Filter for a 40g breeder planted tank with nano fish

[JimmyC]

I'm building out a planted tank in a 40g breeder and am collecting nano fish such as honey gourami/rabsora/shrimp for the community tank. Should I try to get a hob filter with flow controls and just crank down the flow or just use a couple sponge filters? Not sure if lowering the flow a lot makes the hob filter not worth it. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Hi @JimmyC, welcome to the forum. This is going to be up to you really. I have a 20 gallon with 2 sponges and 1 HOB. (I have 60+ fish in it so it does better with extra filtration and some water movement). An HOB helps get a lot of detrius out of the water that sponges don't get. What I would suggest is an HOB fitting of the tank size  and placing it on one side of the tank- so if there is a lot of flow it may not even make it to the other side of the tank (40s are pretty substantial) and the fish that enjoy it can hang there but there will still be good circulation of the water. Then place a sponge on the other side of the tank. This should elimitate water "dead spots". If the flow is too much instead of having to turn it down there are lots of flow baffles on the market you can try (also lots of DIY baffles). Hope this helps. Probably more opinions incoming- there are so many ways to approach stuff like this in the hobby! 

Edited November 29, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[CorydorasEthan]

I agree with @xXInkedPhoenixX I use a HOB and a sponge filter in my 29 and it works just fine. I would recommend to place an pre-filter sponge on the filter intake of the HOB to ensure that fry and small shrimp don't get sucked into the filter.

I hope this helps!

[JettsPapa]

I have a 40 gallon breeder tank with an Aqua-clear 50 HOB in one back corner and a sponge filter in the opposite one.  It works fine.  I don't have honey gourami in it, but I do have pearl gouramis.   The flow doesn't seem to bother them.  In a tank with a smaller footprint it might.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

On 11/29/2022 at 10:47 AM, CorydorasEthan said:

pre-filter sponge on

Good point, I have one on mine so my baby Otos don't get sucked in. 

[Mmiller2001]

I'm running this on my 40 breeder.

 

EHEIM Classic External Canister Filter with Media https://a.co/d/29gGmPS

Just make sure you have plenty of head room on filtration.

A Tidal 75 would probably offer you enough if you want an HOB. But it will not work if you want dwarf shrimp.

 

[CorydorasEthan]

On 11/29/2022 at 12:49 PM, JettsPapa said:

I don't have honey gourami in it, but I do have pearl gouramis.   The flow doesn't seem to bother them. 

I have a Marineland Penguin 150 with a few honey gourami and a pearl gourami and they aren't bothered by the flow either.

[Misa]

Like this suggestion you could try a smaller HOB like a AquaClear 30 with a sponge filter. You'd still get the mechanical filtration but with less flow.