HOB with sponge filter on planted 20 long

[PatO]

I’m starting my first planted tank on a 20 long. I was planning on adding a Coop medium sponge filter, but do you generally recommend adding a HoB like an AQ30 to help polish the water as well? Thanks.

[Streetwise]

The medium sponge filters are bigger than you may think. A pair of nano sponge filters in the back corners of your 20 will be easily hidden by plants.

[PatO]

So do you think a pair of 20’s will keep the water crystal clean? No need for HOB to polish water? Could a USB nano power two small sponge filters?

[Koi]

You can run the usb nano on 2 sponges, you just need a valve on both tubes to balance the pressure.

As far as polishing the water, I think a hob is a better suited option(definitely not necessary). You can run both sponge and hob and have your sponge as a bio filter and hob for mechanical.

I run filter floss on my hob and replace it every 2 weeks or until it starts affecting the flow on my filter.

[Garren]

21 minutes ago, PatO said:

So do you think a pair of 20’s will keep the water crystal clean? No need for HOB to polish water? Could a USB nano power two small sponge filters?

I am running two nano's on one USB pump. Recommend putting control valves so you can even the air flow out to each filter. If you don't one will have more flow then the other one. So far I have not had any issues with water not being clear.

Here is a picture of my Nanos in my 20gal. Disregard the red circle, I used this picture to point out something in a different post

 

 

Edited February 12, 2021 by Garren