Strong HOB or powerhead plus HOB?

[datapig]

Getting a 29g soon, and thinking of getting an emperor 400 HOB. I would remove the biowheels of course. I am considering this specifically for the dual flow output. I am wondering however, if I should go this route or a smaller HOB plus powerhead. I know powerheads are to increase flow, and reduce dead spots, but my reasoning is that with the dual outflow, the emperor would eliminate dead spots sufficiently, and have sufficient flow in a 29g, being rated up to 80g. In all honesty, I am fine with either route, just trying to eliminate a plugin use, and eliminate tank clutter. Thoughts?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Welcome to Ree2Reef!

And honestly Id wait and see. Id bet you'll want flow across the back side of the rocks. If the HOB is giving a good traditional barrel roll, blowing one across the back will mix it up and give you nice turbulence and keep the back clean. A small 200 300 gph jet (cheap)or a hydor 240 or 400 I'd think.

 

[datapig]

Welcome to Ree2Reef!

And honestly Id wait and see. Id bet you'll want flow across the back side of the rocks. If the HOB is giving a good traditional barrel roll, blowing one across the back will mix it up and give you nice turbulence and keep the back clean. A small 200 300 gph jet (cheap)or a hydor 240 or 400 I'd think.

Thank you very much :)
I honestly didn't think about the fact that the rock work would block a lot of that. I figured it might roll around but visualizing it, yeah I can see how it would just barrel roll in a way. I was looking at the koralia nano. I believe the 240gph model. Would this be sufficient, or overkill with an emperor 400 or 350?

 

[randy4083]

I have a hob filter and it's the one with 2 pumps on it and I run the bio wheels and I have a 30 gallon tank and there's alot of flow in the tank why would you take the bio wheels off

 

[Maacc]

Have you checked out the new tidal filters that are a partnership between seachem and sicce?
It is a new design that does surface skimming in a hob.
Also, I second salty, you will want the small powerhead to help create a random kind of turbulence.

 

[taintstick]

I have a 30g rocking in my closet where I propagate shrooms. All I have is the hob on it with just filter pads. Get the 240, it's small easy to hide if you just want to push water behind rocks. Maybe $25 on amazon. Also a trick to create more flow for the HOB is just to lower your water level.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thank you very much :)
I honestly didn't think about the fact that the rock work would block a lot of that. I figured it might roll around but visualizing it, yeah I can see how it would just barrel roll in a way. I was looking at the koralia nano. I believe the 240gph model. Would this be sufficient, or overkill with an emperor 400 or 350?

I'm honestly not familter enough with those to know. Rock work will play a big role in deciding. Might be worth setting it up empty and looking at what it does.

 

[datapig]

I have a hob filter and it's the one with 2 pumps on it and I run the bio wheels and I have a 30 gallon tank and there's alot of flow in the tank why would you take the bio wheels off

Basically because I had heard a lot of people calling them nitrate factories. But I mean that's the point of biological filtration. I didn't really find much hard evidence on keeping them but did find a lot of people saying to ditch them.

 

[datapig]

I

I have a 30g rocking in my closet where I propagate shrooms. All I have is the hob on it with just filter pads. Get the 240, it's small easy to hide if you just want to push water behind rocks. Maybe $25 on amazon. Also a trick to create more flow for the HOB is just to lower your water level.

I believe I will go the route of the koralia 240. Now just to determine whether or not that in combination with a HOB will be overkill. I've actually added to my list of HOB's to include the aquaclear 110, or ac70. Leaning towards the 110 as I can adjust the flow rate of it's too much

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

nitrate factories.

only if you dont clean them. like most peoples sand
if you pack the hob filter correctly it pulls out food and poop etc , if it doesnt its not working(filtering ie dirty floss and sponge) and it(poop) is still in the tank and the filter may as well be a powerhead at that point.
Fresh and salt filtration is different. in fresh you want a place for bacteria to grow undisturbed , in salt we already have a place. live rock. so a bigger filter that is doing nothing is just that.
Personally Ive had amazing success with HOB filters with HOB refugiums. The filter filters particles, the fuge EXPORTS NO3 & Po4, by growing chato. buy you do have to clean them, or the become crap traps.
DEF google aquaclear refugium. on a AQ 110 its HUGE to you could use foam and put some chato in to.

I made an AQ fuge last nigh in fact.

 

[datapig]

only if you dont clean them. like most peoples sand
if you pack the hob filter correctly it pulls out food and poop etc , if it doesnt its not working(filtering ie dirty floss and sponge) and it(poop) is still in the tank and the filter may as well be a powerhead at that point.
Fresh and salt filtration is different. in fresh you want a place for bacteria to grow undisturbed , in salt we already have a place. live rock. so a bigger filter that is doing nothing is just that.
Personally Ive had amazing success with HOB filters with HOB refugiums. The filter filters particles, the fuge EXPORTS NO3 & Po4, by growing chato. buy you do have to clean them, or the become crap traps.
DEF google aquaclear refugium. on a AQ 110 its HUGE to you could use foam and put some chato in to.

I made an AQ fuge last nigh in fact.

Glad to hear first hand from some one who has done what I plan to, which is turn the 110 into a combo mechanical filter/refugium. As for the biowheels on the E400, if I wash them, is that not diminishing the bacteria? Or do I simply rinse them in WC tank water? Or are they for a purpose besides biological filtration altogether? Sorry for the questions, just trying to get something I can use 100%. Still leaning towards the ac110 for the huge fuge space.

 

[badd]

.
DEF google aquaclear refugium. on a AQ 110 its HUGE to you could use foam and put some chato in to.

I made an AQ fuge last nigh in fact.

Thats what I have.. works great,, on my 46...