Removing HOB filter?????

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heath492

Guest
I have a 55 gallon tank that has been running for about 5 months.. This was my 1st, kinda 2nd saltwater tank. Well when I started I had a basic Whisper 60 gallon HOB filter, no live rock, no fish, just live sand. Well in the past 5 months after doing A LOT of reading on this site I have added an overflow, sump, refuge, protein skimmer, 70lbs of LR, Maxi 900 PH , Mag 5 in sump for the return, Coralife 130w retro kit and 1 lonely puffer fish with a 3 stripe damsel. I have about 15 hermits, 4 emerald crabs and 5 turbo's. I do not plan on putting any other fish in this tank and when the 180 cycles and everything is running perfect I plan on moving the puffer to it. He is only about 2 months old and still less than 3 inchs long....So my question is-- with all this going for well over a month without any change at all. Can I get rid of my HOB? I notice today that the HOB stopped working, well I pulled it out and it was dry. It had to be like this for a least a day. My water is still very clear, my parameters are all great actually. I do water changes and I have a RO/DI in the mail as I type. I am pretty sure it will be fine but want to make sure before replacing it with a new one. Any option would be great.
By the way, with out this site I would not be anywhere close to where I am today. So
thanks to everyone on here who has ever posted anything!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dave
 
ruaround

ruaround

Active Member
what do you have in the fuge??? with all that biofiltration and a skimmer you should be fine... check the impellar on you HOB prolly just got gunked up or jammed up...
 
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heath492

Guest
I have LS and LR it's very samll because it is only a 10 gallon Sump. I checked the impeller while I was waiting for a reply and it was really dirty, I cleaned it, not the filters, just around the impeller housing. Pluged it in and it worked. But now I think that with this not working for at least a day and everything staying fine, I should be able to get rid of it and have 1 less thing hanging in my DT.............
 
ruaround

ruaround

Active Member
i always say "if it aint broke dont fix it" (great grammer huh
)...
no macroalgae in your fuge??? you will prolly be fine not using the HOB, there are several people out there with out any mechanical filtration that have very succesful systems...
 
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heath492

Guest
nope not yet anyway. I am guessing that this is something I buy and add to the fuge, I will not grow on it's own?
 
ruaround

ruaround

Active Member
I have seen it sprout out of LR, but I dont think its too common (unless you get premium show or a high grade LR)... your LFS should have some and its fairly cheap and it grows pretty fast... as far as "need" goes, I would advise introducing it into your fuge... do a search on macro algae or check the Archives, you will prolly find more solid info there...
 
rappa

rappa

Member
I have a 50 gallon. I stopped using my HOB filter too as people told me I didn't really need it. Well after a couple weeks, I filled it with fresh carbon and turned it back on. From now on, I will always run it because it polishes the water and gives it that sharp look that I love. It really makes a difference in water quality. Looks-wise anyways...
 
chipmaker

chipmaker

Active Member
I owuld keep the hob, if for nothing else than to create and breakup any surface scum, and provide mechanical filtration. Its also a good place as noted baove to put carbon etc when the need arises.
 
uberlink

uberlink

Active Member
I find it kinda funny how often I read posts on this site that say you don't need a filter, while other posts recommend spending $$$ on fancy supplements, RO/DI water, the next greatest skimmer, live rock at $6-10 per pound, wavemakers at $130 a pop, etc.
Now I'm not saying that a simple HOT carbon filter comes close in value to live rock or RO/DI water. But they're one of the very few things in this hobby that have some measurable benefit (even if you can survive without one) and cost under $50! So my question is, why not run one? For $50 or less, they polish the water, increase flow, break surface tension, add oxygen, pull out undissolved particles...and all with virtually no downside, if you change filters regularly.
 
maeistero

maeistero

Active Member
if it works, use it. i use several without any media in them just for water flow. like stated before me it really helps break up the surface although loud. it also helps you realize when your water levels get low as it'll get verrry loud. it's simple to add a filter once or twice a month to clarify the water.
just be sure to keep an eye on it as you'll occasionally find some snails in there.
 
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heath492

Guest
Ok so I decided to put the filter back in the tank, put some carbon in it as well as new filters. I did not think of the added water surface break up and well as more current in the tank. I have an overflow but it still helps i guess. There is no down sie to it. It is good size HOB so it does create some good movement.
Thanks again
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
I ALWAYS run a HOT filter. Whisper is my preferred brand in fact. Inexpensive, widely available, and the replacement filters are cheap!
If you have open air circulation in your tank, you will inevitably get some contaminants in there like hair spray, cleaning sprays, deodorant, ect. The carbon is the only thing that can remove these as skimmers get organic molecules.....not chemicals.
 
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heath492

Guest
I did not know that, standard filters do not get chemicals out of the tank. You need to have carbon. Don't most filter inserts have a little carbon inside them?
 
ruaround

ruaround

Active Member
Originally Posted by TheGrog
If you have open air circulation in your tank, you will inevitably get some contaminants in there like hair spray, cleaning sprays, deodorant, ect. The carbon is the only thing that can remove these as skimmers get organic molecules.....not chemicals.
IMO this is a fallacy... the only way that you could introduce such things would be through high or intense concentration... i.e. painting a room or perhaps tammy faye baker putting on hair spray in the same room as the tank... yes carbon does remove this stuff and yes it is in most replacement filters that you can purchase...
IMO you would have to be living in an apartment with no windows or other means of ventilation and the bathroom, kitchen and living room would all be the same area...
what is open air circulation in a tank??? a tank that isnt covered??? thats my best guess, for I truely dont know...
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
Originally Posted by ruaround
IMO this is a fallacy... the only way that you could introduce such things would be through high or intense concentration... i.e. painting a room or perhaps tammy faye baker putting on hair spray in the same room as the tank... yes carbon does remove this stuff and yes it is in most replacement filters that you can purchase...
IMO you would have to be living in an apartment with no windows or other means of ventilation and the bathroom, kitchen and living room would all be the same area...
what is open air circulation in a tank??? a tank that isnt covered??? thats my best guess, for I truely dont know...
You'd be suprised at what is in the air. Minute amounts of chemicals build up over time. In the winter, there is not a lot of fresh air circulation as it is cold as heck outside....it least where I live. Have you ever looked at a sun beam and seen the dust in the air? It may not be much, but I have invested too much time and money in my tanks to risk it as a small investment in a filter can have potential big payoffs.
My tank has an open top with MH pendants. Many with MH lighting have fans circulating air throught the tank's hood so lots of "open air" movement.
Also, if you have skimmers, they inject lots of air into the water directly, thus adding things.
 
ruaround

ruaround

Active Member
Originally Posted by TheGrog
You'd be suprised at what is in the air. Minute amounts of chemicals build up over time. In the winter, there is not a lot of fresh air circulation as it is cold as heck outside....it least where I live. Have you ever looked at a sun beam and seen the dust in the air? It may not be much, but I have invested too much time and money in my tanks to risk it as a small investment in a filter can have potential big payoffs.
My tank has an open top with MH pendants. Many with MH lighting have fans circulating air throught the tank's hood so lots of "open air" movement.
Also, if you have skimmers, they inject lots of air into the water directly, thus adding things.
Makes Sense... Thanks TheGrog... but IMO it still would take a large concentraion in the same room as the tank... there was a thread a couple years ago about people that smoke and not washing thier hands before putting thier hands in a tank, or smoking in the house, valid points were made on both sides of the arguement...I think even getting your fish addicted to nicotine was brought up...lol...food for thaught :thinking:
just another thing to keep in mind I guess when a tank starts "turning sour"
 
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