QUIET HOB recommendations for 10 gallon and 5 gallon?

[HoosierJeff]

Greetings, folks. Still trying to solve some filtration frustrations. 
 

Have a couple 10 gallons in bedrooms and a 5 gallon nano tank I am reconsidering filtration on. Currently using sponge filters but hate the air pump noises and think some flow would be nice.
 

One of the 10 gallons is home to betta, so adjustable flow is a must. 
 

Tried and returned two Tidal 35’s because of impeller racket. Searched even sent me a replacement impeller that made no difference. 
 

Have a Tetra Whisper IQ 30 on my 20 gallon and it is nice and quiet. Tried the 20 gallon model and it wasn’t anywhere near as quiet. 
 

I’d really like the motor to be in the tank, though silence without that feature is worth it. 
 

What should I try, folks?!

 

Thanks for your input!

[Scapexghost]

I find even the cheap trash pretty quiet. Like the aquan quit flow and the generic petsmart one. Usually theyre much quieter that the electric hum of a tv or xbox

[Sarina]

I pretty much exclusively run this nano filter on all of my sub-20 gallon tanks that don't have sponge filters. I double up if the tank is over 10 gallons, but that's mostly because I overstock. If you don't overstock, one will be plenty. I just cut a piece of coarse foam pad to size and discard the cartridge it comes with. They are silent and as long as the tank water level doesn't drop too low they will self-prime after a power outage. 

[HoosierJeff]

On 8/26/2023 at 7:49 PM, Sarina said:

I pretty much exclusively run this nano filter on all of my sub-20 gallon tanks that don't have sponge filters. 

Oh, wow. I would not have expected that to cut it for 10 gallons! Yes, I—as Cory says—hotrod my HOB filters so won’t bother with filter cartridges. 
 

Thanks for the recommendation. 

On 8/26/2023 at 7:41 PM, Scapexghost said:

I find even the cheap trash pretty quiet. Like the aquan quit flow and the generic petsmart one. Usually theyre much quieter that the electric hum of a tv or xbox

The Petart ones are pretty quiet,  it I’m pretty sensitive to sounds and can’t stand hums/rattles in my bedroom. 

[FLFishChik]

Honestly, I have 3 TopFin HOB filters and all are silent. Never a sound unless I am priming them after cleaning, and then only for a few minutes until the water is flowing sufficiently.

[Vicki]

 I have a Fluval.  You know - the one they make! (🙄) I’m sorry, I seriously don’t remember which one I got - I just know it’s for my ToN - 55 gal, that I got to replace the TopFin that wouldn’t work when I bought it used from someone who swore it did. ANWYAY. (And yes, “anwyay” is how my day has been going! Haha!) Like Cory and @HoosierJeff above, I, too, “hot rod” my HOBs and just make them into whatever I need them to be at the moment, stuffing whatever filters or whatever in there I want or don’t want at the time - and I totally encourage everyone to do the same.  That said, my Fluval is pretty much silent.  We have a pretty noisy house, but I just got up and put my ear up to the filter, and while I could hear it, it was really really quiet. From 4-6 inches away I couldn't hear it. I could hear the water, but not the motor. SO - do what you will with that.

🙂 Happy fishing!

[Ninjoma]

Aquaclear 20 or the nano HOB Aquarium coop sells are both pretty quiet in my experience:

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/products/nano-tank-hang-on-back-filter-1

[Galabar]

My only advice here would be to get when where the pump is in the tank.  This will "guarantee" that the filter will restart after a power outage (and will be self-priming).

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/26/2023 at 4:04 PM, HoosierJeff said:

Tried and returned two Tidal 35’s because of impeller racket. Searched even sent me a replacement impeller that made no difference.

Very interesting....  I think water level may have been at play here as well, but good on Seachem for doing the right thing of replacing parts to try to alleviate any issues. 

Marina has one that is pretty well designed for a smaller setup with low flow.  I would also recommend the marineland penguin pro as one of the better adjustable filters.  I don't recommend the tidal with a betta as it's very easy for those fins to end up in the pump.

This video talks a bit about how water height can greatly impact noise.

 

[Stef]

I like the Dennerle Eckfilter. Not hob, but have adjustable flow, silent, shrimp safe, well made. I stopped using their cartridge and just cut to fit coarse sponge pad and stuff it in.  I have one in a 10 gal and in two of my 6 gal cubes.  All three have a betta .

[HoosierJeff]

On 8/27/2023 at 12:29 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Very interesting....  I think water level may have been at play here as well, but good on Seachem for doing the right thing of replacing parts to try to alleviate any issues. 

Marina has one that is pretty well designed for a smaller setup with low flow.  I would also recommend the marineland penguin pro as one of the better adjustable filters.  I don't recommend the tidal with a betta as it's very easy for those fins to end up in the pump.

Thanks for the input @nabokovfan87! I tried a variety of water levels with the Tidal 35 (before I returned it) to see if that was the issue, and no dice. Same noise. I saw a variety of online comments about it getting quiet after a couple months, but didn’t have a couple months to wait it to quiet down.

The Marina you mentioned is one I’ve had my eyes on as a viable option. Thanks for the upvote for it!

On 8/27/2023 at 8:57 AM, Stef said:

I like the Dennerle Eckfilter. Not hob, but have adjustable flow, silent, shrimp safe, well made. I stopped using their cartridge and just cut to fit coarse sponge pad and stuff it in.  I have one in a 10 gal and in two of my 6 gal cubes.  All three have a betta .

Thank you @Stef! I’ll give that one a solid a look.

[Galabar]

If you want something convenient, this might do it: https://www.amazon.com/Sicce-Shark-Internal-Aquarium-Filter/dp/B007GCFXYI

It makes maintenance very easy.

 

[HoosierJeff]

On 8/29/2023 at 6:54 PM, Galabar said:

If you want something convenient, this might do it: https://www.amazon.com/Sicce-Shark-Internal-Aquarium-Filter/dp/B007GCFXYI

It makes maintenance very easy.

 

Thank you for this! I assume you use it and are happy with it?

[Galabar]

On 8/30/2023 at 10:39 AM, HoosierJeff said:

Thank you for this! I assume you use it and are happy with it?

I have several of them.  They have pros and cons, but, given the convenience, I swear by them. 🙂

[HoosierJeff]

On 8/30/2023 at 1:43 PM, Galabar said:

I have several of them.  They have pros and cons, but, given the convenience, I swear by them. 🙂

Great to know. Thank you.