Fluval Fx6 or tidal 110 HOB filter

[Arose231]

Have a 125 gallon saltwater aquarium was wondering which one would work better Fluval fx6 or 3 tidal 110’s HOB filters

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Do you have a skimmer? I think a skimmer is more important than a canister or hob filter. I would want a good skimmer, and a hob to run filter floss and carbon if I wanted.

 

[Fish Fan]

Do you have a skimmer? I think a skimmer is more important than a canister or hob filter. I would want a good skimmer, and a hob to run filter floss and carbon if I wanted.

Great reply!

In my opinion, in saltwater aquaria, circulation is the most important thing. You want water circulating, and your rock and sand is your biofilter. I'd suggest circulation pumps first, and then a Hang On Back (HOB) skimmer and other gear as needed.

To answer your question more directly, absolutely no question, a canister filter can run a reef tank, many do so every day, and that Fluval is a very powerful canister filter.

But personally, and this is just me, I hate canister filters. I think they are a pain to clean, so I don't do it often enough, and I've had them leak on me too.

I much prefer an AquaClear/Fluval HOB filter. These are (like everything) way overpriced these days (in my opinion), but they are a tried and true HOB. There are even after market media baskets that help make them more efficient and more suited to reef tanks. You can even set up a small, lighted refugium, which is something you can't do with a canister filter:

https://intankaquatics.com/intank-media-basket-for-fluval-aquaclear-110-hagen-aquaclear-110/
For me, it's hands-down an AquaClear/Fluval HOB, and I prefer those to the also popular SeaChem Tidal HOB's.

Do a search for "AquaClear" or "AC" HOB mods. AquaClear was the old brand name, though same design as the current Fluval HOB's, and you may find more info.

Good luck!

 

[Arose231]

Great reply!

In my opinion, in saltwater aquaria, circulation is the most important thing. You want water circulating, and your rock and sand is your biofilter. I'd suggest circulation pumps first, and then a Hang On Back (HOB) skimmer and other gear as needed.

To answer your question more directly, absolutely no question, a canister filter can run a reef tank, many do so every day, and that Fluval is a very powerful canister filter.

But personally, and this is just me, I hate canister filters. I think they are a pain to clean, so I don't do it often enough, and I've had them leak on me too.

I much prefer an AquaClear/Fluval HOB filter. These are (like everything) way overpriced these days (in my opinion), but they are a tried and true HOB. There are even after market media baskets that help make them more efficient and more suited to reef tanks. You can even set up a small, lighted refugium, which is something you can't do with a canister filter:

https://intankaquatics.com/intank-media-basket-for-fluval-aquaclear-110-hagen-aquaclear-110/
For me, it's hands-down an AquaClear/Fluval HOB, and I prefer those to the also popular SeaChem Tidal HOB's.

Do a search for "AquaClear" or "AC" HOB mods. AquaClear was the old brand name, though same design as the current Fluval HOB's, and you may find more info.

Good luck!

Yes I agree you can get a wave make to help with water flow/circluation and the tidal filters come with a surface skimmer. Add some seachem matrix foam filter pads and purigen and everything should be good to go.

 

[Arose231]

Do you have a skimmer? I think a skimmer is more important than a canister or hob filter. I would want a good skimmer, and a hob to run filter floss and carbon if I wanted.

Yea the Tidal 110 comes with a surface skimmer that is the one main advantage over the canister and they are a lot easier to maintain/clean

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Yea the Tidal 110 comes with a surface skimmer that is the one main advantage over the canister and they are a lot easier to maintain/clean

Hi I just wanted to point out that I mean a protein skimmer, which is more beneficial than a surface skimmer.

A protein skimmer removes organics from the water. The surface skimmer removes the organics from the surface of the water, but mixes it back into the water to be removed by another method, it doesn't actually remove organics.

A protein skimmer also has the added benefit of oxygenating the water, which a surface skimmer, canister or hob filter will not do.

 

[Spare time]

I'd do 1 or 2 hang on back filters. Carbon and a filter pad are all you need in there.

 

[Arose231]

Hi I just wanted to point out that I mean a protein skimmer, which is more beneficial than a surface skimmer.

A protein skimmer removes organics from the water. The surface skimmer removes the organics from the surface of the water, but mixes it back into the water to be removed by another method, it doesn't actually remove organics.

A protein skimmer also has the added benefit of oxygenating the water, which a surface skimmer, canister or hob filter will not do.

Not worried of the water oxygen as that can be taken care by a strong wave maker

 

[Fish Fan]

Just to clarify a few things:

The HOB filter that I strongly prefer were at one time called Hagen AquaClear and are now called Fluval AquaClear or simply "AC". This filter does not have a surface skimmer:

https://www.petsmart.com/featured-b...OedBnn_n1zXPsSC4svyDhbpOcUhCfUOhoCN78QAvD_BwE
When you say Tidal, I think that you're thinking of the SeaChem Tidal HOB filters. These are popular, but they are not the same as the AquaClear. The SeaChem Tidal filters do have a surface skimmer:

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/t...HGfxLZcj1Hxey38F1bprSkUtIKxnEKzRoCyXYQAvD_BwE

Yea the Tidal 110 comes with a surface skimmer that is the one main advantage over the canister and they are a lot easier to maintain/clean

That member was not talking about the surface skimmer on a HOB filter. That reefer was talking about a specific piece of gear called a protein skimmer. A protein skimmer is a very popular way to keep nutrients down in a saltwater system. You would run a protein skimmer in addition to your HOB filter. They make hang on back protein skimmers such as this one:

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/c...Y0lXBCQBIDMQOPIhyDkf7NFXdKFWRoThoC0QQQAvD_BwE
I hope that helps!

 

[Gizmoreef]

The tidals are amazing, if not the best, HOB filters in my opinion. Does skimming and sucks in dirt. I put one on my QT tank and it keeps the bare bottom (like your fowler) pretty clean!