Recommendations for best HOB Biological filter?

[Siouxish]

I'm setting up a 75 Gallon Tall aquarium and am debating which two HOB filters to use for optimal biological filtration. I've ruled out the Emperor 400 as the motor is too noisy for my quiet office.

My main concerns are noise and that the HOB unit be self-contained with no seals so water can never leak. I'm thinking about either two Penguin 330's, two Tetratec 500's or possibly two aquaclear 500's. Which two do you feel are the strongest in terms of biological efficiency, noise and are self-contained?

 

[Captain Hook]

Is there a reason you want HOB filters over canister types?

My penguin 330 rattles a fair bit but I don't know if this is standard or not. I've found aquaclears to be very good, quiet and reliable filters. I've heard the 500 rattles more than the smaller models (only used 300, 200, mini).

 

[Siouxish]

I want a self-contained filter than cannot leak or spill water in my office. I had a disaster years ago with my Canister draining my whole tank as one of the hoses came loose during operation when I wasn't home. I know penguins have no water ever leaving the filter and the motor housing is sealed off from the filter meaning that there is no chance of a seal going bad because it doesn't have any seals.

I see from other posts that Aquaclears have a seal on the motor housing so I will probably rule them out.

 

[ChicoRaton]

My AC 500 hums a noticeable amount, but I don't notice it even when I'm going to sleep about 10-15 feet away. And with the massive amount of sponges you can fit in the filter chamber, I think it's a very good bio-filter. You might also look at the HOB fluidized bed filters. Those are about the ideal biological filter.

 

[beviking]

The "seal on the motor housing" is actually an o-ring at the base of the "threaded neck" of the motor housing. The motor housing screws into the filter body. Very unlikely this would leak. I've used them for 3+yrs w/o leaks. If you check it every couple months, you would detect a slight leak, if it ever did leak. The threads make it near impossible for it to "blow out".
I've had no reason to try other brands so Aquaclear is the only one I can recommend.

If I were worried about it leaking, I would loop the electrical cord (which comes from the motor housing and is what any water is going to travel down IF it did leak) into a bucket, 1/2 gallon milk jug (cuz they're square and narrow), coffee can, etc... to catch any water.

 

[blitzen25bm]

heard the tetratecs are not that great but i never tried them. plus they are pretty expensive. out of the remainding two the penguin i have is quieter and its been running for years. i just stuffed the extra room in the filter with bioballs.

 

[Seaman]

My reccomendation would be the Cascade HOB tricke filter....I've had mine running for over 2 years with no problems, and the Biological capacity is very high, I run the model made for up to 60g tanks, on my 65g heavily stocked tank, and I never see amonia or nitrites, which means its workin very good. And its MUCH quieter than the bio wheel filters.

65g inhabitants:
13 exodons
5 cory cats
1 pictus cat
1 spotted raphael
1 banded loach
2 nandus nandus
2 butis butis
1 albino bichir
6 ottos
2 SAE's

Oh yea and here's the filter im talkin about

http://aquariumpros.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PPPCPF200

 

[AikidoGuy]

FWIW I ran 15 Emperor 400s on my tanks thought out my house and i just recently converted all of them over to AC500s. The emperors werent that bad as far as fitlering the water. They did a Very good job at that actually, but the ease of cleaning the Aquaclears blows away the Emperor. My tanks over 90gallons all have wet/dry trickle type filters as well as the AC500s. I used to run the big bad Eheim 2260 on 3 of my larger tanks but they didnt do it for me. They werent all that the hype says they are. At least IMO..

All of my tanks 55gallons or larger have 2 AC500s

 

[DLeung10]

AikidoGuy,

What media setup to you use in your AC500's ?

I am using one sponge, then white filter floss and 2 bags of Bio Max. I find
the white floss traps A LOT of gunk that escapes the sponge.


Daniel

 

[JSchmidt]

FWIW I ran 15 Emperor 400s on my tanks thought out my house and i just recently converted all of them over to AC500s. The emperors werent that bad as far as fitlering the water. They did a Very good job at that actually, but the ease of cleaning the Aquaclears blows away the Emperor.
All of my tanks 55gallons or larger have 2 AC500s

Even better -- use AC500 foams in Emperor filter's media wells. You get the ease of cleaning the foam, with the outstanding biofiltering capability (in increased reliability) of an Emperor.

Jim