# Best filter for a 55 gallon community tank?



## Richbinduga (Apr 4, 2013)

Looking into getting a new filter for my 55 gallon community tank. I currently have a penn plax cascade 700 canister filter. It's doing okay but could be better. I'm looking for a new filter that silent, highly effective, mechanical, chemical, and bio filtering, easy, and I mean super easy to clean (my current one is a pain), and no more then 100 dollars. Anyone have any ideas? Suggestions?


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

You could go with another filter and run two. Or be patient. I was able to get Fluval 306 filters off eBay all for less than $85 each! But if you want to stick with HOB types. Go with an aquaclear or a biowheel then run more than one.


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## Richbinduga (Apr 4, 2013)

Well idc if its hang on the back or canister. I prefer to use only on filter, just a better filter


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Its your tank. But if you want to use a filter that hangs one the back I would recommend using two. If for nothing else to circulate water. The filters help. But the best way to keep up your water quality is changing it. No filter will delete the need for water changes. I have two canisters on my 55 and I still do 50% changes per week.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

The easiest filter to clean is a sponge filter!I know most want nothing to do with them and air pumps are RARELY silent.So I would recommend the aq110.largest capacity HOB and super easy to clean.As for it being oversized for a 55 I run mine on my 4' 33G(same foot print *** 55 just not as tall{great tank}) with a sponge prefilter for my sword fry.Also have two air driven sponges in same tank.


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## Richbinduga (Apr 4, 2013)

Haha so no one is a fan of canisters then?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Many here swear by their canisters.And I guess they have great sucess.I always found them to be more diffacult to maintain than an HOB.HOBs can only fail to work right besides,they'll never leak all over your floor, or draw air in from some unfound "leak".Most with canisters say they are the most silent though.


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## Richbinduga (Apr 4, 2013)

What would you say are some good silent hang on the back filters? The Aquino silent flows are way to noisy


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## Richbinduga (Apr 4, 2013)

*aqueon


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I don't think any of my filters are all that quiet(over 1,000 gallons).So to me the aq is fairly quiet but I have read post from others who were not pleased with noise.Most say the most quiet filter is a canister and many here swear by EHEIMS.


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## Richbinduga (Apr 4, 2013)

Eheims?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Eheim Canister Filter 2217 | eBay


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## Avraptorhal (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm kinda confused. Nowhere did I see or hear Richbinduga say he wanted a HOB or preferred a HOB. I have had the last HOB I'll ever own, it was an AC50. It did its job well. However, it started out quiet but got noisier as time went on. I had water all over the place when I cleaned it and it needed cleaning weekly. It needed to be primed after every cleaning, try to aim a gallon jug into the impeller chamber of the filter on a 29G tank holding it about head height, about a foot away from my body, inevitability I missed at first and until I found the aim water went everywhere. Although the flow was able to be adjusted, at the slowest flow the output still took the food almost straight to the bottom when feeding.

When I got my Fluval 206 (about $80 on sale), it went together exactly as the users guide instructed, a couple of pumps on the priming pump and I had water circulation. It was a little noisy until all the air worked its way out of the system, couple of hours at the most as I remember it. Then silence. It has been working for about 8 months. I've cleaned it three times since it started and have not had to prime it again. I haven't had to clean the hoses so I just shut the flow off with the integral valve, take off the valve assembly and take the filled case to the tub and clean it out. Squeeze all the foam sections in the tank water, rinse out the case reassemble it stick it back in the cabinet reinstall the valve assembly, turn on the valve wait 'til the case fills and plug it back in and its doing its job again. Yeah, there is a little water on the floor in front of the stand, but that's all.

I haven't mentioned that I've also used sponge filters in my Betta tanks and in my QT. I almost have decided that when I need to replace the 206 it will be a sponge or sponges depending on the size of the tank. I've also added a sponge filter to the 29G since the onslaught of unexpected platy fry. The water checks at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and >10< 20 with approx. weekly 40% to 50% WC, after a couple of months of running with the cloud of fry.

I apologize for the book length post but I thought it needed to be said. I hope I haven't offended anyone by recounting my experience.


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## Richbinduga (Apr 4, 2013)

I have a carpet floor. Can't be dealing with water on the floor


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## Avraptorhal (Jan 24, 2013)

Richbinduga said:


> I have a carpet floor. Can't be dealing with water on the floor


Although I have Mexican tile floor I put down something absorbent even when I do a WC. 

I wasn't instructing you to get a canister. My intent was to tell you why I went to a canister and what happened when I did. As I said with the HOB I had water every where including on the walls and on the furniture next to the tank stand.

Whatever you decide is best for you is what you should do, obviously. Have fun any way you go.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

HOBs although not loud, are louder than any of my canisters. I have an Eheim 2229/2080/2217 within proximity of my AC50 (shrimp tank) and usually hear the AC over all of them combined. They are good filters though and by no means are noisy, but noisy to you is nothing to me, etc, etc...we all have different tolerances for these types of things.

The main thing you give up, IMO, with going with a HOB is the lack of space for media. My smallest canister is an Eheim 2217 and if I had to guess holds about 4 times the amount of media compared to a AC110. This is the most important thing to me. I don't concern myself so much with flow rates.

I would recommend the one in the link above. More than $100, but not by too much.


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