I turned mine on without water after cleaning it to make shur it worked.
It Clanked twice then stopped. I poured water in and it started gurgling but still... I am worried the fan smacking the side could have cracked it, even if it works properly I am a paranoid person D:
HOB filters are simple, but they make so much noise (sounds like a water feature in the room) and it's downright irritatiing. Canister filters are a pain in the butt.
This filter still costs only about $14.00 at Walmart, so even a 2-year lifespan is a great value for the money. In our experience they last much longer. Here's a tip -- try installing 2 of these filters on your Nano Lagoon, one on either side of the tank. It will double your filtration capacity and water circulation while providing redundancy in case one of the filters should ever fail.
To cover this tank you would need to use a thin 1/8 inch sheet of plexiglass cut to the right size to rest on the inside lip of the tank rim, and make a cutout to accommodate the HOB filter.
This model is the Walmart-brand clone of the Penguin Biowheel 100 (Mini) which has superior biological filtration in the form of a wet/dry medium. The non-Walmart cartridge is available at pet stores: Marineland Penguin Rite-Size A.
only thing i don't like about this filter is that it isn't self priming like a lot of tetra filters. i guess u get what you pay for. all in all a great filter for around 12 bucks
So much better than horrible internal filters, they are ugly and take up way too much room. These are beautiful and peaceful and provide you with a gentle waterfall :)
@diamondwolf130 Yes we fully agree that it is best to keep the filtration apparatus such as the motor and the wiring out of the tank itself. The HOB filter is the simplest!
Thank you for the comment. This is one of the reasons we advise using a larger grain size for your sand bed. It stays in place, unlike the finer grains.
i have this filter and if you use live sand like i did with a very small grain size (small enough to float) you have to be REALLY careful about this filter sucking it up, because mine did and the whole thing gets jammed and you have to take the impeller out and remove the sand obstructing it, but if you dont it gets HOT
You don't need much clearance above the sand -- an inch or even a half inch will work. Of course there can be more clearance but the deeper the intake the better the circulation.
We suggest that you remove and inspect the impeller unit -- there may be some gravel or other debris in there. If so you may have to remove the box from the tank and rinse it out, then reassemble it and replace it on the tank.
We leave it in and our tanks cycle just fine:) They would probably cycle fine without it too, but you'd want to confirm that in side-by-side trials with all other things being equal. No one ever seems to get around to doing these tests, and so the debates continue. Until they are resolved we try to use the simplest proven methods.
Forgot to mention -- we also paint our power heads with this paint, the whole idea being to minimize distractions in the background. The Strombus snails then lay their eggs all over the powerheads, right on the painted surface.
And no, it stays put on the tube. It doesn't flake off. Just be sure the tube is clean and dry when you paint it, and give it a full 24 hours to dry before using it in the aquarium.
The Krylon Patriot Blue paint is harmless once it has dried. We've seen proof of this in many applications over many years, In fact the intake tube of your filter will get covered with bacteria, diatoms, coralline algae, snail eggs and other forms of marine life. That means there is no toxicity from the paint:)
this system is designed specifically for softies but it will handle some of the hardier LPS varieties. corals do fine without skimmers because they are net consumers of nitrogen and phosphorous, with minimal organic waste production. skimmers remove organic material, which arises primarily from fish waste and uneaten fish food. when you start keeping fishes or larger carnivorous inverts and feeding them then the need for a skimmer arises. that is not the intent of this nano system, however.
The Nano Lagoon setup described here is for a reef system with hardy corals only and very little or no regular addition of organic feeds. That is why a simple filtration system works and no skimmer is needed. For a marine fish tank the situation is quite different, especially if it is a fish-only tank. Then you'd need more aggressive filtration, a skimmer, and even a planted refugium would be helpful to handle the increased levels of nitrogen and phosphorous from fish waste.
Actually using 2 of the 5-15's is one alternative we've tried this setup as well. You get double the flow and independent systems providing redundancy. The hood needs a simple modification but that's a 10-minute job. For the benefit of newbies on a budget we've kept this as simple as possible. The use of double filters, powerheads, etc. will be covered in the Advanced Course:)
Im setting up a 10g SW tank(MAYBE just a fish only tank). anyways, People told me that i should use filters like that. And i need a skimmer. is this true?
The intake tube should have 3 pieces: the strainer, the extension tube and the J-shaped top part. You might have overlooked the extension tube, which is about 4" long. The filter box will work without it, but if possible do use it because then the water is drawn into the filter from deeper in the tank.
With this Nano Lagoon system we leave the Aquatech 5-15 hang-on-the-back filter in place at all times, per the manufacturer's instructions. That includes the blue cartridge with the carbon granules.
We change the filter cartridge once a month. Other filters and protocols may indeed work fine and perhaps someone out there will test them if time allows.
It would be interesting to run replicated trials to see what if any impact the carbon has on bacterial growth.
Actually the skimmer for this tank was just out of camera range when we shot the video. It is as big as a school bus and has its own nuclear power plant, Man, you would not believe what we had to go through to get the plutonium, lol.
Just kidding, of course:) The tank has no skimmer and there is no intent to add one. We've kept the design simple and the cost down in an effort to draw more newbies into the hobby. It's based on sound science, though, and it works admirably well:)
LOL, that's what our local coffee can do to an otherwise finely-tuned physical specimen.
ipsfdotcom 2 months ago
you need some vodka, you hands are shakin =]
wonchos 2 months ago
I turned mine on without water after cleaning it to make shur it worked.
It Clanked twice then stopped. I poured water in and it started gurgling but still... I am worried the fan smacking the side could have cracked it, even if it works properly I am a paranoid person D:
mzh3000 2 months ago
HOB filters are simple, but they make so much noise (sounds like a water feature in the room) and it's downright irritatiing. Canister filters are a pain in the butt.
rockinar 6 months ago
Why are you shaking ???? ... i really like that filter :))
SuperPyro33 7 months ago
This filter still costs only about $14.00 at Walmart, so even a 2-year lifespan is a great value for the money. In our experience they last much longer. Here's a tip -- try installing 2 of these filters on your Nano Lagoon, one on either side of the tank. It will double your filtration capacity and water circulation while providing redundancy in case one of the filters should ever fail.
ipsfdotcom 9 months ago
my filter like that was al little bit bigger, and it only lasted 2 years
Branden2732 9 months ago
Do you have parkinson or wtf is wrong with your hand??
justinsnewchannel 9 months ago
If you have a tropical setup, is it still good to have a good water flow??
Thanks.
BigBruiser76 10 months ago
outside???
djisadj1 1 year ago
I used the one size bigger version of this on.
defiythelie 1 year ago
that filter looks a little too small for a tank of that size
coolbriguy 1 year ago
To cover this tank you would need to use a thin 1/8 inch sheet of plexiglass cut to the right size to rest on the inside lip of the tank rim, and make a cutout to accommodate the HOB filter.
ipsfdotcom 1 year ago
Hey is there anyway i can cover the tank even if it has a HOB filter?
tianyilim 1 year ago
What did you paint the intake tube with? I'm having trouble finding someone who can tell me of a safe paint to use in aquariums.
athikerguy4life 1 year ago
This model is the Walmart-brand clone of the Penguin Biowheel 100 (Mini) which has superior biological filtration in the form of a wet/dry medium. The non-Walmart cartridge is available at pet stores: Marineland Penguin Rite-Size A.
rossewidge 1 year ago
Fill the box with seawater, plug it in and it starts pumping in a few seconds. Can't get much simpler than that :-)
ipsfdotcom 1 year ago
only thing i don't like about this filter is that it isn't self priming like a lot of tetra filters. i guess u get what you pay for. all in all a great filter for around 12 bucks
ryan12381793 1 year ago
I didn't get the extension tube. Strange, it wasn't part of the package.
elmonoborracho 2 years ago
So much better than horrible internal filters, they are ugly and take up way too much room. These are beautiful and peaceful and provide you with a gentle waterfall :)
diamondwolf130 2 years ago 2
@diamondwolf130 Yes we fully agree that it is best to keep the filtration apparatus such as the motor and the wiring out of the tank itself. The HOB filter is the simplest!
ipsfdotcom 1 year ago
did you just use the spray paint from the back of the tank to paint the intake pipe?
jhunt1229 2 years ago
Yes, it is the same paint.
ipsfdotcom 2 years ago
thanks
jhunt1229 2 years ago
Comment removed
SergeDrago 2 years ago
If it's missing the motor it is not going to work. Our recommendation would be to invest $11.00 in a new Aquatech 5-15.
ipsfdotcom 2 years ago
Thanks, glad you like the vid!
ipsfdotcom 2 years ago
Thank you for the comment. This is one of the reasons we advise using a larger grain size for your sand bed. It stays in place, unlike the finer grains.
ipsfdotcom 2 years ago
i have this filter and if you use live sand like i did with a very small grain size (small enough to float) you have to be REALLY careful about this filter sucking it up, because mine did and the whole thing gets jammed and you have to take the impeller out and remove the sand obstructing it, but if you dont it gets HOT
BowHunt1229 2 years ago
how high above the sand can the intake valve be?
K3V1NR083RTS0N 2 years ago
You don't need much clearance above the sand -- an inch or even a half inch will work. Of course there can be more clearance but the deeper the intake the better the circulation.
ipsfdotcom 2 years ago
can a reef be done in a 3 gal tank
crazybeavers155 2 years ago
Why my Aqua-tech filter 5-15 making noise? It make loud noise? Help.
ekincheung 2 years ago
We suggest that you remove and inspect the impeller unit -- there may be some gravel or other debris in there. If so you may have to remove the box from the tank and rinse it out, then reassemble it and replace it on the tank.
ipsfdotcom 2 years ago
Great videos, keep this comming. Good work.
gatomimoso 2 years ago
Aloha to all -- There's a contest running right now on our Channel Page, with $100 in free livestock to be given away (4/16/09).
ipsfdotcom 2 years ago
That's true. BTW, I thought your question looked familiar:) We answered the same one last month (see above, this page).
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
We leave it in and our tanks cycle just fine:) They would probably cycle fine without it too, but you'd want to confirm that in side-by-side trials with all other things being equal. No one ever seems to get around to doing these tests, and so the debates continue. Until they are resolved we try to use the simplest proven methods.
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
Forgot to mention -- we also paint our power heads with this paint, the whole idea being to minimize distractions in the background. The Strombus snails then lay their eggs all over the powerheads, right on the painted surface.
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
And no, it stays put on the tube. It doesn't flake off. Just be sure the tube is clean and dry when you paint it, and give it a full 24 hours to dry before using it in the aquarium.
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
The Krylon Patriot Blue paint is harmless once it has dried. We've seen proof of this in many applications over many years, In fact the intake tube of your filter will get covered with bacteria, diatoms, coralline algae, snail eggs and other forms of marine life. That means there is no toxicity from the paint:)
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
this system is designed specifically for softies but it will handle some of the hardier LPS varieties. corals do fine without skimmers because they are net consumers of nitrogen and phosphorous, with minimal organic waste production. skimmers remove organic material, which arises primarily from fish waste and uneaten fish food. when you start keeping fishes or larger carnivorous inverts and feeding them then the need for a skimmer arises. that is not the intent of this nano system, however.
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
will it grow corals, softies?
I woul love a bunch of corals..?
will everything be healty without a protine skimmer?
whagwan11 3 years ago
The Nano Lagoon setup described here is for a reef system with hardy corals only and very little or no regular addition of organic feeds. That is why a simple filtration system works and no skimmer is needed. For a marine fish tank the situation is quite different, especially if it is a fish-only tank. Then you'd need more aggressive filtration, a skimmer, and even a planted refugium would be helpful to handle the increased levels of nitrogen and phosphorous from fish waste.
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
Actually using 2 of the 5-15's is one alternative we've tried this setup as well. You get double the flow and independent systems providing redundancy. The hood needs a simple modification but that's a 10-minute job. For the benefit of newbies on a budget we've kept this as simple as possible. The use of double filters, powerheads, etc. will be covered in the Advanced Course:)
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
Hmm i have i question.
Im setting up a 10g SW tank(MAYBE just a fish only tank). anyways, People told me that i should use filters like that. And i need a skimmer. is this true?
gonksuwi 3 years ago
Is the picture on your aquarium box the same as the one in our video? With the three smiling people? If not maybe yours (or ours) is a newer model...
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
The intake tube should have 3 pieces: the strainer, the extension tube and the J-shaped top part. You might have overlooked the extension tube, which is about 4" long. The filter box will work without it, but if possible do use it because then the water is drawn into the filter from deeper in the tank.
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
With this Nano Lagoon system we leave the Aquatech 5-15 hang-on-the-back filter in place at all times, per the manufacturer's instructions. That includes the blue cartridge with the carbon granules.
We change the filter cartridge once a month. Other filters and protocols may indeed work fine and perhaps someone out there will test them if time allows.
It would be interesting to run replicated trials to see what if any impact the carbon has on bacterial growth.
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago
Actually the skimmer for this tank was just out of camera range when we shot the video. It is as big as a school bus and has its own nuclear power plant, Man, you would not believe what we had to go through to get the plutonium, lol.
Just kidding, of course:) The tank has no skimmer and there is no intent to add one. We've kept the design simple and the cost down in an effort to draw more newbies into the hobby. It's based on sound science, though, and it works admirably well:)
ipsfdotcom 3 years ago