Does Your Aquarium Need A Canister Filter?

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‎ If you look on the internet for the best filter for aquariums, most people will try to convince you to get a canister filter. But is it really worth it? Canister filters are the #1 most returned filter at our fish store because of their price, power usage, high maintenance, and potential to flood your floors. Find out if they are the right filter for you.
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At Aquarium Co-Op, we focus on your aquariums. We specialize in freshwater tropical fish, aquatic plants, and the overall betterment of the freshwater fish keeping hobby. Our goal is to help you with your first pet fish and graduate you to an advanced aquarium hobbyist. If you'd like to take it to the next level, subscribe to Aquarium Co-Op and check out our weekly videos.
Cory McElroy is employed by Aquarium Co-Op LLC. He also owns Aquarium Co-Op LLC. Therefore, all content is sponsored by Aquarium Co-Op.
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[@AquariumCoop]

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[@sinister1891]

I have so many questions I got root tabs and easy green fertilizer one of my questions is am I over fertilizing I'm using both root tabs and aqua soil. And what plants are best for out competing algea for nutrients can someone please give me some advice.

[@garethrasmussen6186]

can you start exporting internationally?

[@pa35633]

I ran HOB for years. They are fine. I still run them on quarantine and small tanks. I run canisters because I like the silence, the aesthetics of not having a big plastic box hanging off the back of my tank, smaller cutouts in the lid helping with heat retention, evaporation, and jump prevention, customizable flow direction, and once a year cleaning. I also know that no one method is perfect. Do what you want. Doesn't matter to me!😃

[@blakeanderson1997]

lol that’s the key! Do what you want. People get so pressed!

[@markzig1429]

Same reasons for me!

[@AlbertoMartinez765]

I use Both! haha

[@MeanOldLady]

I love persnickety people who go into a lot of detail as it helps me make informed decisions & often introduces info that I haven't really thought about. Then over time, I become the persnickety, helpful person on down the line & so on. 🤗

[@feliciaheater5548]

Here’s the thing. I agree they’re unnecessary but they’re so convenient. They’re silent, easy to clean, and do a great job polishing water. Plus they are easy to hide in a nice aqua scape. Just like a HOB, canister filters can have adjustable flow.

[@varanidguy]

Plus canisters are fun to tinker with and optimize for a purpose.

[@timleirs4189]

@@varanidguy And the oase ones have a built in heater.

[@travismorgan9273]

Easy to clean? Compared to what? They are heavy to lift, make a mess when you open them, and have lots of parts to put back together after cleaning.

[@travismorgan9273]

I would rather change water than clean a canister filter and I don’t like changing water very well. Lol.

[@timleirsleirs5846]

@@travismorgan9273 Have you tried biomaster range? Very easy to clean and no spills.

[@amayanut]

These videos are super great for viewers who haven’t been watching for years/seen every single live stream twice. Some of the golden nuggets of info are buried deep within those videos! Good work. ❤

[@FrederickDunn]

Ok, so I've had canister filters my entire aquarium life... :) Since 1983. Now, you have me rethinking that. My aquarium is very near to the back wall, soooo... having the filter system under the aquarium saves space :) 2:38 No filtration needed? (';') ? and I do have lots of live plants in my tank. But wait, it's a Ferrari? or It's for arrogant aquatic enthusiasts? Under gravel filter? I like the sound of that! I'm solar-powered, so the energy isn't bad. I'm worried more about the heater that I run and how much that's consuming. Thanks for this video, now I'm not sure how I feel about my filter system. But since I already have it, I guess just go with it. In closing "no perfect filter" ok, thank you. This was a great video! Stay awesome!

[@bromine256]

Thank you, Cory. I was getting back into the hobby after 16 years and I was on the fence about using a canister filter. After seeing this I'm not getting one.

[@pennywv8636]

I use a fluval 407 canister in my turtle tank because turtles are slobs. I also have a few fish in that tank. The filter is great, easy to maintain and keeps the tank very clean. I clean the filter every other month. I use internal filters on my other tanks and they also do a good job, in my opinion.

[@gh-dw3tg]

I have planted tanks.....and I switched from canister to HOB just to polish the water.....still siphon the bottom part of the aquarium. One caveat I have with canister is that it is messy and smelly sometimes when you clean it. I rather just get a small bucket and clean the sponges from HOB and let the plants take care of the rest......works like a charm. Great video..keep rockin.

[@jacquelinemcmillan2793]

I've had nothing but problems with canisters. So took mine of few days ago I have a 300 litre tank low stocked no large fish as such and a good few live plants. I currently have a sponge filter I tank an internal fluval u4 and an aqua one internal idea was I wanted to transfer as much media as I could from the canister to keep cycle going. I was going to buy the oasie with built in heater now I'm thinking maybe just stick with what I now have or buy the one really good internal god I don't know what to do 😂

[@markreutz]

I've got 2 Eheim Classics. 2215 and 2217, one of them running for almost 10 years. Classic, one of the most reliable out there. I got them running on 2 planted tanks, and hooking them up in an in line CO2 makes the setup look cleaner and efficient.

[@charles_king]

Canisters are great, they are pretty compact and quiet.

[@SwatejK]

Coz you own one..?

[@travismorgan9273]

They are hard to clean, expensive, use a lot of energy and therefore also create a lot of heat, most of the time are not needed, and can leak ruining your floor. Other than that they are OK I guess.

[@carlbugler636]

Some people have no option but to get a canister my 800 liter tank is braced all the way around apart from the corners, being in the lounge an airline filter would be to intrusive. I had to have a JBL greenline 902e due to my low cabinet it's the only canister I could find that had 90° in/outlet. I get plenty of gripe from forums about the low turnover of water, but it is a jungle tank and the canister is simply there to move water from one end of the tank to other.

[@travismorgan9273]

@@carlbugler636 Every aquarium is a little bit different but for the most part turnover is over rated. Some of my best aquariums have no flow at all. Truth is a lot of plants and fish don’t like fighting the current all the time. Some think you have to have flow for the heater to work also. If you mount it horizontal almost touching the gravel, the heat from it will create flow. Hot water rises, slowly cools off and falls back to the bottom, starting the cycle over again. I turn the heater off in the summer and still have no issues. Maybe you have fish or plants from fast moving streams that can’t live in an environment like that. Maybe a tank is over stocked on fish and doesn’t have enough plants. Maybe someone feeds their fish tons and tons of food just because they enjoy it. I don’t know every situation but so so many planted tanks are over filtered and have too much current. Too much current and over filtration cause their own issues. Everyone thinks they need it and people who sell aquariums make money on filters.

[@lorddjg]

I fitted a pre filter to my main external filter, the main reason the sponge only pre filter is simple to clean once a fortnight. But I wish I knew what is needed as i am running an air filter as a backup, just would be good to know if it's all over kill.

[@probablypondering1657]

I think you should delineate between just keeping fish and aquascaping. If you want a pristine high tech aquascape like you see on social media, a canister filter is by far the best option. We understand it’s not a panacea and often unnecessary, but using your car analogy, sometimes you don’t need to just get from a to b, but you may need to do it as fast as possible. In that case you would want a Ferrari

[@AAE-cg1il]

………and just because you don’t need it doesn’t mean you still can’t do it with style……lol

[@softaco3088]

Hard to go back from a canister once you get used to the ease and benefits of owning one. They are quite, have more media room, better flow, they don't need cleaned or replaced as often. Also, think of all the attachments: Spraybars, UV's, skimmers, etc. Why would I have 4 HOBS + a skimmer and whatever else take up all that space when I can just have a cannister do the same thing that isn't looking ugly sitting on top of my tank or taking up tank realestate. Cannister is the future, hob is the old. Hobbies evolve.

[@ianm659]

HOB and sponge filters have been working fine for me for a while, even on larger tanks

[@ian3166]

Ran HOBs forever and only have a canister because it was gifted to me. Definitely has it's pros and cons. Love the extremely quiet operation as the aquarium is in my room. Love extra long maintenance intervals as the amount of fish is nowhere near the filter's capacity. The hoses do look "cooler" to me than the big box on the back of the tank. Never considered buying one because the one I got is $200 (Ehiem Pro 4) and a HOB was working fine.

[@kamenidriss]

Totally agree with this view, with one caveat. When you're doing larger aquascaping focused tanks, canister is the ideal filter. It doesn't de-gas a lot of the CO2 we're injecting (unlike a HOB, for example), looks discrete and tidy (vs. a sponge). and also it provides good amount of flow around to bring around the CO2 bubbles.

[@kylelaughinghouse1893]

That's why I run inline diffusers with my canister filters and put the co2 diffuser inside my hob

[@fitrockx]

I needed this video like 5 years ago haha but now I have one and I love it.

[@amazonmike4207]

I use all kinds of filters. and my fluval cannister filter is by FAR my favorite

[@drRoflol]

I needed this video, have been thinking about getting a canister filter lately - I 100% don't need one. Thank you for another great video!

[@Eric-xx3mb]

I love this channel and I respect Cory so much. He obviously knows a lot more than I do, but here are a few reasons I sometimes like a canister filter. #1 it's out of sight. With the filter below the aquarium in a cabinet it's out of sight and quieter. A HOB will be more visible and potentially louder. #2 the cost isn't a big deal. If you have a $1,500 aquarium (fish, plants, drift wood, heater, air pump, etc) $100 to $200 for a canister filter isn't a lot of money. For example you can get a Marine Land 220 and it should work up to about a 75 gallon tank and it's less than $90. #3 the inlet and outlet take up less space so you can push the aquarium/stand closer to the back wall. #4 you get better overall tank flow with fewer dead spots because the inlet and outlet are in opposite sides of the tank. An HOB puts the inlet right below the outlet. #5 the larger canister space gives you more room for sponge filets, filter floss, etc. I only find the cleaning of the tubing to be extra work over an HOB. Overall I prefer HOB, but canister has advantages nonetheless IMHO.

[@jndmoto7340]

Best video I've ever seen. Finally honest advice

[@cajanir]

Good discussion. Canister filters look cool, but I've always struggled to find a scenario where I'd really need one.

[@emberframe6994]

Canister filters are great when you have a big tank just for the water flow to get around the tank fully, I run it all bio filtration never done filter maintenance in 3 years.

[@dtt719]

If I had a fish room and was running 40 tanks I wouldn’t use a canister, but my focus is on having one mid size (43 gallon long) tank that is heavily planted and aquascaped. I want to see as little equipment as possible in my tank and I also like it to be as quite as possible. Sponges would not only be an eyesore but limit hard scape and plant amounts/placement. My ideal would likely be a sump, but a canister for me works well enough. The canister I use has a dc pump with adjustable flow strong enough that for now I don’t see the need for an extra power head. I think the question really depends on what you care about in the hobby. If you want to work towards a pristine display tank like those IAPLC then you kinda need one or a sump. Sure you could try and use sponges and hobs and take them off to submit your competition photo, but if you’re going through all that work making an aquascape (plus the cost) why would you want to see sponges day in and day out in that tank

[@UncannySense]

I'd take a canister filter over a HOB. The biggest benifit of a canister filter is the increase in total water volume. Also I don't use the inbuilt impeller pumps on my canister filters but run a DCT/DCP sinewave pump inline which is about 75% more efficient and near silent, so the canister pump is only a backup...Never had any real issues with canister filters and If i was running a barebottom tank its the first filter type i's use.

[@ashleydre5153]

I got into fish after raising a turtle for 20 years. Back in the day, after those first few HOBs failed me, I went to a canister and eventually added a sump. But canisters kept my turtle alive for over a decade so they are what I knew and loved. I’d say turtles are kind of the use case for when they make most sense. They don’t take up a substantial amount of swimming space, there’s less equipment sticking out of the tank for them to climb onto, and (if you get a big one) they add water volume with nice strong flow for removing the copious amounts of turtle waste (and they’re psychologically easier for people to understand/deal with than sumps…but I love those too!). So, all of that is to say, I have a canister (and a HOB AND a sponge filter) on my 40gal community tank and I’m not ashamed 😂

[@twistedvoodoo4960]

Turtles is when I used a canister too.

[@bravehearts1986]

Love how he tosses the canister box afterwards lol

[@Esther-gj5hs]

I’m not sure if you get those in the US but to me the best filter is the Juwel Bioflow. The only downside is that it takes up room in your tank but it’s easy to hide behind plants or decor. It’s quiet, has modular filtration, the water stays inside the tank, no tubes, perfect if you don’t have an aquarium cabinet to put a canister. 😁

[@Anubis30224]

Made a fish friend IRL, today. Both bonded over your products for a bit. Cheers!

[@br0ken86]

For years Ive mostly only run sponge filters because of your helpful videos. No issues at all! 😊

[@MikeSmith-ub5xy]

great video ! .... makes me think twice about replacing my HOB ... lol ... thanks so much for sharing

[@ironhelix45]

I recently replaced my canister because it started leaking. Moved to a fluval fx2 and so far I love it. I know its secure when shut and its smaller for my tank while still providing more filtration than I need. I like a canister because of noise and I have a puffer fish so I want to make sure I am over filtered due to the messy nature of puffers.

[@judysocal8682]

I got rid of my canister. I'm older and it was hard getting down there to get that heavy thing out to clean. Also, it often had a slow leak around the seal.

[@iamhowiam2862]

I tried the cheaper way to start. Sponge, hob, and finally canister. The canister by far has my fish looking like they are floating in air. I have 20 ppi, 30 ppi, 40ppi, 50ppi, floss. then my bio media. It’s probably overkill for some but my peacock cichlids and haps can be a little dirty so this works great for them

[@Pierceprepper327]

I like my canisters for the flow rate and the ease of directing the current how/where I want it. I get a powerhead plus filtration is what it boils down to. But anything below 20 gallons a canister is overkill

[@VanNguyen-ns6ck]

Very valid arguments. The reason why I'd consider a canister filter and a cheap branded SunSun one is because; (1) I'd like the convenience to clean my filter once every 3-4 months as oppose to once every 1-2 months for a HOB, (2) I don't have the depth space in my living room and do not like the look of the gap between my tank/stand and the wall, (3) Canisters are more quiet, easier to customize with media and do not require priming after power loss (depending on HOB compared to), (4) Like you said; it just looks cool and I want to own one so I can say I have a canister filter even if it's a cheap one.

[@alexia5880]

needed this. i asked in a aquarium group about one or two HOB’s on a 75 gallon. pretty much every single person said canister filter. when i said i wasn’t going that route, they got snippy. like ok so sorry guys, i am not spending $400 Fx6. that’s more than half my rent. especially in a heavily planted aquascape. literally not happening & ppl get so upset about someone ELSES decision.

[@patrickkerr329]

I think Corys point is do your own research and find out what’s best for your setups. I run canister filters because I’m not too worried about the upfront cost and monthly electric usage. I keep all my aquariums in my office and the sound of running water is very distracting, canister filters are silent. So the decision was very easy for me.

[@robg915]

I run all sponge in my fx6 and also have a medium density prefilter sponge essentially making it a big sponge filter. My water is crystal clear and my fx requires minimal maintenance.

[@potatoesorsomething]

I run mostly sponge filters because of how easy and better they are for my fish (they need slow flow). Ive got only one canister on a 45 gal.

[@FusionDeveloper]

I run a sponge-filter + a DIY canister filter that uses siphons and 1 super tiny weak 1 watt pump (yes, 1 watt, i measured it). If there is a power outage (or any reason for the pump to stop), the water levels just level out. Flooding isn't possible with my design/setup. I'm mass-breeding snails, shrimp, dwarf top minnows, a million floating plants and micro-organisms, just for fun. My bio-load is insanely high. The water is tea-colored and a little cloudy and everything is thriving on over-drive. A hang-on-back filter would clog instantly. Having said that, my setup is NOT at all normal. Most people have a 1-20 fish/creatures in their aquarium and pretty much anything would work for them.

[@talex001]

a little over a month ago I switched to a cannister filter (Fluval 407) on my 75gal, it's a heavily planted tank, it also has a pretty heavy community fish load in it - the tank had been running for about a year and a half on a single in tank filter with just sponges as well as a HOB cartridge filter and it has been fine but I don't think I would ever go back, I do see better water clarity but the difference maker is I checked the filter after about a month and I estimate I can go 3 or more month's before cleaning it where with the old filter setup it was at least an hour weekly, sometimes twice a week - this is much more set it and forget it, time will tell but even if I had to clean it more often, it's much easier to clean and aesthetically looks much better and is much more silent. That said I also have 29 and 10 gallon tanks which I use HOB for and I feel no need to change those.

[@kenjiro2676]

I like my HOB, I prefer them over sponges. I only keep a few aquariums so it’s a great investment, if I had lots of tanks 10-20+, then a sponge filter would be more economical.

[@keshlalish5586]

canister are mini sump. when you think about it. 10 years ago i don't think i ever saw or heard of underwater sump for freshwater (i mean i tought about it, but the guys on multiples forums said it would be useless) so canister filters were the high end for nice looking tank(at least in my online experience back then), like clear tubing in the aquascape and the canister was hidden under etc etc. but now, somehow freshwater sump are a thing, natural filtration and sponge filters are now all the rage. things changed. i still love canister filters, imho it's easier to diy your own filtering media, also i often found baby fish that were living in there from time to time. i had 2 koi a shubunkin, platies (20 i think) a pleco, a loach in a long 55. (i was rehousing the koi every 3-4 years to people i knew who had pond)

[@arthurgiannakis2156]

I have a canister filter and I completely agree it's total overkill for my tank. I certainly do not need a canister. It's not about the quantity of beneficial bacteria or media surface area or better flow. I clean it once every 4 weeks or so or when I notice the flow starts to drop off. The reason I like it is because unlike a HOB or sponge filter it consumes no space inside, on top or or directly around the tank. The canister hums away in the cabinetry below, it's out of the way and unseen and lets me maximise my available space. That's my entire motivation for having one. Completely agree it uses far more energy, its more complicated to maintain, more involved to clean the internals, more effort to assemble and disassemble and more subject to leaks etc than HoB and sponge filters.

[@varanidguy]

My main display tanks that run co2 and are blasted with light and fed heavily run canisters. My smaller tanks, ones I use for quarantine, or shrimp - future breeding projects...sponge filters. It's all situational.

[@paulmuadib8955]

I wanted to talk about controversial topics but ill stick to filters.... just use a 5 g bucket, polyfil, lava rock , and magdrive pump.... everythings fine.

[@PaulZyCZ]

#1 advantage of canister filters: They take minimum of a tank volume and actually add some (bio-media mostly, if set and cleaned properly). Yes, they have their disadvantages, so for a beginner I'd recommend sponge, under-gravel, HOB or a (big) sponge with power-head. That bedroom tank (which is against psychology of Feng Shuei, obviously) would be better with a power head sitting on a block of foam, that near-mythical silent air pump (or air pump in another room) or HOB filter. Again it may depend on a model, cables and hoses, but I've got to see a canister filter, which is near-silent. Eheim is close enough, so usually I can fall asleep with my head few feet from it, but sometimes the outtake hose gets noisy. Like with HOB fries get sucked in, if you don't add any sponge, sieve or pantyhose on the intake. All, but 1 of my canister filters have sponge on them. Also all my tanks are heavily planted and plants use oxygen at night. If the prefilter gets clogged in the middle of a heat wave... Similarly canister filters allow to overstock, which is risky for the same reasons. The flow can be regulated, either by valve on the outtake or a spray bar (which can be kept underwater). The maintenance is also easy, prefilter sponges every few weeks, filter itself every 3-4 months. Some canister filters can be unplugged in about 2 seconds (if they have hose cartridge), others in more, but it's basically taking a bucket full of water, media and muck to the bathroom. Foams and filter floss go under the tap. But I can see, where beginners could make a mistake. Accidents happen.

[@24califrank]

I love my fluval canister. I'm so over having hang on filter. I love doing the maintenance on a canister.

[@joshuaburch4908]

My #1 reason for an FX is the easy water changes. Being able to hook up a house through a quick-connect, pump 20% in a few minutes, connect the hose to the spigot, fill up and I'm good to go.

[@steve852011]

i love my canister filter. I can keep a sponge for a hang on back for my quarantine or hospital tank and best of all i can feed it for a few weeks then put it on a tub to hold my fish while i totally redo my tank and not worry about cycling. maybe it costs a bit more but since i cant have all the tanks i want i can spend more on the tanks that i do.

[@assassin3003]

I have a 120 gallon south American tank with corys, medium to small sized cichlids, hoplos, bunch of tetras, I used 3 big sponge filters with a good pump that didnt do the job, then moved to 1 2000L/H canister with 1 big sponger filter at the other end now I have another 2000L/H on the tank and put the sponge filters for my 95 gallon snakehead tank 2 snakeheads about 20cm it works well for that tank as its only 2 fish and im able to keep plants with the snakehead including floating plants as the sponge filters dont blow that plants away, for my 120 gallon its more heavily stocked and not able to keep plants as they would be destroyed by my cichlids. My canisters het cleaned every 4 to 6 months and sponges get cleaned every month

[@petroboomn7491]

I liken a canister filter more to a truck than sports car, but very good point! For most people they are not necessary. I was considering swapping my HOB on a heavily stocked tank to canister, but after this video I think I won't because I don't have a water clarity issue, rather Nitrates, which require 50% weekly water changes.

[@sf49erswarriorsgiantsgumba99]

Canister filter is needed to where you really do need it, especially in an aquarium over 100 gallons with tons of fishes. Putting multiple HOF in an aquarium that big, you’ll need atleast 2-3 of them. There’s so many reasons why you need a canister filter!!

[@commonsense82]

90g, 15 cichlids 3"- 5". Have a fx4 . Does the trick nicely, can't ever hear it running which is the best part.

[@haitch04]

I bought a cabinet aquarium that came with a canister filter and I got the store to swap the canister for an internal filter. My main reason is that physically I'm not good these days at getting down on my knees and rummaging about in the cabinet. I would say the canister has many advantages though e.g. it holds a larger area for bacterial growth, it can house your heater and it can run an inline CO2 reactor which is the best form of CO2 addition, while keeping all this outside of the aquarium. So I'd say, internal for convenience, Canister for cosmetics.

[@TheRealTMar]

I recently bought a Juwel Rio and this company builds their aquariums with internal filters stuck to the glass with silicone. I plan to leave that as is, (I did not follow their directions on filter medium content as I left out some of the sponges and white pads and instead added a lot of ceramic filter medium) but a lot of people remove that internal filter in favour of a canister because of convenience. You may know Nickey, she's become quite an authority on fish keeping in The Netherlands, has a video about removing an internal filter from a Juwel aquarium. As for me, for now I think the internal filter is more convenient for me. I can pull the filter contents out, give them a rinse in a bucket and put them back in. Canisters can be heavy, sit on the floor and I'd have to drag them to my bathroom for cleaning as I can't have all that on my carpet. So far, the internal filter produces a powerful outflow. I'm wondering how the fish will like it once they're here.

[@alpacajuice4702]

"Turns out you needed a truck!" *cuts to the most massive sponge filter ever used by professional fishkeepers*😂😂

[@adityasanyal1678]

Writing this sitting here in Delhi, India.....for me, it's mostly been a choice of what's available here. Canister filters, as of now, aren't made here so getting parts and media is prohibitively expensive. There, that's an automatic disqualification. We also mostly live in apartments and single floor homes here unlike America where suburbia is dominant. So that automatically makes very large aquariums a no-no. One advantage that we do have is that all the dust laden air (from the vast agricultural swathe that surrounds Delhi) automatically makes a planted aquarium far more effective by injecting infusoria constantly. The only bad thing is the otherwise polluted air, about which you can't do much with any kind of filter, except a real time monitoring, very high tech system which has all sorts of chemical scrubbers to scrub pollutant gases and their electrolytes in the water!!! Sponge filters with brown gunk which isn't cleaned that often, along with some version of a fluidized bed is what works best here. I reckon, you are right when it comes to buying stuff....if I had a thousand dollars to spend on accoutrements, I would have bought a canister filter, even for my 20 gallon tank. But a gradual approach to introducing fish, plants and other infusoria in the tank along with gradual investment in larger or more complex filters (as the bioload rises) is probably the best option. Patience was not a virtue I had in dollops when I was starting out my tank (and both I and my fish paid for it!) but it is probably the most valuable accessory that an aquarist can have access to....bar none!!!😅

[@brianmizway9324]

Thinking of getting a 125gal this year. Ive been drooling over the fx6 for awhile but still not sure if i want the wearable parts issues or any leaking issues over time. So i can either get 2 fx6 for the 125gal or 3 tidal 110 hobs instead. Still not sure yet.

[@Lucy-vx9nn]

Was just on the website and notice live plant selection is very limited right now...will u be geeting more types in soon? Perticularly those moss bridges, christmas moss, ludwiga, nano anubus, reg or other bigger anubus, and dawrf baby tears?

[@mattsdmf367]

I want to make the switch from a canister to a HOB in my tank so badly because I dread the maintenance on it, but I’m fearful about making a change because I have flow/co2 dialed in with my inline diffusor. I’ve only got a 20 gallon aquarium but I’m dosing EI dry powder daily and running high light/co2

[@bookmouse2719]

I have all planted aquariums, never clean my small filters...use air stones and do monthly water changes of about 30% and I just have mostly live barer fish. One of my problems is one tank is over crowded with small snails.

[@cut419ram]

I've never used a canister so I have no reference other then what I've leared about them via others. From what I understand they help filter better so less water changes are needed? Not sure if that is correct though because I have no first hand experience with trying one on an existing system I have to see if it makes that type of difference.

[@adamsensabaugh1417]

seeing the parts where they are cleaning out the canisters are enough for me to know i'm sticking to the hob filters. lol

[@user-rn8uz1vq9i]

I switched to a canister filter because as a senior I’m very uncomfortable climbing up on a step ladder to service the HOB filters on my 65 gallon tall tank, it’s an accident waiting to happen. With the canister I simply pull it out of the stand to service.

[@Psychodegu]

I have actually had people tell me they had over 3 canister filters on their aquarium, and I just said that sounds way over filtered. Then they tell me that it better to over filter then under filter. They also say silly things like you should have a flow rate 10x the tanks gallon, and I am like that sounds like such a strong flow it would kill some fish.

[@RoeJogan]

Amazing Video! Thankyou!!!!

[@onemillionfish]

i have 38 tanks. 37 of them are all run by a big air pump and sponge filters. that last one is my 150 oscar tank, only because theyve broken too many heaters and they really dont like the sponge filters... they have a canister with an inline heater.

[@kpov2533]

My tank is overstocked, but responsibly, that being said, I need to support the high bio load with the bio space and turnover rate a canister has. It also doubles as sort of a powerhead directing co2 and also disrupting detritus and organic waste. I have run sponges and it didnt cut it. I have done hob and it was meh but hated the clunky look on the back. My fluval 307 has my tank looking like air its insane.

[@toddmarr1400]

Cory, just curious…. I had heard in a podcast that you didn’t care for the tidal filters. Was it the skimmer? Thanks for your time and channel.

[@MHF22]

For me its preference. I heavily plant and therefor do not need the filtration capacity they offer, om sure all my tanks wpuld benfone woth sponge filter. Being said i do not like equipment. A canister filter lets me seperate filtration, in line heating and in line co2 from the fish tank. Nothing dislike more than a stunning aqarium with visible airline times and pipes.

[@masterpython]

Is the grams of food per day something that could be tested with a test kit using a cycled filter in a empty tank? Would the success criteria be something like no ammonia spikes?

[@extzombie1658]

I love the analogies you make

[@erinfreeman4367]

Can you recommend the honda accord of filters for a 75g planted tank with a lil school of rasboras

[@nathanhoveyaquatics]

Only reason I run a canister filter is because I got it for free when I had cichlids. Now I don't have cichlids anymore but I just left the filter running as it was already doing a good job. I wouldn't buy 1 for the tank sizes I have but at least I have it if/when I get a bigger tank.75 gal +

[@kylestrilcov1181]

A canister to me is the step between hang on back and sump. I’m at an apartment so my space is limited. The canister allows me to gain experience in the media types . I am learning so much about bio balls and ceramic rings and sponges . How naive I would have been if I went straight to a sump.

[@andystokes8702]

Your last observation was almost like a throwaway comment but it's something I have thought about frequently - how much fish food can your canister filter process. If we could establish that it would make life a lot easier. I have a 100 gallon tank running a Fluval 407. I have over 100 fish in the tank but they are all small fish, all tetras, rummy nose, ember, x-ray, lemon etc. as well as a dozen Sterbai corys. The largest fish I have are 6 Congo Tetras. Although the actual numbers are pretty high I am actually well understocked for the volume of water and more importantly for the amount of filtration that I have. The tank looks like a jungle, it is rammed full of live plants and yes, I could probably do away with the Fluval canister altogether and everything would be fine. I get phenomenal growth rates from my fish because I overfeed them (allegedly). I know the amount of food I'm adding is high but I also know that my canister filter, in addition to all of the plants can handle the amount of waste that gets produced. I only clean the Fluval every 2 months, my water parameters remain good. I would only bin the canister if I was to add a sump.

[@SuperEddie001]

As an aquscaper I would not want a sponge filter or HOB in or on my 200 litre tank, ruining the esthetics of my underwater garden. However I do have a 40 litre tank with plants and a HOB that I mainly use as a sort of test bed and it does what I need it to It's all about what your end game is. If I was solely breeding or running a fish store then it would obviously be more cost effective to eliminate expensive canister filters

[@Conjunctio]

"I'm better than you!" Lol. Great video.

[@MrMittenshasatophat]

I'd rather giant sponges. My pond out back is crystal clear 0 maintenance and has 2 225 gallon sponges. It is a 300gallon. Works great! If I do a massive aquarium I am going with sponges and maybe a few other airbased filters and stick with that. I don't need anymore than that to be honest.

[@petes3011]

you nailed it bud

[@mcshiggitypilot5901]

Canister filters a re pain in my aquarium! I had 2 FX 6 on my 125 African cichlid aqaurium. Ended up chagingto 2 Hang on backs so much easier!

[@dalyo96]

It’s silent and easy to clean and easy to hide. That alone makes it worth it to me

[@johnmknox]

I was once a strong defender of cannister filters and disgareed with Corey's long standing view on them. I have one of the older Eheim Professionals so can speak after being an owner for such a long time, and my perspective has shifted. The Eheim? Not exactly making waves in my aquarium anymore. Initially, I thought it was the holy grail, but the maintenance costs? A financial deep dive. Tray seals, gaskets, suction cups - the replacement list is endless. And don't get me started on the tap seals, filter pads, and that delicate filter tap adapter. Cheap plastic, it breaks, and spares become your new best friend. And good luck finding spare parts. They are more elusive than a Jae Barb. My Eheim is an old-timer, lacking the self-priming button. A cut-off on the input and output. More like two points of frustration. It's a design disaster. It doesn't self-prime after a power cut, or filter clean, and coaxing it back to life? A Herculean task. Noisy interruptions are its forte, and those suction cups? About as reliable as a leaky boat. I'm not saying canister filters are a bad idea - they can be a game-changer for larger tanks. But Eheim? Spare yourself the headache. If you're on the canister hunt, consider Oase Biomaster or some Fluval options. But before you commit, ask yourself if a canister is truly what your tank needs. Just tonight, I was eyeing the parts needed to resurrect my Eheim. Surprise, surprise - the cost matches a Seachem Tidal 55 or a Fluval U3. Inflation! So, why not pivot? I am thinking of swapping it for a Tidal 55 HOB or maybe diving into the world of internal filters - Fluval U3 or U4, or heck, even a budget-friendly Sicce Shark at a much lower price. Congrats on the 1 MILLION subs by the way! You deserve it.

[@charliebright12]

60 tanks never been more sure of something I do not need🐟😎💲

[@user-gg2qb8un3i]

Question 5ft tank and 1 midads what filter would u recommend?😊

[@aquariusmoon771]

Idk what midads is but I have a 135 gallon 6ft overstocked cichlid tank and I use a Fluval FX4 and a simple sponge filter. Before that, always had problems.

[@BlatentlyFakeName]

I took mine out and DIYed a large sponge block attached to a powerhead. I noticed no difference with the water at all. The reason I did it is leak risks from the canister (happened once) and it's more maintenance. The sponge I have to clean maybe once a year as the fish and shrimp clean it for me. Also the "biological media" is way oversold. Sponge does the same job and also filters larger stuff. You don't need that much space for enough bacteria to grow on.

[@noneya96]

Iv got a 150l jelly tank that im looking to add a filter but unsure if I should wanting to be able to clean things with out having to move the jelly but unsure if il find a filter for my job but also maybe wanting a water chiller also as it gets hit were i am

[@BenOchart]

I'd love to have a collab discussion with you on this topic. Your points are strong, but we would have a lively discussion about this :)

[@gebus5633]

Pimped/optimized canister is the way to go, for me at least. It's a must to pay attention to the internal water flow and place the media accordingly in the canister. Hope you get to have the discussion.

[@ConspiracytardHunter420]

aesthetics matter, cannister filters are quiet and hidden. combo that with some lily pipes and an inline diffuser and you have an invisible high tech setup. its not for beginners but once you've learned enough about the hobby its the end goal of any serious aquascaper.

[@charliebright12]

Cars I do wish I had realized they are just transportation sooner

[@sparshakhantamim8653]

Guys can you pls make a video about the nerite Snail breeding,keeping etc detailed of it?

[@streettrash4220]

I have been fighting the urge to buy a canister for a couple of my tanks. I think I’ll invest in a linear piston air pump and a bunch of sponges instead. Free up all those outlets the hobs and air pumps are taking up now…

[@Dayzyhazy]

My mom bought me my first canister filter today as an early xmas gift and iv been looking at them for a while because i have fish the produce a large bioload but she bought it for me because it was on sale

[@natet6685]

🤪 im for cannister filters. I only clean mine once a year or so. got discus breeding so cant be doing something wrong

[@TerryCapR]

I know I don't NEED a canister filter. I also don't need a fancy rimless tank with extra clear glass, or sleek lighting. I know all those sorts of things are luxuries, but unless you own a fish store, just the hobby of keeping fish itself is an unnecessary luxury. So I'm not so sure the sports car analogy holds water, so to speak. What inspires me most in the hobby is beautiful, artistic aquascapes, so I like to prioritize sleek aesthetics. And to me, the cleanest aesthetic for my tank is a small, stainless steel lily pipe set with a nano canister hidden behind the stand.

[@andrewwhittaker2908]

Im successfully running my 125gal on 3 hob filters and 2 sponge filters. Way more than i need i know. But i used a canister forever till it croaked. I HATED every minute of it. 😅😅😅 especially priming it.

[@jbscmos]

I agree as well that you should not get a canister just because it's cool. I ran on back filters for years where the cartridges where a cost did try making my own medium bags with mixed results. I eventually moved to a canister filter buying the smallest and it's still slightly over my tank size based on how many gallons it is rated for 😉 There are a few reasons for my switch. Noise and the result were huge and I think a lot of that is that the canister is hiding under in the cabinet and that it's on isolation pads copied to sitting on the rim and glass. The medium I can now make my own bags with no issues. The foam portions I don't really replay I will just wash one of them it really well and on the next clean do the other one. With my tank I can go 6 months between filter cleanings. I do have quite a few plants. When I used the on the back filter cleanings took place every 2 to 3 months.

[@kenji.23]

I use a canister for my SA cichlid tank that produce a lot of waste. Heres the short of it sponge filters dont cut it, internal filters are a pain to clean, HOB wont fit on the back of my tank, sumps i dont know how they work. So canister filter it is… the end

[@InkedGamerWolf420]

I really don’t think canister filters should even be used on anything under 100 gallons or if you do really want to run a smaller one, DIY can be your best friend. I’ll use a good cheaper one if I am running a large tank, but anything smaller, I’m good with my hang on backs or internal filters