HOB Filter: Black or White?

[BenB]

In an effort to help with my algae issues @Mr.Shenanagins suggested I give my Oase HOB filter a good cleaning.
I finally got around to it today. WTH? There was a measurable thickness of gunk on the sides, and no amount of squeezing the sponge stopped the black from gushing out.

The filter is white and already glaringly sticks out, but when it gets algae on the white lip that hangs down into the water, it looks even worse. I had decided to get a black one that wouldn't show. However, today's cleaning made me think, with black, I won't be able to see where I've cleaned and where I haven't.

I've kind of already decided what I want to do, but I thought this might be an interesting discussion topic to help Art keep people engaged. So is this a thing or not? Do I A. deal with an obtrusive white filter which shows me where I haven't cleaned thereby hopefully helping to keep algae in check, or B. do I get black so my tank doesn't have this distracting lip hanging down into the water and risk algae issues by leaving too much filter gunk? Or C, is this really a thing and I've over analyzed it.

 

[Phish Tank]

Black will look better, maybe add cleaning the filter lip to your regular maintenance tasks?

 

[BenB]

Black will look better, maybe add cleaning the filter lip to your regular maintenance tasks?

I had been trying to keep that clean. Algae grows fast though. It was the inside though that literally had like 1/16 - 1/8 inch of gunk growing.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

IMO, if you are going to get a new filter for an injected tank with a lot of plant mass, go for a canister style.

What you’ve described is a classic issue the cartridge type filters experience. They just fail to adequately and efficiently filter tanks with high bioload. They clog up so quickly and make maintenance a nightmare as you are experiencing. IMO they are better suited for smaller tanks and ones that are not heavily stocked, to include plants and/or fish. I am by no means saying it can’t be done, it can, but you are going to be working real hard to keep it clean and working the way it should.