What's good and bad about different filter types (Spreadsheet!)

[memorywrangler]

I've been weighing the pros and cons of different filter types, so I built a spreadsheet to summarize my research and limited experience.  I'm curious what other people think.

You can view it (And comment) here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EL9l70x2YL04_BBNof9zZH-fLJirA-xrf_uQ6z593WI/edit#gid=0

Please share your thoughts!  Especially if you think some columns are missing.

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by memorywrangler
Update image

[Cinnebuns]

That's really smart I like it! 

The only thing I noticed is chemical filtration and Sponge filters. You can buy carbon and wrap it around the sponge. I'm pretty sure ACO sells it even. 

[lefty o]

im of the mind set that they all work, you just need to pick out the one who's maintenance, and looks you can live with.

[Cinnebuns]

On 8/24/2022 at 10:52 PM, lefty o said:

im of the mind set that they all work, you just need to pick out the one who's maintenance, and looks you can live with.

This makes sense to me 100%

[face]

it's highly variable flow rates for example  eheim 2215 160 gallon per hour less than 2× turnover on the 90 gallon aquarium they say to us it on, a sump can have whatever flow you want anything from 1× to 100× is possible.

if i was going to add a category easy of instruction/maintenance would be useful.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Pretty cool!  I think there should be a column called Ease of Maintenance.

[modified lung]

Don't forget internal moving bed biofilters like the Ziss Bubble Bio

[Patrick_G]

On 8/24/2022 at 8:52 PM, lefty o said:

im of the mind set that they all work, you just need to pick out the one who's maintenance, and looks you can live with.

Pragmatic advice, and I agree.
There is a certain tank size and/or stocking level where a filter’s biofiltration efficiency might start to matter but for most tanks any correctly sized filter will work. 

On 8/25/2022 at 3:24 AM, Pepere said:

Then there is the venerable box filter.  Most of the benefits of a sponge filter with added versatility.

Didn’t it seem like every tank in fish stores used to have a box filter? They seem to have been replaced with sponge filters. 

When I was a kid box filters seemed so lame compared to a UGF, or the holy grail, a POWER filter! Now I see them as a cheap a versatile solution. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by Patrick_G

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 8/24/2022 at 10:07 PM, memorywrangler said:

so I built a spreadsheet

I love this idea!  And I love spreadsheets!  I think having a quick table like this, especially for new folks, will help them sort through the possibilities, which can be daunting at first.  Nice work!

The other thing I love is external/under-tank sumps.  I love their versatility, but I'd say their main cost is in comfort with DIY/install in most cases.  Even without external sumps, it's a great table!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@nabokovfan87

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/25/2022 at 8:06 AM, modified lung said:

Don't forget internal moving bed biofilters like the Ziss Bubble Bio

There is also the "over top" i.e. trickle style filters used (think sump, but on the top of the tank) and this points more towards aquaponic style setups as well, which is very common in the hobby for people who want to use pathos or other plants above the tank.  This is also extremely common when it comes to ponds.

I quoted Mr. Lung because of the "moving bed biofilters" and I wanted to just mention that there is also the static version of the exact same filter.  It doesn't require anything different, but change the media inside the container of choice.  The construction is the same, but the method, ratings, advantages, and disadvantages might be very different.

In terms of the sheet, I think there's a great start and a useful tool.  There's been a TON of videos by Prime Time aquatics I would reference here as well that might be useful as a series if someone is trying to visually see or decide between two types.  I can't, or I won't I should say, speak to "what is best" or what works the best simply because I think the use case, size, hobbyist themselves are so critical to the equation. Even tank size is a pretty big parameter for how and what filtration I will want to use. 

If I have a tank in one spot, I might filter it very differently than if I have it somewhere else.  If a tank is very easy to hook up to a python, it might be a lot easier to talk yourself into a sump, for instance. There's a lot that goes into it.  Experience aside, there's a ton to digest and mull over.

Pong Guru's video series here, is really fun to watch as well.  He made a massive pond filter over a series, setup a ton of different types of media and filtration methods.  He also went back and updated that system, spoke about issues, and how it didn't work for his application.  All amazingly interesting topics.
 

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[modified lung]

On 8/25/2022 at 3:01 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I quoted Mr. Lung because of the "moving bed biofilters" and I wanted to just mention that there is also the static version of the exact same filter. 

👍 I use the static version in all my tanks.

[Flumpweesel]

On 8/25/2022 at 5:02 PM, Patrick_G said:

Pragmatic advice, and I agree.
There is a certain tank size and/or stocking level where a filter’s biofiltration efficiency might start to matter but for most tanks any correctly sized filter will work. 

Didn’t it seem like every tank in fish stores used to have a box filter? They seem to have been replaced with sponge filters. 

When I was a kid box filters seemed so lame compared to a UGF, or the holy grail, a POWER filter! Now I see them as a cheap a versatile solution. 

At the points I came into the hobby here it was all power filters or canisters. This held true for decades I assume that was what the shops wanted you to have.

I love the sound of under gravel and would be tempted to try it if my canister ever dies.

These box filters you mentioned are a revelation. I think probably you brought them up in an earlier thread so I looked them up. I like the idea of reducing the power to run a tank so air driven is going to be the answer . Although I've not been using air pumps for very long.

Perhaps power consumption should be a factor on the spread sheet (while we live in interesting times anyway)

[Tanked]

On 8/25/2022 at 12:02 PM, Patrick_G said:

Didn’t it seem like every tank in fish stores used to have a box filter? They seem to have been replaced with sponge filters. 

When I was a kid box filters seemed so lame compared to a UGF, or the holy grail, a POWER filter! Now I see them as a cheap a versatile solution. 

The little green boxes sitting in the corner of every aquarium were the sponge filters of their day, but I never saw a sponge in one.  Filter floss and charcoal made for reasonable mechanical filtration, and bacteria was never described as beneficial.

[AndEEss]

Your "Hides Other Equipment" is not accurate across the board for canister filters. 

For example, the water from my FX6 flows into an inline heater, a UV filter and then a CO2 reactor and is distributed by lily pipes, which are the only things in my tank.

[Patrick_G]

On 8/25/2022 at 10:52 PM, Flumpweesel said:

These box filters you mentioned are a revelation. I think probably you brought them up in an earlier thread so I looked them up. I like the idea of reducing the power to run a tank so air driven is going to be the answer . Although I've not been using air pumps for very long.

Visually I like these UGF boxes that are popular among shrimp keepers. 

[Flumpweesel]

On 8/26/2022 at 10:37 AM, Pepere said:

Electricity in Maine is currently 21 cents for a killowatt hour.

Power in the UK and I believe most of Europe is getting very expensive at the moment I'm flying under the radar on random old tariff at the moment (by accident rather then shrewd moves on my part ) at 28 pence per kWh but some people are paying twice that or more right now. So its worth having a plan in mind at the moment.

[Patrick_G]

On 8/26/2022 at 9:21 AM, Flumpweesel said:

at 28 pence per kWh

 

On 8/26/2022 at 2:37 AM, Pepere said:

Electricity in Maine is currently 21 cents for a killowatt hour.

Wow, we’re lucky here in the Northwest USA. .09-.11 per kWh.  
 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@Patrick_Gif you find someone in the US making these Asian style box ugfs let me know!!! Not going to order from Singapore! 

I love these threads. When I grow up and make Fish Room 2.0 it will be run on a single Nitto pump going at 45 w for the whole room. I’ll run some powerheads on the tanks that need flow. Otherwise I’ll only use power filters on the tanks that are too heavily stocked or that I ran meds through and want to throw a big bag of carbon on. 

Dont get me wrong displays and aquascapes will still get cannisters and internals but man I’m seriously considering going to air driven corner mattenfilter as I can hide the heaters and any other gear behind them. 

I’ve found myself going back to the future more and more like many of you and running undergravel filters. I’ve made my own “box” filters e.g. Marks Fish Tanks using my used Fritz ACCR canisters I punch a few holes in the bottom and leave the top open - pvc or other tubing with holes at the bottom with an airline running to the bottom where theres a layer of 30 ppi sponge, then lava rock, crushed coral and some seeded gravel to weigh it down. I’ve put some polyfilter in and or polyfil in the top. 
 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 8/26/2022 at 1:53 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

I’m seriously considering going to air driven corner mattenfilter as I can hide the heaters and any other gear behind them

So, my dirty little secret is that, as much as I love sumps (and I do!), in my breeding area with the bulk of my tanks - I have a liner piston air pump and all the tanks have matten filters.  It's so efficient, so nice looking, and I've made some mods that make them far easier to clean.  I only have two cautions.  The first is to get the real Jetlifter™ tubes, it makes a world of difference.  There are many knock-offs, and you will notice the difference.  The other caution is that that this system makes it far too easy to justify getting "just one more tank".  🤪 

[Tanked]

If my math is right,  11 cents  per kWh:  5 cents per KWH for the electric an an additional 6 cents  per kWh for the privilege. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones

I don't think I could go with all air.  Too any memories of my brother's fish/guest room and the piston pumps clattering all night😖

[Fishy101]

Love it! Lots of useful information for people to look at quickly to decide which filter best suits there tank.

[drewzero1]

On 8/26/2022 at 4:37 AM, Pepere said:

My Seachem Tidal 35 consumes 6 watts to move 135 gallons per hour(when the filter is freshley cleaned including impeller, intake screen, water passage tubes, flow adjustment wide open)…

I can run 2 Lee’s large triple flow filters that each flow 100 gph when the filter media is clean with a 3 watt air pump..

 

so almost double the flow for half the power consumption…. And the airstone driven filter is aerating…  you might eliminate the need for other airstones you are running…  I have a hard time justifying running an airstone that is not also encased in a box filter and providing filtration at the same time myself….

sounds impressive…  however my Seachem Tidal 35 costs about $10.00 a year for electricity.  Electricity in Maine is currently 21 cents for a killowatt hour.

In comparison my Fluval 3.0 light consumes 32 watts.  Running it 10 hours a day would cost $25.00 a year.

From a cost savings perspective, silk plants instead of real ones….

 

By far the most power-hungry piece of equipment in my tanks are the heaters. Everything else is a drop in the proverbial bucket. The room temp in my fish room gets down to 50°F in the dead of winter, so I've been working on improving the insulation both for the room and for the individual tanks.

[gardenman]

Heating a whole fish room with one of the split unit heat pumps is often cheaper than a lot of individual heaters. Lowes has 12,000 BTU unit made by a company called AUX for $730 that's good for up to 600 sq ft. Coop aquarium heaters start at $22 each so if you're heating 33 or more tanks, the split unit purchase costs balance out. A 600 sq ft fish room would be pretty nicely sized (20'X30'). And since most fish rooms are already inside a house in some manner, much of the heating/cooling is handled by the house, you just need to supplement it so you don't necessarily need a massive unit. Using a split unit also gives you backup should the house HVAC system fail. You'd still have one comfy room to move into. 

Back to filters again. For the monster fish/koi keepers, a rotary drum filter is nearly ideal for mechanical filtration. They're very economical to operate. You're likely to have a pump of some sort anyway, and they only use power when the drum is rotating, which only happens when the screen clogs. They're self-cleaning, very energy efficient, and pretty much foolproof. You need a bio filtration add-on of some sort, but there are lots of options there from K1 types to Bakki showers. 

I'm still having good luck with my undergravel Matten Filter combos where I replace the gravel with a piece of Matten filter foam. They've been very low cost and effective.