2 sponges instead, since running carbon is wasteful for most filtration needs.
a whisper filter bag is absolutely puny compared to the sponge on the aquaclears. no comparison at all.
after using almost every type of HOB filter i will vouch that NO-- they are NOT all alike! IMO some are very good while others are not worth the cardboard box they come in.
my bad attitude about UGF's is that the particulates never actually leave the tank. while they DO work and do have some use, they really suck as a stand-alone filter... with a hob you can throw away bags that are clogged with particulates and crud, whereas you cant do this if they stay at the bottom of the tank.
you can also have problems keeping your nitrates under control without frequent water changes.
oh yeah, and your oxygen levels can become problematic without any surface agitation.
plus, keeping large american cichlids is next to impossible with one.
M
aquaclears do not use a thin "bag" with carbon in it-- they use a giant sponge than fills almost the entire filter box! they also make a bag of carbon you can put on top of the sponge, but i just use 2 sponges instead, since running carbon is wasteful for most filtration needs.
a whisper filter bag is absolutely puny compared to the sponge on the aquaclears. no comparison at all.
after using almost every type of HOB filter i will vouch that NO-- they are NOT all alike! IMO some are very good while others are not worth the cardboard box they come in.
my bad attitude about UGF's is that the particulates never actually leave the tank. while they DO work and do have some use, they really suck as a stand-alone filter... with a hob you can throw away bags that are clogged with particulates and crud, whereas you cant do this if they stay at the bottom of the tank.
you can also have problems keeping your nitrates under control without frequent water changes.
oh yeah, and your oxygen levels can become problematic without any surface agitation.
plus, keeping large american cichlids is next to impossible with one.
M
Hmm, I don't do chiclids. Interesting opinions on HOBs. Maybe I'll simplify my life and just get a different type HOB instead of breaking the whole thing down etc. You guys better be right about this though, because the whisper unit is not working...it's just 5 months since the tank was set up and we do regular maintenance...I don't think it shouldn't be like this...
most HOB filters are cheap. as the old saying goes, "you get what you pay for". i am sure there are a lot of people who have no problems with HOB's, however, the fact still remains, HOB's are one of the less expensive filtration systems. we all have specimens in a tank that we provide life support for... why wouldn't you give them the best?
as another note:
i currently run the emperor filters, and am really stuck between them and the aquaclears.
emperors: very well made, can be a bit "gurgly" , flow control does NOT work as intended, bio-wheels are good, bags are EXPENSIVE!!- but you can make your own...
aquaclears: overall construction is weaker than the emperors, cheaper than emperors, not as noisy as the emperors, but lids can rattle sometimes without weight on top, filter holds A LOT more media, flow control actually works, etc etc.
to me they are both great filters-- if you like to be able to buy media and just keeping rinsing and re-using go for the aquaclears, b/c the sponges last almost forever.
either way you will be in good shape.
the penguins are also good filters, but i hate how the bags clog so quickly!! after a few days the water is running 50% over the intake pipe it seems like!
M
i currently run the emperor filters, and am really stuck between them and the aquaclears.
emperors: very well made, can be a bit "gurgly" , flow control does NOT work as intended, bio-wheels are good, bags are EXPENSIVE!!- but you can make your own...
aquaclears: overall construction is weaker than the emperors, cheaper than emperors, not as noisy as the emperors, but lids can rattle sometimes without weight on top, filter holds A LOT more media, flow control actually works, etc etc.
to me they are both great filters-- if you like to be able to buy media and just keeping rinsing and re-using go for the aquaclears, b/c the sponges last almost forever.
either way you will be in good shape.
the penguins are also good filters, but i hate how the bags clog so quickly!! after a few days the water is running 50% over the intake pipe it seems like!
M
FWIW, if you like your biowheel (as I do) then instead of buying the Penguin brand replacement cartridges (which we all agree are insane expensive), check these guys out:
http://www.aquaricare.org/category.html?UCIDs=414799
http://www.aquaricare.org/category.html?UCIDs=414799
I agree with manguanese.. I like the Aquaclear and the Emperor. Even a year after my Ac500 had it's experience with sand, it's still going strong. I didnt even need to replace the impeller. and even that I've had ac's chew up gravel, sand, salt crystals, baking soda, fry, fish, plants, and they just keep on going.
(granted, if I clean it really well it's very loud until the gunk relubricates where the sand ate into the side of the motor housing, oops) so I just dont' bother cleaning the impeller anymore.
(granted, if I clean it really well it's very loud until the gunk relubricates where the sand ate into the side of the motor housing, oops) so I just dont' bother cleaning the impeller anymore.
i never used a aquaclear b4 but all the rumors i have heard how they break down pretty darn easily scares me i currently use penguin 170 on my 20 gal and penguin 125 on my 10 gal and just bought a (quite expensive but i think worth every penny) emperor 280 for my 28 gal......so far i like them all but do favor the emperor better b/c it makes less noise than the penguin