Canister vs HOB on 40 Breeder

[AnteVanjak]

Hey peeps, curretnlty getting ready to build a 40 breeder, gonna be a mixed reef but will be mostly softie lps dominant. I do not have the ability for a sump for this build. What are suggestions on canister vs filter and if you run one on your tank how do you run it and the type of extra maintenance do you do on your tank. TIA

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally I would suggest a hob filter and a hob skimmer and a pair of powerheads.

 

[FUNGI]

I run 3FX6's on mine. I removed all but one sponge and filled with LR rubble. Once a year quick rinse out (for sand).

 

[FUNGI]

For your 40, I would run a Fluval 407.....depending on how much rock you have....its got great flow and you might not need a internal powerhead.....or get that one canister with built in heater and UV......

 

[jimk60]

I run an aquaclear 70 HOB mainly for carbon. Super easy to access and clean. Id run one even with a canister.

 

[AnteVanjak]

Personally I would suggest a hob filter and a hob skimmer and a pair of powerheads.

Any specific brand and model you suggest

 

[AnteVanjak]

I run 3FX6's on mine. I removed all but one sponge and filled with LR rubble. Once a year quick rinse out (for sand).

What size tank do you have and i was going to be doing 50lbs of live rock, 18lbs would be from my current biocube i got and using a ai nero3 as a powerhead

 

[FUNGI]

What size tank do you have and i was going to be doing 50lbs of live rock, 18lbs would be from my current biocube i got and using a ai nero3 as a powerhead

125G...

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Any specific brand and model you suggest

I use and like both the tidal and the aqua clear hob filters. For hob skimmer I like the aquaready products, I’ve use both the 1.5 and also the bullets, they are both excellent IMO.

 

[FUNGI]

second Aquaclear......large boxes to use for media....

 

[AnteVanjak]

125G...

Tank looks great!

 

[Fish Fan]

Just my personal take, and again everyone is different here, but I've had lots of Hagen/Fluval AquaClear filters over the years, and I've had like two or three of the SeaChem Tidals. I much prefer the AquaClear filters because they are tried and true workhorses, and there's lots of aftermarket media baskets and mods you can do to make them even more efficient for a reef tank.

Again, just my personal opinion, but I don't care for canister filters. They are very powerful and many love them, but I find them a pain to maintain, and I have had at least one leak on me. I would go for a HOB over a canister filer myself.

And, you may not need either. You should have good circulation pumps or wavemakers to keep water moving in the tank, and that water flow plus the bacteria that will be on your rocks and sand will literally be the primary biological filter for your tank.

I might consider looking into an hang on back refugium or protein skimmer. A typical HOB filter may be added at any point if you decide that you do need either some mechanical or chemical filtration.

Good luck!

 

[AnteVanjak]

Just my personal take, and again everyone is different here, but I've had lots of Hagen/Fluval AquaClear filters over the years, and I've had like two or three of the SeaChem Tidals. I much prefer the AquaClear filters because they are tried and true workhorses, and there's lots of aftermarket media baskets and mods you can do to make them even more efficient for a reef tank.

Again, just my personal opinion, but I don't care for canister filters. They are very powerful and many love them, but I find them a pain to maintain, and I have had at least one leak on me. I would go for a HOB over a canister filer myself.

And, you may not need either. You should have good circulation pumps or wavemakers to keep water moving in the tank, and that water flow plus the bacteria that will be on your rocks and sand will literally be the primary biological filter for your tank.

I might consider looking into an hang on back refugium or protein skimmer. A typical HOB filter may be added at any point if you decide that you do need either some mechanical or chemical filtration.

Good luck!

Thank you for the advice! I am def leaning more toward HOB but have given thought to the latter method of just circulation pumps with live rock, still doing research on it and reading up on it.

 

[Fish Fan]

Thank you for the advice! I am def leaning more toward HOB but have given thought to the latter method of just circulation pumps with live rock, still doing research on it and reading up on it.

If you're just getting started, I'd put your money into a good quality, real live rock from your local fish store that specializes in reef tanks, or from a vendor like Tampa Bay Saltwater:
https://tbsaltwater.com/
Then some good circ pumps, and I might just start there and see how your tank does. Add other pieces of equipment if/when there's a need for it based on what you're experiencing with the tank. That way you're not buying things you don't really need, or that don't work for you the way you had hoped they would, which is ultimately waste of money.

 

[Bohemian Waxwing]

I run my 60g breeder with only live rock, lots of flow, and an Eheim Skim350 for surface skimming.

I originally ran a Tidal but found it noisy and also I didn’t like the flow pattern it created. I prefer Aquaclears.

I don’t think you actually need a filter, live rock will do the job for you!