APS HOB-500 (Amazon): geni.us/Q4AI37t APS HOB-500 (Ebay): ebay.to/2DZfrnz Smaller version (Ebay): ebay.to/2SEvMG1 Foam for intake (Amazon): geni.us/EY86zGk US Equivalent Filter Model 803 (Ebay.com): ebay.to/2MQnPZ4 US SunSun version HL-803 (Ebay.com): ebay.to/2MUr0z1 Foams and Biogravel: www.filterpro.co.uk (FilterPro site has links to suppliers in other countries) This is a damn fine filter for the price and for once it appears that it is currently cheapest in the UK which is a miracle... It would make an excellent back up filter for a larger tank or a great single filter for a small to medium sized tank. As it holds approx. 1.2kg (2.6 lbs) of biogravel it is suited to a normally stocked community tank of around 120 litres (32 US gallons) or a heavily stocked tank of around 60 litres (16 US gallons) if you want to achieve a full cycle. WHAT IS A FULL CYCLE? A full cycle is completed by bacteria - the aerobic part of biological filtration which processes ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate followed by an anaerobic part which processes nitrate into soluble nitrogen which bubbles off to the atmosphere. Therefore it requires a suitable amount of excellent quality filter media to be able to provide the environment for both aerobic AND anaerobic bacteria - that is what the various forms of Biohome does perfectly but even with such good media there are limitations and we recommend the following amounts for different stocking scenarios: (1 US gallon = 3.8 litres) (1kg = 2.2 lbs) Average community tropical aquarium = 1kg per 100 litres Average coldwater aquarium = 1kg - 1.5kg per 100 litres Predator aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Large cichlid aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Malawi / Tanganyikan aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Marine aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Average mixed fish pond = 1kg per 200 litres Average koi pond = 1kg per 150 litres You may be disagreeing with the above figures but remember that they are for a FULL CYCLE not half a job - achieving 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite is quite easy since aerobic bacteria grows freely on any surface but the anaerobic bacteria responsible for COMPLETING the cycle needs more a specialized habitat. Size a filter properly, set it up sensibly and you will have perfect water - it's that simple....and your filter won't be the dreaded 'Nitrate factory'. This series of videos is all about trying to squeeze more efficiency out of internal and external aquarium filters which generally have a limited filtering capacity - If you have a filter you'd like me to feature in a video then please contact me on: sales@filterpro.co.uk 07772848730 (Richard) Anyone who sends a filter (UK only at present) will have it upgraded and returned to them for free and the only cost you will pay is how much it costs to ship it to me - I'm helping to boost your filter and the resulting videos will hopefully be useful to viewers all over the world so it's a win/win. The following videos will be useful to anyone interested in learning more about filtration, bacteria and making the conditions for your fish as good as possible: Sizing a canister properly and filter set up: goo.gl/om19un Looking INSIDE different filter media: goo.gl/hZWS6c Bacteria and filter media: goo.gl/123gAF How to clean an aquarium: goo.gl/bPMhvh Aquarium tips / filtration playlist: goo.gl/pXgqVj This channel is purely a hobby for me so I will never ask viewers to donate money for any of my projects or charge anyone for information - information should be shared freely and I certainly don't consider myself an 'expert' in anything I pursue as a hobby so please do your own research, never accept anything as 'fact', reject anyone claiming to be some sort of authority or 'expert' and make your own minds up about anything you wish to study. We all are on a long path of learning......... RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS ON AMAZON: goo.gl/jMaBWy INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/pondguru_ou... FILMING EQUIPMENT: Panasonic HC-VX870 HD camcorder geni.us/3UwE +Rode stereo microphone: geni.us/4OL +Rode 'deadcat' mic cover: geni.us/1pmn JVC Everio quad proof HD camcorder: geni.us/e09e +Rode 'deadcat' mic cover (opened up and held between tripod and camera base) geni.us/dee24 Zomei Z666 tripod: geni.us/1a1af3 Manfrotto MTPIXI-B PIXI mini tripod: geni.us/87f7 If you've enjoyed this video please check out the playlists on my channel for hundreds more - on a variety of subjects. Feel free to share or link any of my videos on facebook, twitter, forums etc. for the benefit of anyone you think may also enjoy watching. See you next time. Pondguru
I have recently just bought 1 of these. Need to set it up but need a longer outlet pipe as my tank can’t be filled to the top or very brim due to the weight and the shorter pipe makes a lot of splash noises. Can you buy extra plastic piping for this??
Fan of these videos they've helped me determine I probably need 2kgs for a heavily overstocked 10g I'm planning looks like this is the only one I can reasonably get and I think 2 would work better than a single 304b or 1/206 Couple of questions specific to this one I'm new to canisters you mentioned the blowby How do you think this one will do? Top tray is the only one with a rubber seal. Also are the hoses standard? Can I connect the output of one to the input of the second? Many thanks.
That is a great little filter. I cannot believe in the 30 years I've kept fish, that I've never heard of a hang on the back canister filter. .This one is the best hob I've ever seen
I used your techniques to pimp out a tiny, generic filter that came with a new, small tank, and it made it actually usable. You're doing great work. Thank you for the many, many lessons!
I've been running this filter now for 3 weeks. It's set up the same way as Richard but with a medium foam. I honestly can't fault it. It runs almost silent with no issues. I have it running on a 100 litre tank with a breeding pair of angels, my water is perfect and crystal clear. Highly recommend 😁.
Good stuff and I'm glad it's performing well for you. All Pond Solutions sold out over the weekend so I'd say they were quite popular - new stock arriving in June.
@@waynespiers2641 I just hope that when the new stock comes in they hold the price down as it is a hell of a good buy....maybe not so much at £100 though, lol
@@tajumochi Hi Farzad. A good thing about this filter is you have different opinions with the return, spray bar ect....you can also turn the flow down. I would say go for it👍
I’ve got this filter on three of my tanks and they’ve all worked great for over a year now. I can highly recommend them, particularly because they are so cheap.
I had this filter for several years never given us any problems. It keeps going no matter how glogged it gets. Just watch the flow, when it slows down give it a clean. Simple and cheap. 5 stars from me. Give it a try you be disappointed.
Another filter I bought, for a slightly larger tank, because of your video. Pimped it exactly this way and I am very happy. Still just £25 4 years after this video first came out too. Got to give it to AllPondSolutions for not jacking the price up on a filter that is worth far more than that.
100% - this is a great filter for the price and even if it was double the price it would be a sound purchase. For a £25 filter it is huge so they've made a great decision to keep selling it at an affordable price to get it into as many tanks as possible. This is one of only a handful of filters I'd be happy to sell on my website.
Thank you so much Richard, for recommending this fantastic filter - you are doing a good service to the public educating us on how to look after our fish tank.
I have 4 of these filters on three of my tanks and I've had only the oldest at 6yrs have the plastic clip holding the pump section break on me..I solved tat by using two of my wood working clamps to keep to going...they run silent are good enough for two of my 18" x 18" x 18" about 25 gal tanks ..I've got two of these hanging side by side on my 36" x 18" x 18" about 50 gal tank. n tat tank is doing great...the reason I have two and not a proper canster is cause I don't have place under the cabinet for a filter..so a HOB makes sense...
Just came back to view this again after reading comments on your last onmp my filter video. This is really good! Holds so much media, I want one although I don't really have a use for it 😊 Just looks so good
It is definitely the best HOB filter I've featured so far in this series which currently has dozens of different HOB filters in it. Everything about the design is spot on - plus, it's great value for money too.
@@pondguru only a couple of quid more than one of those ehiem cartridges How can that possibly be, in this financial climate too. Eheim , you are a disgrace 🙁
@@Les-OZZYTHEOSCAR That is pretty much my view too and unfortunately it is rapidly becoming the view of others who once revered Eheim's commitment to their filters and customers. They're literally throwing their business away with poor decisions.
A wee update from me ... got the filter up-n-running today, well pleased with it to. Thanks for selling a great media PG! Good luck with your pond filter. :))
It's possible to adjust the hanger on the filter to push it closer together, on my tank the 2 hang points just 110mm far from each other. Thanks for the answer
I bought this filter at aliexpress as HBL-803 model and made the same with filter media. I really found your channel today and I was glad to see that I was right to do the same.
Just bought the SunSun version to keep as a backup filter, as per your recommendation. Shockingly cheap! I've learned so much from your videos. Keep up the great work.
Could I persuade you to help me out? ;-) I have exactly 11cm of room between tank and wall, would that fit? I need to be sure before I go and buy one of these 802 filters.
as some have said ,its a good filter , but it can suck in air as the intake tube is in 3 pieces , making it make noises every 20 seconds , i have replaced the stock inlet tube with a single piece of PVC hose and it is now silent
Thank you for your honest and unbiased review on this filter. I have just purchased this filter for my 30 gallon reef tank,and am amazed at how much media I can get in it,once again thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.
Pondguru is the king - you've help me pimp my Fluval 207 and now my second tank with this APS HOB-500. Perfect results every time. yes the bio media is quite expensive but i havent had any problems with it, and will continue buying!
Thanks for the vid on this Richard, i was looking at it last week after your reccomendation. Its flippin massive! Only expected it to be half the size, wow. I would need a new tank lid if i got this as i have a cat who loves the fish as much as i do lol. Great vid 🙂
@@pondguru Ive found a smaller version of this, here is the link. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/External-220V-Hang-On-Filter-Surface-Skimmer-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Oil-Film-Remover-/143099913938
aps sent me an email showing off this one a few weeks ago as a new product. been wanting for you to pimp it ever since so i could see inside it as there was no photos of that. looks like a great little filter, just wish they did one half the size as well!
I purchased 2 Sunsun HBL 801. Have had them for a month in my 20L and 36L tanks. They are doing a great job, BUT they both keep taking in air. You can clearly see bubbles in the bends of the translucent inflow and outflow pipes. The filter makes annoying burping sound and has outbursts of air into the tank quite often. I really do not know where the air finds its way in, but my only guess is the knobs for flow regulation. I have used vaseline to try and seal the space between the canister and the cover, also used vaseline to seal the threads on the ring screws where the inflow and outflow pipes connect to the canister. It hasn't helped. Today I tried to seal of one of the knobs, the one on the inflow pipe. I either did not do a good job or the leak is elsewhere. Anyone with the same experience? Any ideas on how to fix this?
Hi. Pardon my England I'm no native. The air mostly comes into via the intake leaks unless yours having water leak anywhere else. Mine was from the pipe joints. I just slapped some ptpe tape into the joints to properly seal it up. You can check the pipe seals by plugging 1 side of the pipe while blowing gently into the other side to see if there is any air leaking. If it is indeed the knob then replace the whole thing or just swap in and out
if you look at the intake pipe joint , on full flow you can SEE a tiny draw of air bubble , if you reduce the intake flow it disappears , i think all air is finding its way in thru these pipe joints , gonna try some PTFE tape on them .
@@wackadakka3134 I have tried different sealants, tapes, vaseline. Never worked. Always starts drawing air and stops the flow eventially, running on empty from a few seconds to minutes.
@@romanschwartz9453 i had the same issue , kept drawing in a small amount of air , never stopped the flow but would gurgle every 15 seconds . , i just replaced the intake pipe (which is in sections ), with a single piece of green pvc hose , now it is totally cured
I have almost the same thing from Hagen. Its a turtle tank filter, says its good for up to 30gal. Has a divide in the middle to direct the water down through media then back up to the pump and tank. Im here in Montreal Can. I love the little canister on my Mexican dwarf crayfish tank. Its custom 5' 9" long 6" wide 9" tall. Just for my little Crays. Great channel great advise👍👍👍👍
Hey Richard, I bought this filter after seeing your video, didn't even know it existed and have to say that yes the available filter media size and how much you can put in it makes it very good. But the one thing you didn't really tough on much in this video was the priming problem of this filter. I have a small intake pre-filter on it and after cleaning it, even just unplugging it and pluging it back in it take about 5min to get primed again. I have had to open it up multiple times to add water to it to get it to start again. So what I'm trying to say, the filter is very good for the size and what it does, it is just not "practical" or easy for maintenance.
May I ask what the motivation would be to buy a HOB filter? I mean, I get if you don't have a cabinet underneath to put a canister or sump in, but to me the more elegant solution would be to have a built-in-tank sump like most reef tanks have.
Had this filter, pimped of course. Worked okay for about a month, cleaning regime weekly then began filling with air so the water stopped flowing. No amount of the priming cured it, worked for about an hour before flow dried up again. It's now in the bin.
I have just got this type of filter today and pimped it up the same way as you and it i a brilliant filter. the foams i used was a very coarse foam, to a normal coarse foam, to medium and fine foam. did same as you did in the video except i don't have a foam on the inlet pipe. the same media is used that has been cycled and i would recommend to people. the noise of the filter is quieter than my air pump lol .
Thanks for showing this filter, I have seen this filter on pond supplies awhile ago but I thought for the price they must be useless. After watching this video I ordered 2, as I am building a fish room for breeding and this filter will do the job for me. Keep up the good work on filters your Chanel is excellent.can you do a video on starting a RUclips channel as my fishhouse should be ready by 2nd week of September, and I would like to start a channel.
You are right when you say it a successful series !! Another awesome pimp my filter video today Richard !! If you ever get back in to refurbing ponds or pond filters I offer my humble pond as your experiment......🤣🤣🤣👍🎥🙏
I am working 7 days a week online with the filter media sales so have no plans to come out of pond building retirement. However the guy who works for me does all sorts of work in gardens and lives in Prudhoe.
I am editing it now but I'm missing bits of footage. I've got so many video shot and unedited that my 1TB computer is almost full, lol The missing bits will be on memory cards somewhere or out of sight on the computer - if I can't find them in next few days I'll just re-shoot bits.
@@pondguru thank you for taking the time to reply. Don't get me wrong I enjoy your pimp my filter vids but the epic lake filter is the daddy. Get my hopes up every time i get a notification saying you have up loaded a vid haha. All the best mate
I'm also looking forward to the next one of these! My Mrs grandfather has a huge koi pond in their garden. I shall be trying to use that series to let me build him something similar!
Will Seachem Matrix be a good alternative media for the biogravels? This particular biogravels you use in this video aren't availably sold here where I live. Or can you recommend other alternative medias?
Great video - quick question. this is my first external filter and I set it up with the enclosed fine pads in every tray, topped weith bioballs and ceramic blocks. Is that OK or is it overkill? After a week or so, the tank is lovely ancf clear so I guess it's working as it is!
If that is working for you then it is all good. As long as you have a 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and 0 Nitrate after 4-6 months of setting up the filter then you've done it perfectly. As long as you avoid using the likes of seachem prime which promises to detoxify / bind / remove ammonia, nitrite and nitrate which blatantly starves the bacteria you'll be OK - I always recommend a normal conditioner which just makes the water safe for life, e.g. API stress coat.
OMG, not the "SMEG" lolol. I'm so stealing that! That's awesome mate, well done. Too bad it would cost more to ship to Canada than its actual worth or I'd order a couple of them from you. Cheers Richard!
Unfortunately the links I put in video description were for ebay.com and I think that may only be for the US? However I'm sure there will be an equivalent somewhere in CA
It can be a bummer trying to prime the pump but I found that rocking the filter back and forth and tilting it up and down allowed any trapped air to quickly be expelled.
My filter arrived today and I set it up with cycled alfafrog I will be replacing with biogravel but have to wait till payday then I’ll be swapping them tray by tray. Can’t wait for it to be fully done
@@tanujchaudhuri799 been working great. Barely ever have to service the filter. Incredibly quiet it’s on an 80litre tank and It’s already starting to drop the nitrates
@@tanujchaudhuri799 i generally just fill it with tank water before putting the top on. Then turn the outlet down it flushes any air bubble out within an hour. No real problem with it
Awesome video yet again, helped when I first started with my all pond solutions ef1000 and same again I've just bought this very filter knowing that I could apply your same technique of cramming it with media. I was wondering though, if I wanted to reduce the flow for a fighter fish tank could I just add an layer of medium foam in place of a tray of media. Would still leave me 3 trays of media with a low stocked tank. Can you possibly share your special calculations with us?
Hi, if i were to use this for a shrimp tank, with soe Chili Rasboras in, could I substitute one of the coarser pads for a fine pad to collect more finer sediment?
Great video and what value. Always had internals for my 80litre but hated the sight of them. Away to purchase this and get it fully pimped. Cant believe the price !!! Cheers Richard...
Could anyone please tell me the depth of the canister outside the aquarium (or wall clearance)? All details online say the filter is 190mm deep, but not sure if this is inlet/outlet to rear of canister or not. TIA
I'm just waiting on mine being delivered for my small marine aquarium And good to see a British video lol At the moment I'm running a Hidom 400 which is 4 watts with 5 hollow ceramic balls and filler pad 👍
Bought this filter on your recommendation and it's brilliant. About to buy a second one! What can I use as replacement filter foam (the thin white one)?
In these videos I just use what I sell on my FilterPro website since that is what I have available and I only stock media, foams and other products that are 100% the best and work toward making a filter the most efficient it can be. There is no point stocking or selling crap.
Excellent hang on canister filter love mine u can put what ever media. 5 trays I stuff mine with bio max. Filter floss .and more courses foam EXELLWAER CLARITY
Hello. I have bought a HBL-803 filter and I don't know the order of placement of the materials. Does the mechanical filtration (perlon, sponge, etc) have to be placed below or above near the water inlet and outlet? Thanks.
Just taken delivery of this filter + some of your marvellous BioHome filter media. The helpful little info sheet you sent with it has a note about not using it with a water conditioner that claims to neutralise ammonia, nitrates and nitrites, well crud that's exactly what my Seachem Prime bottle claims to do. Can you recommend any suitable water conditioners that I could grab? The tanks already set up and mature so I'll get the filter running alongside my current one and order a new conditioner in time for the next water change. (also, nicely packaged, very secure and safe from moisture etc, 10/10)
I'm glad it arrived in good shape as I pride myself on the quality of packaging. With regard to the seachem prime it's something I regard as a 'Trojan Horse Treatment' and I've made a video on that exact subject. In one of the recent posts to the 'community' tab on my channel there was loads of reports from people extolling the results they've had when using the Biohome media and many of them mention that the good results only came when they switched conditioners - it is that important. Whenever you have something holding back the bacteria you end up relying on chemicals to keep the water right and there is only one beneficiary there (not the person who owns the tank). The vast majority of conditioners will simply make the water safe for life and not mess with the 'food' bacteria need. I always recommend API Stress Coat since I've never had any reports of problems when people use that one. Seachem prime is the definition of a Trojan Horse treatment as the damage it does makes most people stress out about the water condition, visit their local fish shop then walk out with at least one more seachem product (normally 'stability'). It's a very pharmaceutical business template which I can't support.
Sorry, forgot to put the link to that recent post on my channel, lol: ruclips.net/channel/UCMK3tSLPaPHQH-wCm-e2Z8Qcommunity?lb=UgkxFdgRRt6GxA1o3ffDzsF5dbOaB5xAuoFX
@@pondguru spectacularly helpful as always. Do you reckon I'll need to fully change the water to get all the Seachem out of the system (50% changes over a few days) I'll dash out before closing today to see if our little local shop has API, but I've got a feeling they only stock Tetra products.
Also, let me know the best place to leave reviews. You've always been a helpful chap, met you a few years back when I was living Tyneside, so just know that you're appreciated@@pondguru
@@RotGoblin The Tetra Aquasafe is no problem as it's a simple dechlorinator so that would be a decent choice. Most places will stock API as they're a long established company and have a good reputation. With regard to reviews I think I have that option on my FilterPro website but only for orders coming through that site. If bought through ebay there is a feedback option and currently that is a solid 100% with great comments. I don't really court reviews from people as I think that they will only leave a review if they're very happy or very disgruntled and I try not to make anyone disgruntled, lol
tip, if u notice this filter continuously blasting out air bubbles bursts. check you flow valves. the intake one it sucking air. the orings thet use done seal.. i silconed mine in full open position as most people wont want this filter flowing less.
I have a question -- why not biogravel even for big containers? Even in that case, it would provide a better fill ratio. Albeit not said explicitly, it seems the biohome media are preferred?
You should be able to put a sponge filter on the intake, which you did, this increases maintenance intervalls and could allow for even more awesome Biohome gravel. Great Video! :)
im now running 3 of these on my 55 gallon tank.. they work great. 2 of them equal the flow of what my marineland c220 did. and they hold as much bio as 2 trays of the c220 did. . 3 total are only 18 watts pf electricity.. plus no slime and algea infested canister tubes. in 2 one tray is fliter padding the other 4 is bio media.. and the 3rd one 3 trays bio, one filter pad and one charcoal..
Being a big fan of yours since I entered the fish community when you were working in a fish shop. I was running my canister filter with your biohome ultimate but due to circumstances I've gone to a 55 l aquarium. I've set the exact same canister filter up with the same media as you. I was only able to afford enough biohome gravel for 3 trays . My question is I have 10 neon tetras another 10 fish that are orange with black on a bamboo shrimp. And quite a few assassin snails the pet shop says that I'm allowed 27 points with this aquarium but with the stock I've got will I get a full cycle
(my other channel) I can't see what weight of media you have or the name of the filter in your message so without that critical information the question is impossible to answer. If it's a standard design canister filter I'm assuming that it holds at least 500g of media per tray so 3 trays should be around 1.5kg which is easily enough for a 55 litre tank even if it is heavily stocked. I'm assuming that the fish described as being 'orange with black' are maybe tiger barbs or some sort of rasbora? Feel free to send me relevant details to sales@filterpro.co.uk or just phone me on 07772848730 as it's way quicker than fannying about with RUclips messages - I don't see most of the messages unfortunately.
Hi. I like using hob filters on my few tanks so when I saw this video i sat up and paid attention. Although not strictly a hob but a cannistwe I was impressed with the amount of filter material it holds and how cheap it is.Anyway I bought one and filled it with 1 litre of seachem de-nitrate. After a month the water is crystal clear and there is pearling on the plants which I think is soluble nitrogen has converted from nitrates. The algea has also reduced. The only negative is how the box is clipped to the top. It would have been much better for the clips to be on the side so the box can be dropped leaving the pump and tubes on the tank. That said I've ordered a second box. Love your videos by the way keep up the good work.
Is there a problem that by filling your filter with bio balls or similar products that the weight of it could have an effect on the seal of the filter and cause air entering the unit thus stopping the water flow.?
Could the pump motor be slightly upgraded for better flow since it's air/water tight seal, so it can both push flow and have the trickle bar simultaneously?
Great Video to Boost the Efficiency of the filter. I have set this up as per your suggestion, just used white Pumice instead of Sintered Glass and its working efficiently from last 3+ years on my 100ltr 2.5ft planted tank. Its Named Sunsun HBL-803 in India. Thanks.
I know this is an old video but hopefully might get a response from someone. I have a 25cm tall tank that i wanted to put this on would it work? I get that i could just sit it behind the tank, however, can the outlet be lowered?
Hi Richard, just brought one of these and put same media as you, I managed to get all air bubbles out but getting a rattling noise, sounds like the gravel not to sure, is it anything to worry about and is there a way to stop it? Appreciate your feedback.
I'm having the same issue, and believe it must be the bio gravel. Thinking of removing some gravel and adding thin foam (course or medium) on top of each tray... but reluctant to loose the gravel... Also not sure if it would effect the performance?
Could you put charcoal or other chem media in the bottom tray, depending on size of tank? I mean for a 25 gal aquarium, the charcoal or chem in bottom tray would help for any smell or if you medicated your fish for wom reason?
There shouldn't be any smell in a system which is properly filtered with a suitably sized and correctly set up filter but there is no problem using charcoal / carbon in bottom tray. That would be the place to use it since the bottom tray is last one water hits before leaving the filter. Avoid using any chemical treatments which claim to reduce / bind / detoxify ammonia, nitrite and nitrate as they tend to starve the bacteria and greatly reduce the filter ability to process pollutants.
so for me it took a long time to get the air out. after about 3 hours it made loud noises again because it was full of air again. and that with 2 devices! sent them all back ... :o(
hi good video i have got one in the top basket where the pump sits could you not put in pre filter nodes fluval sell them instead of using form or is it better with form i how much will it cost me to fill the baskets with bio gravel from you
I've been running this filter for about a month now. It's has a lot of space for bio media and has a good flow rate, however I find it almost impossible to remove all the air inside, even when i have manged to remove the air it doesn't take long for it to return, i'm going to try out their 600 HOB instead.
Acquired two Sun Sun HBL-803 and set them up on a 60L/15USG tank with medium foam and fine pad, a stainless steel filter guard on the intake ( personal preference ) and 1,2kg = 2.65lbs biogravel. The filter has a tendency to draw in air over the connection of the intake pipe but with some proper tightening this can be eliminated and it will run quietly without any air issue's. Prevent air from entering the intake pipe caused by splashing or an airstone.. or the pump will stall, run dry and might fail. Only difference I have noticed between the APS and Sun Sun version are the clips and there size. The APS got the long version and the Sun Sun the short, making it suitable for rimless tanks only. Something to keep in mind when ordering.. Maybe Sun Sun got the long versions too depending on the region they are sold. US market maybe? The filter is running for four months now and it should be at a stage were it is ready for the full cycle. Bought myself a JBL pro-aqua test lab. Happy to share my testsetup and results in the near future. I will compare it with regular or an alternative cheap media (any suggestions for my test are most welcome) Great filter that does the job it is designed for, very well. I think compared to the recently released Sun Sun XBL series, this version is still king due to it´s biomedia capacity and internal setup. This filtersetup with the looks of the XBL series would be awesome if you care for esthetics. Cheap to run, easy to clean and a good waterflow with my current setup. Happiness factor 9 filter
Nice one - thanks for the description of your set up. Yes it would be great to hear how the water tests leading up to 6 months or so as that's when the filter should be fully mature. Hopefully you're not using a water conditioner which will starve the bacteria (e.g. prime) otherwise you'll be unlikely to see the full cycle develop due to the bacteria being on a starvation diet and very low in numbers. A normal conditioner which does not claim to remove / detoxify or lock ammonia, nitrite and nitrate will be fine.
@@pondguru I will post (email) my test setup and results (in excel) with proof. I do not use any water conditioner since the tap water in the Netherlands does not contain any harmful additives. I am looking forward to the test! I think a 6 months test period starting at 4 months after first start will do?
i like how it comes with a UK 3 pin plug. Singapore uses the same standards but for some reason almost all fish equipment come with USA 2 flat-pin plugs or those 2 round-pin plugs. so always end up either using adapters or chopping the end off to use my own 3pin plugs. BTW Bio-home gravel is hard to find in singapore. i wonder when will local shops start bringing those in
@@pondguru as of now, they only list Bio-home motion and the variants of rod shaped . well, i might contact them directly in the next week or so after i'm done building my sump. i intend to get a kilo of Bio home and using it in a Booster canister after the sump/pump before the spray bar. a kilo for 120 liters is less than for a full cycle. but i'm sure my duckweed refugium idea might help and that i have 2kilos of basic ceramic rings to do the first half of cycle.
@Pondguru can you do EDEN 501 review and pimpin. Can you show if HOB500 can be sitting on table behind aquarium and be connected to aquarium with soft rubber hoses. For aquarium where you cant hang filter on aquarium
I'll order the SunSun HBL 802 and 803. I want to replace an internal filter, but I can't use a normal external filter because I can't lead the hoses down. I can't drill holes. But I have a little space behind the tank which will be (hopfully) enough for this filter. These filters are in germany even cheaper. They cost less then 20€
@@burlisaquarien7568 Oh I didn't think about ebay.de, I usually try ebay.com, thanks! One last question; I have exactly 11cm of room between tank and wall, would that fit the 802 version? I'ts kind of an important measurement, but none of the sellers mention how much space it needs. I need to make sure before I spend money on it. :')
Just had a good thought with this. Your could use it as a very easy access pre filter that hides behind the tanks and then just use your canister filter to draw the water through it. Would make for really easy cleaning. What you think?
This was a very useful review. I have one on its way to me and have some media waiting to go into it. But seeing this review, I might not have prepared enough.
Where about would you add seachem Purigen in this filter please? I have bad tannins in my water and would like to add 100ml bag to the filter? Thanks in advance
That would be in the last tray at the bottom before the water is returned to the tank. I had asked similar about carbon & Richard gave me this answer 👍
Honsetly the best thoughtout filter design in my opinion, no annoying hoses, quiet and space efficient. The flow control is awesome incase you just wanna use it as a nitrate removing reactor. Instead of using a sponge for the intake strainer that clogs all the time, you can use a metal mesh intake strainer although its really hard to find and you tend to need to play around with it to make it work, even better you can just use silk socks (for babies if you can find) to cover the intake strainer and use clip ties to hold it on, my mollies keep eating from it and it stops fry from being sucked in and doesn't get cloged.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
APS HOB-500 (Amazon): geni.us/Q4AI37t
APS HOB-500 (Ebay): ebay.to/2DZfrnz
Smaller version (Ebay): ebay.to/2SEvMG1
Foam for intake (Amazon): geni.us/EY86zGk
US Equivalent Filter Model 803 (Ebay.com): ebay.to/2MQnPZ4
US SunSun version HL-803 (Ebay.com): ebay.to/2MUr0z1
Foams and Biogravel: www.filterpro.co.uk
(FilterPro site has links to suppliers in other countries)
This is a damn fine filter for the price and for once it appears that it is currently cheapest in the UK which is a miracle...
It would make an excellent back up filter for a larger tank or a great single filter for a small to medium sized tank.
As it holds approx. 1.2kg (2.6 lbs) of biogravel it is suited to a normally stocked community tank of around 120 litres (32 US gallons) or a heavily stocked tank of around 60 litres (16 US gallons) if you want to achieve a full cycle.
WHAT IS A FULL CYCLE?
A full cycle is completed by bacteria - the aerobic part of biological filtration which processes ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate followed by an anaerobic part which processes nitrate into soluble nitrogen which bubbles off to the atmosphere.
Therefore it requires a suitable amount of excellent quality filter media to be able to provide the environment for both aerobic AND anaerobic bacteria - that is what the various forms of Biohome does perfectly but even with such good media there are limitations and we recommend the following amounts for different stocking scenarios:
(1 US gallon = 3.8 litres)
(1kg = 2.2 lbs)
Average community tropical aquarium = 1kg per 100 litres
Average coldwater aquarium = 1kg - 1.5kg per 100 litres
Predator aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Large cichlid aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Malawi / Tanganyikan aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Marine aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Average mixed fish pond = 1kg per 200 litres
Average koi pond = 1kg per 150 litres
You may be disagreeing with the above figures but remember that they are for a FULL CYCLE not half a job - achieving 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite is quite easy since aerobic bacteria grows freely on any surface but the anaerobic bacteria responsible for COMPLETING the cycle needs more a specialized habitat.
Size a filter properly, set it up sensibly and you will have perfect water - it's that simple....and your filter won't be the dreaded 'Nitrate factory'.
This series of videos is all about trying to squeeze more efficiency out of internal and external aquarium filters which generally have a limited filtering capacity - If you have a filter you'd like me to feature in a video then please contact me on:
sales@filterpro.co.uk
07772848730 (Richard)
Anyone who sends a filter (UK only at present) will have it upgraded and returned to them for free and the only cost you will pay is how much it costs to ship it to me - I'm helping to boost your filter and the resulting videos will hopefully be useful to viewers all over the world so it's a win/win.
The following videos will be useful to anyone interested in learning more about filtration, bacteria and making the conditions for your fish as good as possible:
Sizing a canister properly and filter set up: goo.gl/om19un
Looking INSIDE different filter media: goo.gl/hZWS6c
Bacteria and filter media: goo.gl/123gAF
How to clean an aquarium: goo.gl/bPMhvh
Aquarium tips / filtration playlist: goo.gl/pXgqVj
This channel is purely a hobby for me so I will never ask viewers to donate money for any of my projects or charge anyone for information - information should be shared freely and I certainly don't consider myself an 'expert' in anything I pursue as a hobby so please do your own research, never accept anything as 'fact', reject anyone claiming to be some sort of authority or 'expert' and make your own minds up about anything you wish to study.
We all are on a long path of learning.........
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Feel free to share or link any of my videos on facebook, twitter, forums etc. for the benefit of anyone you think may also enjoy watching.
See you next time.
Pondguru
Pondguru really stupid question, where did you get the round bit of sponge from to put on the intake pipe?
@@melissathompson9700 pets at home sell them
I have recently just bought 1 of these. Need to set it up but need a longer outlet pipe as my tank can’t be filled to the top or very brim due to the weight and the shorter pipe makes a lot of splash noises. Can you buy extra plastic piping for this??
Fan of these videos they've helped me determine I probably need 2kgs for a heavily overstocked 10g I'm planning
looks like this is the only one I can reasonably get and I think 2 would work better than a single 304b or 1/206
Couple of questions specific to this one
I'm new to canisters you mentioned the blowby
How do you think this one will do? Top tray is the only one with a rubber seal.
Also are the hoses standard? Can I connect the output of one to the input of the second?
Many thanks.
@Pondguru Thanks this video Really helped
That is a great little filter. I cannot believe in the 30 years I've kept fish, that I've never heard of a hang on the back canister filter. .This one is the best hob I've ever seen
I used your techniques to pimp out a tiny, generic filter that came with a new, small tank, and it made it actually usable. You're doing great work. Thank you for the many, many lessons!
Good stuff and I'm glad you find the videos useful.
I've been running this filter now for 3 weeks. It's set up the same way as Richard but with a medium foam. I honestly can't fault it. It runs almost silent with no issues. I have it running on a 100 litre tank with a breeding pair of angels, my water is perfect and crystal clear. Highly recommend 😁.
Good stuff and I'm glad it's performing well for you. All Pond Solutions sold out over the weekend so I'd say they were quite popular - new stock arriving in June.
@@pondguru I bet APS are all sipping champagne lol. I've got a spare one...I'm thinking £100 to a very impatient person Hahahaha. Just kidding 😂.
@@waynespiers2641 I just hope that when the new stock comes in they hold the price down as it is a hell of a good buy....maybe not so much at £100 though, lol
Hey Wayne, my tank is also about 100L but I wanna make it into a fancy betta tank. Do you think the flow rate/pressure is too high?
@@tajumochi Hi Farzad. A good thing about this filter is you have different opinions with the return, spray bar ect....you can also turn the flow down. I would say go for it👍
I’ve got this filter on three of my tanks and they’ve all worked great for over a year now. I can highly recommend them, particularly because they are so cheap.
I had this filter for several years never given us any problems. It keeps going no matter how glogged it gets. Just watch the flow, when it slows down give it a clean. Simple and cheap. 5 stars from me. Give it a try you be disappointed.
Another filter I bought, for a slightly larger tank, because of your video. Pimped it exactly this way and I am very happy. Still just £25 4 years after this video first came out too.
Got to give it to AllPondSolutions for not jacking the price up on a filter that is worth far more than that.
100% - this is a great filter for the price and even if it was double the price it would be a sound purchase. For a £25 filter it is huge so they've made a great decision to keep selling it at an affordable price to get it into as many tanks as possible.
This is one of only a handful of filters I'd be happy to sell on my website.
Thank you so much Richard, for recommending this fantastic filter - you are doing a good service to the public educating us on how to look after our fish tank.
Richard can you do the mechanical squeezing noise on other videos
MARK COPLEY
I like that noise too 😆
Please don't do this
The duck noise
I have 4 of these filters on three of my tanks and I've had only the oldest at 6yrs have the plastic clip holding the pump section break on me..I solved tat by using two of my wood working clamps to keep to going...they run silent are good enough for two of my 18" x 18" x 18" about 25 gal tanks ..I've got two of these hanging side by side on my 36" x 18" x 18" about 50 gal tank. n tat tank is doing great...the reason I have two and not a proper canster is cause I don't have place under the cabinet for a filter..so a HOB makes sense...
Just came back to view this again after reading comments on your last onmp my filter video. This is really good! Holds so much media, I want one although I don't really have a use for it 😊 Just looks so good
It is definitely the best HOB filter I've featured so far in this series which currently has dozens of different HOB filters in it.
Everything about the design is spot on - plus, it's great value for money too.
@@pondguru only a couple of quid more than one of those ehiem cartridges How can that possibly be, in this financial climate too. Eheim , you are a disgrace 🙁
@@Les-OZZYTHEOSCAR That is pretty much my view too and unfortunately it is rapidly becoming the view of others who once revered Eheim's commitment to their filters and customers. They're literally throwing their business away with poor decisions.
A wee update from me ... got the filter up-n-running today, well pleased with it to. Thanks for selling a great media PG!
Good luck with your pond filter. :))
Your channel is so underrated omg. Love from Malaysia =)
Great video ..I've just ordered the 800 with UV, for my 160L .... can't wait 😊 🐠🐟
Sounds good - best of luck with the tank.
Ordered! I've been using a modified hang of the back filter for over a year. It was time for an upgrade. I love your videos! Thank you.
Great stuff and I was very impressed with this filter so I hope it serves you well.
It's possible to adjust the hanger on the filter to push it closer together, on my tank the 2 hang points just 110mm far from each other. Thanks for the answer
I bought this filter at aliexpress as HBL-803 model and made the same with filter media. I really found your channel today and I was glad to see that I was right to do the same.
Just bought the SunSun version to keep as a backup filter, as per your recommendation. Shockingly cheap! I've learned so much from your videos. Keep up the great work.
Could I persuade you to help me out? ;-)
I have exactly 11cm of room between tank and wall, would that fit?
I need to be sure before I go and buy one of these 802 filters.
as some have said ,its a good filter , but it can suck in air as the intake tube is in 3 pieces , making it make noises every 20 seconds , i have replaced the stock inlet tube with a single piece of PVC hose and it is now silent
Thank you for your honest and unbiased review on this filter. I have just purchased this filter for my 30 gallon reef tank,and am amazed at how much media I can get in it,once again thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.
Pondguru is the king - you've help me pimp my Fluval 207 and now my second tank with this APS HOB-500. Perfect results every time. yes the bio media is quite expensive but i havent had any problems with it, and will continue buying!
In Romania this model is sold under name SunSun ! 🙂😉
Thanks for the vid on this Richard, i was looking at it last week after your reccomendation. Its flippin massive! Only expected it to be half the size, wow. I would need a new tank lid if i got this as i have a cat who loves the fish as much as i do lol. Great vid 🙂
Yes you get a lot of filter for a very small price with this one.
@@pondguru Ive found a smaller version of this, here is the link. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/External-220V-Hang-On-Filter-Surface-Skimmer-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Oil-Film-Remover-/143099913938
Well found, thanks for that.
You can prime pump better/faster with adjusting flow knops. And whit this valves you can creating "pressure" to filter.
aps sent me an email showing off this one a few weeks ago as a new product. been wanting for you to pimp it ever since so i could see inside it as there was no photos of that. looks like a great little filter, just wish they did one half the size as well!
One of the foreign manufacturers d it in 3 different sizes so maybe they will make their way over here.
@@pondguru hope they do, its more the power of the pump than the physical size as on a eg 40l the power on that one would just be too much.
@@FaenumVena The flow can be turned down as I did in this video so operating it on a 40 litre would be no problem.
I purchased 2 Sunsun HBL 801. Have had them for a month in my 20L and 36L tanks. They are doing a great job, BUT they both keep taking in air. You can clearly see bubbles in the bends of the translucent inflow and outflow pipes. The filter makes annoying burping sound and has outbursts of air into the tank quite often. I really do not know where the air finds its way in, but my only guess is the knobs for flow regulation. I have used vaseline to try and seal the space between the canister and the cover, also used vaseline to seal the threads on the ring screws where the inflow and outflow pipes connect to the canister. It hasn't helped. Today I tried to seal of one of the knobs, the one on the inflow pipe. I either did not do a good job or the leak is elsewhere. Anyone with the same experience? Any ideas on how to fix this?
Hi. Pardon my England I'm no native. The air mostly comes into via the intake leaks unless yours having water leak anywhere else. Mine was from the pipe joints. I just slapped some ptpe tape into the joints to properly seal it up. You can check the pipe seals by plugging 1 side of the pipe while blowing gently into the other side to see if there is any air leaking. If it is indeed the knob then replace the whole thing or just swap in and out
if you look at the intake pipe joint , on full flow you can SEE a tiny draw of air bubble , if you reduce the intake flow it disappears , i think all air is finding its way in thru these pipe joints , gonna try some PTFE tape on them .
@@wackadakka3134 I have tried different sealants, tapes, vaseline. Never worked. Always starts drawing air and stops the flow eventially, running on empty from a few seconds to minutes.
@@romanschwartz9453 i had the same issue , kept drawing in a small amount of air , never stopped the flow but would gurgle every 15 seconds . , i just replaced the intake pipe (which is in sections ), with a single piece of green pvc hose , now it is totally cured
Thanks for your time today Richard on the 📞 regarding filling this puppy with mini ultra 👍 Keep up the good work Sir!
I have almost the same thing from Hagen. Its a turtle tank filter, says its good for up to 30gal. Has a divide in the middle to direct the water down through media then back up to the pump and tank. Im here in Montreal Can. I love the little canister on my Mexican dwarf crayfish tank. Its custom 5' 9" long 6" wide 9" tall. Just for my little Crays. Great channel great advise👍👍👍👍
Hey Richard,
I bought this filter after seeing your video, didn't even know it existed and have to say that yes the available filter media size and how much you can put in it makes it very good. But the one thing you didn't really tough on much in this video was the priming problem of this filter. I have a small intake pre-filter on it and after cleaning it, even just unplugging it and pluging it back in it take about 5min to get primed again. I have had to open it up multiple times to add water to it to get it to start again.
So what I'm trying to say, the filter is very good for the size and what it does, it is just not "practical" or easy for maintenance.
Fanny around! Lol! Don't usually comment on these but that looks like an incredible hob!
I've been after a good HOB Filter. Good review mate. I'll have to grab one.
Just saw the price ! Think I'll get four👍😀
Yes the price is mad for the usefulness of them - definitely a great buy.
would probably go well in one of the shrimp or pleco-tanks too
May I ask what the motivation would be to buy a HOB filter?
I mean, I get if you don't have a cabinet underneath to put a canister or sump in, but to me the more elegant solution would be to have a built-in-tank sump like most reef tanks have.
@@Snacksy1973 Yes I was thinking for a pleco tank. Or maybe for a new tank build I'm got planned.
@@Flyingdutchy33 it would be for an existing pleco tank I have in my shrimp room. It would fit in the gap I have nicely.
Had this filter, pimped of course. Worked okay for about a month, cleaning regime weekly then began filling with air so the water stopped flowing. No amount of the priming cured it, worked for about an hour before flow dried up again.
It's now in the bin.
I had this filter and I absolutely loved it. The baskets can be a bit tricky to separate, but other than that, 10/10
Eu estava em dúvidas sobre comprar esse filtro e vendo este vídeo definitivamente comprei um...
I have just got this type of filter today and pimped it up the same way as you and it i a brilliant filter. the foams i used was a very coarse foam, to a normal coarse foam, to medium and fine foam. did same as you did in the video except i don't have a foam on the inlet pipe. the same media is used that has been cycled and i would recommend to people. the noise of the filter is quieter than my air pump lol .
Thanks for showing this filter, I have seen this filter on pond supplies awhile ago but I thought for the price they must be useless. After watching this video I ordered 2, as I am building a fish room for breeding and this filter will do the job for me. Keep up the good work on filters your Chanel is excellent.can you do a video on starting a RUclips channel as my fishhouse should be ready by 2nd week of September, and I would like to start a channel.
I've just set up on of these on my 29 gallon goldfish tank. It seems to be running OK but it keeps making a clicking sound.
excellent video. I was telling you through my screen that you needed a sponge on that intake...HAHA, glad you added it!
Hey got mine pimped and running yesterday , still some trapped air running quite loud but overall im very impressed 🙏🌈💚🦐🏴
Good one, if you rock the filter back and forth the air will be released.
@@pondguru I'm sure someone wrote a song about that 🤔
You are right when you say it a successful series !! Another awesome pimp my filter video today Richard !! If you ever get back in to refurbing ponds or pond filters I offer my humble pond as your experiment......🤣🤣🤣👍🎥🙏
I am working 7 days a week online with the filter media sales so have no plans to come out of pond building retirement. However the guy who works for me does all sorts of work in gardens and lives in Prudhoe.
"cant smeg won't smeg"
...I´m a big fan of a Red Dwarf, so I like to hear this word :D greetings from Czech rep. you little tetchy :P
When is the next mega filter video coming out for your pond (lake)
I am editing it now but I'm missing bits of footage. I've got so many video shot and unedited that my 1TB computer is almost full, lol
The missing bits will be on memory cards somewhere or out of sight on the computer - if I can't find them in next few days I'll just re-shoot bits.
@@pondguru thank you for taking the time to reply. Don't get me wrong I enjoy your pimp my filter vids but the epic lake filter is the daddy. Get my hopes up every time i get a notification saying you have up loaded a vid haha. All the best mate
@@robertwilson1239 Yeah, sorry man I will try and pull another episode together very soon.
I'm also looking forward to the next one of these! My Mrs grandfather has a huge koi pond in their garden. I shall be trying to use that series to let me build him something similar!
Will this fit on a 30cm high tank?
Will Seachem Matrix be a good alternative media for the biogravels? This particular biogravels you use in this video aren't availably sold here where I live. Or can you recommend other alternative medias?
I used ehime substrat pro in mine you could use matrix but it’s no where near as pours as ehime or bio gravel
Great video - quick question. this is my first external filter and I set it up with the enclosed fine pads in every tray, topped weith bioballs and ceramic blocks. Is that OK or is it overkill? After a week or so, the tank is lovely ancf clear so I guess it's working as it is!
If that is working for you then it is all good.
As long as you have a 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and 0 Nitrate after 4-6 months of setting up the filter then you've done it perfectly.
As long as you avoid using the likes of seachem prime which promises to detoxify / bind / remove ammonia, nitrite and nitrate which blatantly starves the bacteria you'll be OK - I always recommend a normal conditioner which just makes the water safe for life, e.g. API stress coat.
OMG, not the "SMEG" lolol. I'm so stealing that! That's awesome mate, well done. Too bad it would cost more to ship to Canada than its actual worth or I'd order a couple of them from you. Cheers Richard!
Unfortunately the links I put in video description were for ebay.com and I think that may only be for the US?
However I'm sure there will be an equivalent somewhere in CA
Great idea but getting fed up with priming them ,can't seem to get them going after water changes, giving them another week
It can be a bummer trying to prime the pump but I found that rocking the filter back and forth and tilting it up and down allowed any trapped air to quickly be expelled.
My filter arrived today and I set it up with cycled alfafrog I will be replacing with biogravel but have to wait till payday then I’ll be swapping them tray by tray. Can’t wait for it to be fully done
Updates?
@@tanujchaudhuri799 been working great. Barely ever have to service the filter. Incredibly quiet it’s on an 80litre tank and It’s already starting to drop the nitrates
@@ratdrayton
I read a lot of complaints about priming, especially of air bubbles...
Any comments?
@@tanujchaudhuri799 i generally just fill it with tank water before putting the top on. Then turn the outlet down it flushes any air bubble out within an hour. No real problem with it
@@ratdrayton
Ohh okay.
Thanks.
Awesome video yet again, helped when I first started with my all pond solutions ef1000 and same again I've just bought this very filter knowing that I could apply your same technique of cramming it with media. I was wondering though, if I wanted to reduce the flow for a fighter fish tank could I just add an layer of medium foam in place of a tray of media. Would still leave me 3 trays of media with a low stocked tank. Can you possibly share your special calculations with us?
this model also called sunsun HBL-803. it is very quiet. i used for one month on my 80L tank. happy about it.
Hi, if i were to use this for a shrimp tank, with soe Chili Rasboras in, could I substitute one of the coarser pads for a fine pad to collect more finer sediment?
If you needed to, yes. There is no fixed way to set up any filter.
Great video and what value. Always had internals for my 80litre but hated the sight of them. Away to purchase this and get it fully pimped. Cant believe the price !!! Cheers Richard...
No worries and yes, the price they are currently is mad.
@@pondguru Hi Richard, i am looking to add carbon to this filter. What tray would it be best added to ?
@@ianscott1812 Ideally it would go in the bottom tray as that is what water hits last before leaving the filter.
Could anyone please tell me the depth of the canister outside the aquarium (or wall clearance)? All details online say the filter is 190mm deep, but not sure if this is inlet/outlet to rear of canister or not. TIA
I'm just waiting on mine being delivered for my small marine aquarium
And good to see a British video lol
At the moment I'm running a Hidom 400 which is 4 watts with 5 hollow ceramic balls and filler pad
👍
Groovy - if that is working for you then all is good.
Bought this filter on your recommendation and it's brilliant. About to buy a second one! What can I use as replacement filter foam (the thin white one)?
In these videos I just use what I sell on my FilterPro website since that is what I have available and I only stock media, foams and other products that are 100% the best and work toward making a filter the most efficient it can be.
There is no point stocking or selling crap.
Excellent hang on canister filter love mine u can put what ever media. 5 trays I stuff mine with bio max. Filter floss .and more courses foam EXELLWAER CLARITY
Hello. I have bought a HBL-803 filter and I don't know the order of placement of the materials. Does the mechanical filtration (perlon, sponge, etc) have to be placed below or above near the water inlet and outlet? Thanks.
Just taken delivery of this filter + some of your marvellous BioHome filter media.
The helpful little info sheet you sent with it has a note about not using it with a water conditioner that claims to neutralise ammonia, nitrates and nitrites, well crud that's exactly what my Seachem Prime bottle claims to do.
Can you recommend any suitable water conditioners that I could grab?
The tanks already set up and mature so I'll get the filter running alongside my current one and order a new conditioner in time for the next water change.
(also, nicely packaged, very secure and safe from moisture etc, 10/10)
I'm glad it arrived in good shape as I pride myself on the quality of packaging.
With regard to the seachem prime it's something I regard as a 'Trojan Horse Treatment' and I've made a video on that exact subject.
In one of the recent posts to the 'community' tab on my channel there was loads of reports from people extolling the results they've had when using the Biohome media and many of them mention that the good results only came when they switched conditioners - it is that important.
Whenever you have something holding back the bacteria you end up relying on chemicals to keep the water right and there is only one beneficiary there (not the person who owns the tank).
The vast majority of conditioners will simply make the water safe for life and not mess with the 'food' bacteria need. I always recommend API Stress Coat since I've never had any reports of problems when people use that one.
Seachem prime is the definition of a Trojan Horse treatment as the damage it does makes most people stress out about the water condition, visit their local fish shop then walk out with at least one more seachem product (normally 'stability').
It's a very pharmaceutical business template which I can't support.
Sorry, forgot to put the link to that recent post on my channel, lol: ruclips.net/channel/UCMK3tSLPaPHQH-wCm-e2Z8Qcommunity?lb=UgkxFdgRRt6GxA1o3ffDzsF5dbOaB5xAuoFX
@@pondguru spectacularly helpful as always.
Do you reckon I'll need to fully change the water to get all the Seachem out of the system (50% changes over a few days)
I'll dash out before closing today to see if our little local shop has API, but I've got a feeling they only stock Tetra products.
Also, let me know the best place to leave reviews.
You've always been a helpful chap, met you a few years back when I was living Tyneside, so just know that you're appreciated@@pondguru
@@RotGoblin The Tetra Aquasafe is no problem as it's a simple dechlorinator so that would be a decent choice. Most places will stock API as they're a long established company and have a good reputation.
With regard to reviews I think I have that option on my FilterPro website but only for orders coming through that site. If bought through ebay there is a feedback option and currently that is a solid 100% with great comments.
I don't really court reviews from people as I think that they will only leave a review if they're very happy or very disgruntled and I try not to make anyone disgruntled, lol
tip, if u notice this filter continuously blasting out air bubbles bursts. check you flow valves. the intake one it sucking air. the orings thet use done seal.. i silconed mine in full open position as most people wont want this filter flowing less.
The water on mine was coming out from the outlet but now its not. Its full of water so I don't understand whats wrong
Hi, mine is very noisy from the begining of using it (1 day) how i can make it quieter?
Nice vid. Wonder how i can set one up on my tank that has 10cm interior braces ,will the duck nozzle pump water over it?
i just bought this exact same filter.i will add my 2 bobs worth in a few weeks time to say how it performs.
I have a question -- why not biogravel even for big containers? Even in that case, it would provide a better fill ratio. Albeit not said explicitly, it seems the biohome media are preferred?
You should be able to put a sponge filter on the intake, which you did, this increases maintenance intervalls and could allow for even more awesome Biohome gravel.
Great Video! :)
He did
@@hakman239 yes you are right!
Have a nice weekend :)
Cool rock on the sides, how is that done?
im now running 3 of these on my 55 gallon tank.. they work great. 2 of them equal the flow of what my marineland c220 did. and they hold as much bio as 2 trays of the c220 did. . 3 total are only 18 watts pf electricity.. plus no slime and algea infested canister tubes. in 2 one tray is fliter padding the other 4 is bio media.. and the 3rd one 3 trays bio, one filter pad and one charcoal..
Being a big fan of yours since I entered the fish community when you were working in a fish shop. I was running my canister filter with your biohome ultimate but due to circumstances I've gone to a 55 l aquarium. I've set the exact same canister filter up with the same media as you. I was only able to afford enough biohome gravel for 3 trays . My question is I have 10 neon tetras another 10 fish that are orange with black on a bamboo shrimp. And quite a few assassin snails the pet shop says that I'm allowed 27 points with this aquarium but with the stock I've got will I get a full cycle
(my other channel) I can't see what weight of media you have or the name of the filter in your message so without that critical information the question is impossible to answer. If it's a standard design canister filter I'm assuming that it holds at least 500g of media per tray so 3 trays should be around 1.5kg which is easily enough for a 55 litre tank even if it is heavily stocked.
I'm assuming that the fish described as being 'orange with black' are maybe tiger barbs or some sort of rasbora?
Feel free to send me relevant details to sales@filterpro.co.uk or just phone me on 07772848730 as it's way quicker than fannying about with RUclips messages - I don't see most of the messages unfortunately.
Hi. I like using hob filters on my few tanks so when I saw this video i sat up and paid attention. Although not strictly a hob but a cannistwe I was impressed with the amount of filter material it holds and how cheap it is.Anyway I bought one and filled it with 1 litre of seachem de-nitrate. After a month the water is crystal clear and there is pearling on the plants which I think is soluble nitrogen has converted from nitrates. The algea has also reduced. The only negative is how the box is clipped to the top. It would have been much better for the clips to be on the side so the box can be dropped leaving the pump and tubes on the tank.
That said I've ordered a second box.
Love your videos by the way keep up the good work.
This item sells here as Sunsun 803 hob.
Is there a problem that by filling your filter with bio balls or similar products that the weight of it could have an effect on the seal of the filter and cause air entering the unit thus stopping the water flow.?
Hi Richard have you ever looked at the ocean free hydra internal filters be good to here your thoughts
Yep they are very interesting these filters Richard.
Bought this filter would it be ok hung on end of fish tank as no room at rear of tank
Could the pump motor be slightly upgraded for better flow since it's air/water tight seal, so it can both push flow and have the trickle bar simultaneously?
Great Video to Boost the Efficiency of the filter. I have set this up as per your suggestion, just used white Pumice instead of Sintered Glass and its working efficiently from last 3+ years on my 100ltr 2.5ft planted tank. Its Named Sunsun HBL-803 in India. Thanks.
Nice one - thanks for the report. This is a really good filter and the price is amazing for what it is.
@@pondguru True. I agree. Thanks.
I know this is an old video but hopefully might get a response from someone. I have a 25cm tall tank that i wanted to put this on would it work? I get that i could just sit it behind the tank, however, can the outlet be lowered?
Hi Richard, just brought one of these and put same media as you, I managed to get all air bubbles out but getting a rattling noise, sounds like the gravel not to sure, is it anything to worry about and is there a way to stop it? Appreciate your feedback.
I'm having the same issue, and believe it must be the bio gravel. Thinking of removing some gravel and adding thin foam (course or medium) on top of each tray... but reluctant to loose the gravel...
Also not sure if it would effect the performance?
Hi I bought one three weeks ago I run mine with a canister filter as well it doin a great job so far think it’s one of the best I have tried
Yes I was very impressed with this filter and for the price it will take some beating.
Great video, I have one of these filters. Can you tell me the best place to put a 100ml bag of purigen....top or bottom tray? Thanks.
I can't find this for sale anymore.
Could you put charcoal or other chem media in the bottom tray, depending on size of tank? I mean for a 25 gal aquarium, the charcoal or chem in bottom tray would help for any smell or if you medicated your fish for wom reason?
There shouldn't be any smell in a system which is properly filtered with a suitably sized and correctly set up filter but there is no problem using charcoal / carbon in bottom tray. That would be the place to use it since the bottom tray is last one water hits before leaving the filter. Avoid using any chemical treatments which claim to reduce / bind / detoxify ammonia, nitrite and nitrate as they tend to starve the bacteria and greatly reduce the filter ability to process pollutants.
so for me it took a long time to get the air out. after about 3 hours it made loud noises again because it was full of air again. and that with 2 devices! sent them all back ... :o(
hi good video i have got one in the top basket where the pump sits could you not put in pre filter nodes fluval sell them instead of using form or is it better with form i how much will it cost me to fill the baskets with bio gravel from you
I've been running this filter for about a month now. It's has a lot of space for bio media and has a good flow rate, however I find it almost impossible to remove all the air inside, even when i have manged to remove the air it doesn't take long for it to return, i'm going to try out their 600 HOB instead.
Hi, I’ve had this filter for a day 😅 having the same issue. Were you able to find a solution?
Acquired two Sun Sun HBL-803 and set them up on a 60L/15USG tank with medium foam and fine pad, a stainless steel filter guard on the intake
( personal preference ) and 1,2kg = 2.65lbs biogravel.
The filter has a tendency to draw in air over the connection of the intake pipe but with some proper tightening this can be eliminated and it will run quietly without any air issue's. Prevent air from entering the intake pipe caused by splashing or an airstone.. or the pump will stall, run dry and might fail.
Only difference I have noticed between the APS and Sun Sun version are the clips and there size. The APS got the long version and the Sun Sun the short, making it suitable for rimless tanks only. Something to keep in mind when ordering.. Maybe Sun Sun got the long versions too depending on the region they are sold. US market maybe?
The filter is running for four months now and it should be at a stage were it is ready for the full cycle. Bought myself a JBL pro-aqua test lab. Happy to share my testsetup and results in the near future. I will compare it with regular or an alternative cheap media (any suggestions for my test are most welcome)
Great filter that does the job it is designed for, very well.
I think compared to the recently released Sun Sun XBL series, this version is still king due to it´s biomedia capacity and internal setup. This filtersetup with the looks of the XBL series would be awesome if you care for esthetics.
Cheap to run, easy to clean and a good waterflow with my current setup.
Happiness factor 9 filter
Nice one - thanks for the description of your set up.
Yes it would be great to hear how the water tests leading up to 6 months or so as that's when the filter should be fully mature.
Hopefully you're not using a water conditioner which will starve the bacteria (e.g. prime) otherwise you'll be unlikely to see the full cycle develop due to the bacteria being on a starvation diet and very low in numbers.
A normal conditioner which does not claim to remove / detoxify or lock ammonia, nitrite and nitrate will be fine.
@@pondguru I will post (email) my test setup and results (in excel) with proof. I do not use any water conditioner since the tap water in the Netherlands does not contain any harmful additives. I am looking forward to the test! I think a 6 months test period starting at 4 months after first start will do?
@@CircularDesign That sounds good to me and I look forward to the results. My email is sales@filterpro.co.uk
Will this be too much for a 30L heavily planted tank?
i like how it comes with a UK 3 pin plug. Singapore uses the same standards but for some reason almost all fish equipment come with USA 2 flat-pin plugs or those 2 round-pin plugs.
so always end up either using adapters or chopping the end off to use my own 3pin plugs.
BTW Bio-home gravel is hard to find in singapore. i wonder when will local shops start bringing those in
It should be available from Rein Biotec as they import all types of biohome as far as I know.
@@pondguru as of now, they only list Bio-home motion and the variants of rod shaped .
well, i might contact them directly in the next week or so after i'm done building my sump. i intend to get a kilo of Bio home and using it in a Booster canister after the sump/pump before the spray bar. a kilo for 120 liters is less than for a full cycle.
but i'm sure my duckweed refugium idea might help and that i have 2kilos of basic ceramic rings to do the first half of cycle.
Anyone know where you can get replacement fine filter foam for this? Only place ive seen is APS site but they charge mad money for delivery to Ireland
the problem with this is when power goes off it stops pumping... am i doing something wrong or is there a solution to this problem?
@Pondguru
can you do EDEN 501 review and pimpin. Can you show if HOB500 can be sitting on table behind aquarium and be connected to aquarium with soft rubber hoses. For aquarium where you cant hang filter on aquarium
I'll order the SunSun HBL 802 and 803. I want to replace an internal filter, but I can't use a normal external filter because I can't lead the hoses down. I can't drill holes. But I have a little space behind the tank which will be (hopfully) enough for this filter.
These filters are in germany even cheaper. They cost less then 20€
Where did you find it at that price? Was about to order one from hongkong but from germany would be quicker (and apparently cheaper!).
@@S0K0N0MI found them on eBay.
@@burlisaquarien7568 Oh I didn't think about ebay.de, I usually try ebay.com, thanks!
One last question; I have exactly 11cm of room between tank and wall, would that fit the 802 version?
I'ts kind of an important measurement, but none of the sellers mention how much space it needs.
I need to make sure before I spend money on it. :')
@@burlisaquarien7568 Hmm, looked at ebay.de and they only offered the sunsun 802 from china. :(
Just had a good thought with this. Your could use it as a very easy access pre filter that hides behind the tanks and then just use your canister filter to draw the water through it. Would make for really easy cleaning. What you think?
This was a very useful review. I have one on its way to me and have some media waiting to go into it. But seeing this review, I might not have prepared enough.
Just brought this, labelled as a SunSun filter, just about to fit it, fingers crossed 🤞
Good one - hopefully you got the biggest model since they also do one which is smaller than the filter in this video.
That looks like a great filter for the smaller tanks, impressed
In which tray would you suggest to place Purigen in.
Where about would you add seachem Purigen in this filter please? I have bad tannins in my water and would like to add 100ml bag to the filter? Thanks in advance
That would be in the last tray at the bottom before the water is returned to the tank. I had asked similar about carbon & Richard gave me this answer 👍
Can you do a Penn Plax Cascade 1000 (or any of the similar ones) Filter Upgrade?
Honsetly the best thoughtout filter design in my opinion, no annoying hoses, quiet and space efficient. The flow control is awesome incase you just wanna use it as a nitrate removing reactor. Instead of using a sponge for the intake strainer that clogs all the time, you can use a metal mesh intake strainer although its really hard to find and you tend to need to play around with it to make it work, even better you can just use silk socks (for babies if you can find) to cover the intake strainer and use clip ties to hold it on, my mollies keep eating from it and it stops fry from being sucked in and doesn't get cloged.
Yes a greatly reduced flow would work very well as a nitrate reactor especially with the porous media so that's definitely an added bonus.
hi, i like this filter but i cannot hang it on the outside, can i put it as it is in the inside of the aquarium as an internal filter?
Oh please do not do that!
would 2 of these work for a 55g tank? .vs say one marineland c220 canister?