HOB vs. Canister and a good protien skimmer

[Zyara]

Hey guys. So I have a 29 gallon mixed tank. I want to upgrade my little HOB filter with protein skimmer. Mostly because the protein skimmer is crap and no matter what I do it releases tiny bubbles that take over my tank. Also, there's no room in the filter chamber for anything except the one filter that came with it and the heater.
I should also mention I don't mind the work it takes to clean a cannister filter. We already use one in the turtle tank and those guys are much dirtier then a fish tank!! Lol.
So...... recommendations. Which is better? Cannister or HOB. Remember, it's a smaller tank, which is the best filter (either HOB or cannister) that you know of?
Need a good protein skimmer as well. One that works properly. Can either be part of the filter or separate so long as it works. My tank is not drilled and there is no sump or refugium. Let's hear your suggestions please.

Thanks.

 

[laverda]

HOB! Canister filters are not suitable for a reef tank unless you plan to clean it every 4 days or so. They do a great job of removing particulate mater from the water column, but that then breaks down in to nitrates and phosphates. That leads to algae out breaks. If your tank is fish only with low light, then it is not much of an issue.
A sponge on the out put of your skimmer should solve the bubble issue in most cases. You could do away with the skimmer an possibly but live rock in there or even an ATS (Algae Turf Scrubber) . One big advantage of small tanks is water changes are quick and easy. For a 29 gallon weekly 15–20% water changes should be all you really need.

 

[rob taft]

I run a Fluval canister on my 20 gallon QT/Observation tank and I've run an Oase Thermo 350 for over a year now on my 50 gallon tank along with a Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB. The tank is a corner tank and their isn't a way that I could make a sump work. The filter is plumbed off a exterior overflow box i.e. no hoses or heater in the tank. The Oase has a built in prefilter that is very easy to remove and clean as well as a built in heater. This filter has been trouble free. That said, I only use the pre filter sponges on this filter. The other 4 trays in the filter I use for Phosgard, carbon, purigen, Chemi-pure blue depending on tank condition. When I first started the tank I had two of the trays filled with Bio Home Ultimate but after the tank was well established I removed the media.

Once a month or so I clean the interior of the filter and replace whatever I'm using. I clean out the pre-filter foam about once a week. I have a larger tank coming in a few weeks and I will put a conventional sump under that tank. But the canister filter still has usefulness for use of chemi pure, carbon etc.

I clean the filter foam on the Fluval and Oase once a week when I do my water change. If you let you filter socks set in the sump for 5 days without replacement you will also have a nitrate issue . I have spare foam filters for both and it doesn't take any time to replace the foam.