If you are looking for the best HOB filters for saltwater tank then you are at the right place. In this article, I have the best HOB filters which you can use for your saltwater tank or aquarium.
Table of Contents
List of the best HOB filters for saltwater tanks
We recommend Fluval C Power Filter. It is a very effective filter. It comes in 3 variations so you can choose according to the size of your tank. Check its latest price and customer reviews at Amazon here
| Image | Name | Tank Size | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
  | Marina power filter | Up to 10, 15, 20 gallons | Check the latest price at Amazon here |
  | AZOO Aquarium Mignon Filter 60 | Up to 10 gallons | Check the latest price at Amazon here |
  | Fluval C Power Filter | Up to 30, 50, 70 gallons | Check the latest price at Amazon here |
1. Marina power filter
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This HOB power filter comes in three variants, Slim S10, Slim S15, Slim S20 which you can use for 10, 15, and 20 gallons tank respectively.
It is a self-priming power filter that is it can clear its passages of air and start pumping water.
It is very easy to maintain as well. And it comes with an adjustable flow controller.
It is a very slim and compact HOB power filter so it will not take much space and it also provides aesthetic benefits. It actually takes less space than its competitors.
This filter comes with a biocarbon cartridge which includes carbon to remove pollutants and odor from the water.
It also comes with a bio clear cartridge. The cartridge contains zeolite which absorbs toxic ammonia which actually helps to reduce fish stress.
It also comes sweet Bio-guard filtration so it optimizes and maintenance biological filtration.
This Bio-guard system ensures the rapid cartridge seeding of beneficial bacteria, ensuring a clean and healthy aquarium.
S10 variant purifiers about 55 gallons per hour which is actually good for a 5-10 gallon tank.
The Marina S10, S15 and S20 variant comes with 2, 3, 4 cartridges respectively.
You can alternate this cartridge replacement so that you will not lose all the beneficial bacteria which ensures proper biological filtration.
It comes with the flow controller on the upper side which is a convenient position.
The pump motor of this power filter is actually submerged in the water which makes it very quiet. But some customers also complained about the hum sound coming out from this filter.
The pump comes with a pre-filter fish prevents small fish to get sucked into it.
Pros
- Self-priming
- Sim and compact
- Flow controller
- Pre-filter
Cons
- Hum sound
Price
Check latest price and customer reviews at Amazon here
2. AZOO Aquarium Mignon Filter 60
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If you are looking for HOB filter for your small 3 gallons or less aquarium then this filter is ideal for you.
AZOO aquarium mignon filter also has another variant for bigger tanks that is suitable for tanks up to 30 gallons.
Here I am going to review the small variant.
This filter has a small and compact design. The motor of this filter is quiet as well. You will only hear the slight sound of splashing and the motor makes very little noise.
And this filter is very easy to maintain as well.
It comes with two sponges to filter the water.
A black sponge is a carbon sponge and it removes toxins and odor from the water whereas the other one is a yellow sponge that catches debris from the water.
It also comes with intake attachments and pre-filter sponge.
You can attach intake attachments according to the height you want and then you can attach pre-filter sponge which basically prevents suction of any small fish.
You should not change its sponges because the beneficial bacteria are established on them over the time and if you changed it them then you may have to recycle your tank because these beneficial bacteria will get removed from the sponge.
What you can do instead after every 6 months, you can rinse the sponge in the water of your aquarium and put it back.
It filters about 15 gallons of water per hour.
This filter also comes with a fluid adjustment knob at the top.
This is not a self-priming filter so be sure to add water to the filter (inside filter chamber) before using it and also after electric outages or else it can burn the motor.
Pros
- Small size
- Quiet
- Pre-filter
Cons
- Not self-priming
Price
Check latest price and customer reviews at Amazon here
3. Fluval C Power Filter
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This HOB power filter comes in three variants C2, C3, and C4 variant.
Here I am going to review the C4 variant.
It can be used for an aquarium of 40 gallons to 70 gallons and it filters 264 gallons of water per hour.
This filter is also equipped with an LED indicator that will notify you whenever you will have to change its polyfoam.
This power filter is equipped with 5 stage filtration.
The first and second stage of filtration is mechanical filtration.
This stage consists of a porous form and a dense polyester.
At this stage, the large particles are trapped to porous foam and the dense polyester traps debris.
The third stage of filtration is consists of activated carbon inserts.
It is a chemical filtration stage.
At this stage impurities, toxic substances and odor are removed from the water making it clear for aquarium.
The fourth stage is of biological Bio-screen. At this stage, any remaining debris is removed from the water before introducing it into the biological chamber.
The fifth stage is consists of biological C-nodes. The surface of the C-nodes is made up of a complex pore system that provides ideal space to grow beneficial bacteria which makes the aquarium environment healthy.
This HOB power filter also comes with a flow controller.
This filter comes with Fluval Polyfoam which you will have to replace after every 4 to 6 weeks.
It also comes with biological C-nodes. You will have to replace half of them every 6 months. You should keep in mind that you should never replace all of them at once because it may remove all the beneficial bacteria.
The activated carbon inserts should be replaced after every 2 to 4 weeks.
The Bio-screen should be replaced after every 2 to 3 months and the motor O ring should be replaced once a year.
Overall it is a pretty decent water filter but the plastic material used in this filter could be of better quality. Also, some users complained that it gets noisy after some time.
Pros
- LED indicator
- 5 Stage filtration
- Flow controller
Cons
- Cheap plastic material
- Noisy
Price
Check latest price and customer reviews at Amazon here
So these are the best HOB filters for saltwater tanks or aquariums.
FAQ
Does saltwater tanks need filters?
Any tank whether its a freshwater tank or saltwater tank needs a filter. A biological filter is a must to maintain a healthy aquarium. Besides a tank requires mechanical and chemical filtration.
Can you use any filter in a saltwater tank?
You have few options available when it comes to filters for a saltwater tank. You can use canister filter, undergravel filter or protein skimmer.
Undergravel filters are recommended for tanks below 55 gallons.
Do you need a special filter for a saltwater aquarium?
You don’t need a special filter for saltwater aquarium. Basically, the filters you would need for freshwater can work in saltwater as well. You can choose a canister filter, undergravel filter or protein skimmer.
What type of filter is best for a saltwater aquarium?
You have few options when it comes to filter for saltwater aquarium.
A biological filter is a must for saltwater aquarium.
For other filtration like mechanical, chemical, etc you will require a filter as well.
Canister filters– You can use a canister filter, protein skimmer, undergravel filter.
Canister filters are quite versatile filters they are used for biological, mechanical and chemical filtration of saltwater aquariums.
You can you canister filter only or you can use them in addition to other filters.
Protein skimmer– Besides biological filtration protein skimming is necessary to maintain a healthy saltwater aquarium. The bubbles in the protein skimmer remove the waste by-products from the water.
Undergravel filters– Undergravel filters are plate-like filters. They are placed at the bottom of the water tank and the subtract subscribe sits on them. The substrate traps the particles as they pass through it. The undergravel filter is run buy air pump and air stone and in some filters, powerhead is used. this kind of filter is ideal for water tanks below 55 gallons.
AZOO Aquarium Mignon Filter 60 is small, powerful, quiet, affordable, and has an attractive transparent casing. Its easy to assemble, but make sure the intake tube sections are put together tightly and you prime it before plugging it in.
I have read many of your articles. They are very useful. Thank you!