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Two HOBs or a canister?

745 views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  zackariah 
#1 ·
60G planted tank, trying to stay low tech somewhat towards Walstad method with dirt base and heavy plant load. Running a single Aquaclear50 now. Cant decide if I should get a canister filetr, or maybe add a second AC50 HOB. And if canister then which one. I like the price of the SunSun units. And the Cobalt EXT has some good reviews.
 
#4 ·
At this time, I am using both Ehiem, which was my favorite and now the Sunsun. The switch is coming for me due to the 2075 line being off the market now. I see little difference in the two other than things I know I can deal with. The plastic is thinner on the Sunsun and it will take some time to find how it weathers and lasts but I also know that I tend to handle things gently and do not break the anvil?
So I would recommend the Sunsun 304B for a 60. I use it on a 75.
I go for features rather than name so this is a list of features that made my move.
Trays for convenience cleaning without having to do a mod to get them. Better disconnect/ water cutoffs ( have to say the lever lows pretty thin?) Better intake plastic fittings which come with a nice little surface skimmer already built in and a nicer grey color. Grey hides better for me than screaming green! Cheaper price by far so that I can buy a second if I have guessed wrong and the plastic fails too soon. But one of the major factors that I like is the price of what I call "wear items". Gaskets, tubing, impellers and shafts are all things that will need to be replaced at some point as they do wear out. So checking the price of an Ehiem impeller and shaft or other small wear parts, shows me I can get new Sunsun parts much cheaper.
Very much a personal choice for each of us as we each have different priorities.
 
#6 ·
I have the Hydor 350 on my 60 gallon and it seems like a very good fit. I've actually had to reduce the outflow as it was too strong for my tank (I know two other people on the forum have had similar experiences). It uses 5/8" ID hoses so it is compatible with other accessories if needed. The only downside I've experienced so far is that you will get a little bit of water leakage from the canister after you disconnect the hoses for cleaning, but nothing that would keep me from recommending it.
 
#7 ·
I had a Aquaclear 70 and a eheim 2217 on my 60 gallon. The tank is in my bedroom and the Aquaclear 70 was alittle too loud so I picked up the Fluval FX4 to pair with my ehein 2217. I have nothing but good things to say for both of them!
 
#8 ·
If the filter you have now can handle your tank, why are you considering getting another one? I filter my Walstad tanks with a sponge prefilter on a powerhead with no trouble at all. If you really want to bump up capacity, put an intake sponge on the aquaclear you already have. That way you'll get the benefits of pre-filtration with a huge bacteria capacity increase.
 
#9 ·
Just to add you can do a bit more with a canister filter such as change the direction of flow, add a skimmer to the intake, add atomizer or reactor if you ever decide to go higher tech, adjust and modify spray bar for flow intensity, change out to glass intake and output (such as lily pipes) not to mention I feel they are generally quieter, have more room for media and have a better general appearance.

Just some added advantages to canister that have not been mentioned.

Dan
 
#13 ·
Money no problem go with a 2217. You will like a canister better in the long term as it gives options for adding co2 inline later on should you decide to go that route but I love me an aquaclear and you would be very happy adding a second 50 for less than $40 shipped. If you go hob make sure you buy extra extenders so you are pulling from the bottom of the tank. I clean my aquaclear every other water change so cleaning isn't a hassle for me. Both options will give you all the flow you need as long as you position the outputs to do so. I had two giant hang on back filters on my Old 125 and it worked out great so it really all comes down to preference.


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#14 ·
As you can see there are several options and to be honest all of them work it's just up to you on what you want. If you want a filter that has stood the test of time go with ehiem or fluval. People have lots of nice things to say about sun sun and hydor both newer filters, but they lack the longer term results that the ehiem classics have shown. This does not mean they will not operate as long, or as well. As far as the in flow and out flow I think most people ditch the Original equipment eventually anyway and go with steel, glass or something that blends into the aquarium. The only thing I do to make cleaning easier for my 2217 is buy a lingerie bag for my media. Then when it's time to clean out the filter I pull out the bag and put it in a bucket of tank water. To me this is easier then dumping a tray of media the collecting it all again. I have had Eheims to of the line filter with all the bells and whistles. Never used any of it. You may. Again it comes down to personal preference. The longer your in the hobby the more you will learn what you like. One more thing. Type what canister to get for my.... in any search engine and you can read countless threads on this topic.

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