# Best HOB model and setup for low-cost mechanical filtering?



## Hanafuda (Mar 31, 2010)

I've never been a big fan of HOB filters as a do-all solution, but research here and elsewhere has convinced me that a HOB can serve well in a mechanical-only supplemental role along with a good canister. This would be for an oscar or similar big cichlid(s), in a 75gal or larger. I would be running a 2217 or other similar canister as the primary bio filter.

What I want is a HOB that can be loaded with a highly effective, cheap and disposable mechanical filtering media (i.e. pillow floss bought in bulk at walmart, for example) in a way that doesn't allow for bypass of the media and which I could change-out easily and frequently. I want to be able to do this DIY and not with retail replacement cartridges. I can see that the way to do this might involve modifying a retail cartridge though ... if this is how you do it please teach me your method.

The Aquaclear seems to be the most suggested HOB here since the sponges last and it provides great bio filtration, but it doesn't seem the best suited to the job I want the HOB to do?


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

AC70 with a RenaXP2 for my 55g. I run sponge, floss and carbon in the AC. Just sponge, bio balls and floss in the canister.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Going by your want list of features, pretty much any HOB with a good size media cavity would fill the bill.
From Aqua-Tech up, the larger the cavity the more room you have to improvise.
The AC line is quality filtering, but it`s construction does not lend it`s self to mods as easily as the others.
Look at GPH and media cavity for your choice.
Not pushing any brand over the other, but Big Al has a very good price on the Penguin350 right now.
So good a price that it would cost you the same to buy a replacement impellor as it would for a complete filter.


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## wakko (Apr 2, 2007)

i'm running an xp3 and a penguin 350 right now. Using the penguin as it came with the tank i bought, but all it has is pot scrubbers and filter floss on the top. good cheap and gets the job done!

oh yea this is for a 55gal.


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## clgkag (Mar 22, 2008)

I would go with the ac110 and use double sponges instead of the biomedia and sponge combo. If you by the floss in a sheet, you can wrap the sponges and increase the fine filtering capacity.


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## Dacrittergitter (Dec 28, 2008)

> Big Al has a very good price on the Penguin350 right now.


 I noticed that too, I think they are $14.99 that's a steal!


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## doxiegirl (Aug 24, 2009)

If you have sand as a substrate and fish that move it around a lot be careful with a penguin. I got one to supplement a fluval 404 on my 60g and wanted to take it out into the yard and shoot it. My large male red zebra would blow sand into it and I couldn't find a prefilter that would block sand but allow enough flow, I tried everything- the sand made the impeller grind and make a horrible sound. And it was not easy to clean- aquaclears are easier to clean since the pump comes off.

I now have the penguin (it's a 200) and an emperor 280 on my 33 long juive grow out tank. The babies don't move the sand around much so it doesn't drive me crazy anymore. If you can find a deal on an emperor I'd get one because it's significantly better than the penguins and has a mich larger media compartment.


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## 702Cichlid (Feb 28, 2010)

clgkag said:


> I would go with the ac110 and use double sponges instead of the biomedia and sponge combo. If you by the floss in a sheet, you can wrap the sponges and increase the fine filtering capacity.


I agree with clg, double sponge in an ac 70 or ac 110 wrapped in quilted polyester batting is the best HOB mechanical filtration bang for the buck you can get. Maybe a Magnum H.O.T. rigged for polishing would be more effective, but it's 3 times the price. I would also recommend using the poly fill loose batting to minimize any bypass. You'll be amazed at how much funk it gets out.

Emperor 400 would be my next choice, the clamshells you can fill can give you some very specialized and easy chemical filtration options along with adding sponges and polyfill make it versatile choice especially when you take into consideration the double biowheels.

I also have found the AC series to be quieter than the Emperor series, and not just do to the biowheel spraybar. My personal preference is the AC when i need a HOB but i don't think you can really go wrong with either.


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## Hanafuda (Mar 31, 2010)

Well, I just discovered that since back in the day when I used to keep fish (late 80's and early-mid 90's), Tetra Whisper now have a reusable 'clamshell' design for their media cartridge. As far as I can recall, the floss and carbon used to be bonded to the plastic frame of the cartridge, forcing you to buy over and over and over. But with these, looks like you can stuff anything in there.

Do any other HOB's have a resusable "frame" like this? This is obviously very highly adaptible for DIY'ers. I'm surprised they did this. (I know, you guys must be like "welcome to 1998" or something. lol)


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## fubu56 (Aug 23, 2008)

AC 110 ! You can use whatever media you choose


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

Hanafuda said:


> Well, I just discovered that since back in the day when I used to keep fish (late 80's and early-mid 90's), Tetra Whisper now have a reusable 'clamshell' design for their media cartridge. As far as I can recall, the floss and carbon used to be bonded to the plastic frame of the cartridge, forcing you to buy over and over and over. But with these, looks like you can stuff anything in there.
> 
> Do any other HOB's have a resusable "frame" like this? This is obviously very highly adaptible for DIY'ers. I'm surprised they did this. (I know, you guys must be like "welcome to 1998" or something. lol)


You can get clamshell media baskets for the Penguin 200 and 350.


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## Hanafuda (Mar 31, 2010)

jeaninel said:


> You can get clamshell media baskets for the Penguin 200 and 350.


aha. now I see that "Bio 3" I pictured is made for Penguin too. THanks!


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## H-Town Ag '00 (Jan 27, 2010)

I have 2 Emporer 400's on my 90, and one Emporer 280 on my grow out tank. While probably more expensive than some of the other options, I don't think they can be beat on any of the other criteria.

Scott


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

Hanafuda said:


> jeaninel said:
> 
> 
> > You can get clamshell media baskets for the Penguin 200 and 350.
> ...


Well, actually the baskets for the Penguin are more similar to the Emperor filter baskets like this: http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ct ... acontainer


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## Gervahlt (Jun 25, 2009)

Emperor 400 for the win. They have four spots that can be used for mechanical filtration, all of which are extremely easy to get to and replace. It comes with two clamshells like those pictured above and you could add two more in place of the Marineland blue filters with the imbedded carbon. Or, you could strip the carbon and filter material off of the plastic insert frame and stuff that area with whatever filter media you wanted (sponges, filter floss, pillow stuffing, micron polishing pads, whatever).

After those four compartments, it adds some bio filtration with two bio-wheels, which can't hurt your tank either way. Also, they're on sale at Big Al's right now for $38:

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ct ... owerfilter


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

Sum this up in a nutshell.... with the prices on Penguins right now, can't be beat.

Get a Penguin 350 and order 2 sets of the Bio3 Clamshells - for a total of 4 clamshells (FosterandSmithAquatics.Com has them) as well as a roll of blue bonded padding (also carried by Foster and Smith).

Cut the blue bonded padding to fit the clamshells, cut enough so you have several sets, which will like take a couple of the blue bonded paddings.

Set the white carbon pads that ship with the Bio3 cartridges aside, keep the blue sponge.

Use the sponge and the "cut to fit" blue bonded padding in the Bio3 cartridge, with 4 catridges inserted into your filter.

Each week (or as needed) take the cartridge out of the tank, rinsing the sponge (in tank water) and removing the blue bonded pad, replacing it with another. The old pad goes to the sink were it is rinsed clean, then boil it for several minutes at a rolling boil. The rolling boil returns the pad to "like new", not only cleaning it but fluffing it back up.

So for a one time purchase, you have filter media that will last for many years. I've had the same blue bonded padding in use for almost 5 years, using the process explained above.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

*Sum this up in a nutshell.... with the prices on Penguins right now, can't be beat. 
*
:thumb:

The rest of the post is good stuff.
Simple, effective way to clean water while keeping costs to a minimum.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i just got my penguin 350 today, they gipped me on the rebate (no sticker on mine) even though it still advertised the rebate on the site, kind of upset about it, i should email them and ask them to send me the rebate


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

cjacob316 said:


> i just got my penguin 350 today, they gipped me on the rebate (no sticker on mine) even though it still advertised the rebate on the site, kind of upset about it, i should email them and ask them to send me the rebate


For Sure.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i know one place was offering a print out version online, i need to see if it's still available


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## zoyvig (Oct 27, 2006)

cjacob360 - I was just at the Foster and Smith web site. You can print your own rebate form there.

I am ordering some of their penguin 220/350 media baskets. the will hold a lot more media than the Bio3 baskets that I'm now using.

As soon as I get through with my cancer treatments in October, I will be buying my last 125g aquarium for my Red Devil and her kids. I will be using two Magnum 350's and three Penquin 350B's


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## zoyvig (Oct 27, 2006)

cjacob316: not cjacob360. sorry! too many pain pills!


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## ezrk (Aug 22, 2010)

how much clearance behind the tank does the 350 need?


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

About 3-1/2 to 4".


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## 702Cichlid (Feb 28, 2010)

This site has clearance required for quite a few HOBs on the market:

http://www.petsolutions.com/Info.aspx?id=401


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i almost posted that link, but have been nailed lately for posting links and names to vendors, seems like they are really trying to crack down so i'm trying to avoid doing it as much as possible, getting two emails within a few days from mods isn't fun. it was my own fault, just slipped my mind.


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## 702Cichlid (Feb 28, 2010)

good looking out, i'll remove it now.

Seems i can't edit it out. Sorry mods, i'll refrain from doing it again.


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## FishOnLand (Jul 10, 2010)

Great advice everyone! I've ordered some clamshells for my 350s along with the blue padding... this sounds so much better than the one piece cartridges sold for the 350 at the LFS. Thanks.


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