I have the Aquaclear and have never had a problem except the propeller stopped once. It was very easy to clean and get it running again. Also, the power has flickered and the filter stayed primed. The water is always clear too.
My AC 30 for my Axolotl tank has been absolutely wonderful, quiet, never stopped running and keeps my tank nice and clean. I added an intake sponge and that is it.
I love how you start the video and tell people to have some respect. It’s literally that simple. 🙌🏻 I love your channel bro! I just ordered myself a Tidal110 with a bunch of help from your channel!
When I go out of town I leave a skewer out for my fish sitter to reset the aquaclear if they find it off. Take off the lid, slide the tube to the low flow position, and flick the impeller with the wood skewer through the now uncovered hole. The aquaclear will also lose prime if it stops and the water level in the tank is below the gray plastic part above the motor. I found if I pour a cup of tank water into the filter while the tube is set in the low flow position it often will suck out all the air after a few seconds to a minute depending on the head required. Low flow mode seems to have increased pressure.
I'm a big fan of the Marineland Penguin series. I use the 350 and the single compartments on several of my tanks. They have always been reliable and at great prices. I do use aquaclear reusable sponges instead of the marineland cartridges. I have a penguin 330 that's 20 years old. Still runs today.
I prefer Aquaclears and have never had any of the problems you were talking about. My lid fits pretty snug and I've never had any noise out of it. I've also never had the filter stop due to power outages or not restart after unplugging it. Mine have always kept my tanks clear and clean.
I have 8 Aquaclear HOBs on several tanks and I think they are great. I have 50s, 70s and 110s running on my overstocked cichlid tanks. Some are several years old. I'll admit the lids on the 70s and 110s don't fit snuggly but they also don't move around or rattle. I think the media basket makes pulling everything out very easy. I did have an issue with one of the 110s not coming back on after a power outage and after unplugging for a water change. So, I just stopped unplugging them. I know the manufacturer says not to do this but I've been doing it for years without a single problem. The impeller is mounted magnetically and will spin freely whether water is in there or not. I would even argue that the motor has to work harder when the impeller is submerged. I've monitored the motor temp when "running dry" and it's no different than when the water is flowing.
@@robpshannonjr People say that AquaClears don't prime up after a power outage, but I heard this isn't true? My AquaClear will start right back up as long as the water level is above the pump.
U get the same filtration space and fog for a fraction of price with marinland and it’s a proven filter and so is the ac but there’s no argument u get just as much for way less
I've used AquaClear for 30 years all sizes it worked great water crystal clear. Keep the tank filled up and restarting it won't be an issue. Large media box is an added bonus you can put away or cauliflower and purigen in.
Use both a marineland penguin 400 on my 60 gallon marineland tank and an aqua clear 50 on my 29 gallon and both are equally good hobs ... like them both. Have a 110 new in the box just in case.
I just bought 2 Penguins 1 for a 30 gallon the second for a 20 gallon they are both loud this is the 4th filter I’ve tried in 3 weeks why can I not have a quiet filter? Lol
I’ve had a aquaclear 70 for years and has never failed me. I change out the media for bio and a sponge and find it easy to clean. In truth I’ve never used a 350
I'm in the slow process of changing over my ML's to AQ's. I like the media setup better. Also not having to deal with the spray bars getting clogged and having to clean them with an icepick will be nice!!
I tend to prefer the aquaclear.. Minus how deep they are But at the same time. I don't enjoy seeing a 14" long filter either I have a couple aquaclears that are at least.. 7 8years old.. I keep those as backups Current used ones are pushing 2yrs Only real issue I have is.. The water can VERY EASILY overfill the filter box and soaks your floor Only time I experienced the "dry starting" is when water did drop below the tube..with a longer extension I avoid all that. (I use clear Hose.. Or another intake tube etc)
I have aquaclear on 2 of my tanks and you are right about the lids and when power goes out. For my other 2 tanks I have the Tidal 110 and absolutely love them. No problem with noise or when power goes out. Also it has a little pop up that lets you know when it needs to be cleaned. Very easy to set up. Large space for media and very easy to clean.
AquaClear filter all the way it's an absolute Brute. they can also hold multiple types of filtration media. I believe the smallest AquaClear filter made for 10 gallon aquariums pumps a hundred gallons per hour. I also use AquaClear filters with sponge filters of course in my 30 gallon tank they keep it crystal clear with perfect parameters. Also has adjustable water flow. But I do recommend an intake sponge for larger debris particles.
I have been using an aqua clear 70 for about 8 Months and I’ve had no problems. It’s a great filter, and even though the basket may be smaller than the marineland, it’s more customizable IMO. I love the look of the aqua clear as-well...the marineland is just a little too bulky. Aqua clear all the way!
THe wet dry bio wheel is incredible there is more oxygen out of water then in water. They dont stop spinning if you take care of them ive used them for years and they slow down which is good but wont stop spinning
I have an aquaclear 50 and iv notice it dosent restart when the water drops and its unplugged and plugged back in. However iv learned if theres water in the filter and you trun the flow rate all the way down it will restart on its own.
Never used Marineland but i do use an Aquaclear 50 in my 20 long and i love it. Great filter. No issues and works amazing. Never had the issue with it restarting. I just make sure to fill the filter up full of water before i plug back in and starts up right away everytime.
I have used the marineland brand. I like it, I think the thing that attracted me to it was the thing people hate the most ... the wheel!. I think it looks cool , kinda of futuristic. I got the old model 200 then i saw the pro series . Should have waited but only got it for 25 vs 50 something.
I've had 4 different Aquaclear units now(two 110s, a 70 and a 30) and I've never had an issue with mine but starting back up, even after a power outage for a few hours. Granted I keep my tanks topped pretty high up, and after cleaning mine they've always started back up soon as I've primed them Love my two 110s on my 110 gallon tall tank, keeps things very clear!
never had a problem with restarting. However, as I restart the filter, I pour water into the filter box with a pitcher until it's full and until it has completely siphoned through the air in the intake tube. Works every time for me.
Great video and you make several valid points. Here is my opinion...(remember you asked for it!) LOL!!! I like the plastic that the ML is made of. It is much more durable than the brittle AQ plastic. I understand that the ML has slightly more room for media but the AQ has more USEABLE space as it is much wider and easier to add/remove media bags. Both are very quiet but the ML is louder (using a meter) when the bio wheels are spinning (that's rare though LOL!). The AQ can rattle like crazy if you don't load the media properly and it floats up. With experience this becomes a non issue. As for reliability the ML will usually re-start after a power outage but the AQ will rarely re-start. Lets talk footprint. The AQ is wider (front to back) and the ML is much wider side to side...toss up. Overall IMO neither is worth a toot for a heavily stocked aquarium or any aquarium with valuable inhabitants. I don't recommend either one for anything more than an "add on" filter to maybe boost your primary method of filtration. This also applies to the Tidal line of filters from Seachem. They would be darn near perfect if not for the stupid top intake. IMO if you have a tank of 20 gallons or less use a sponge filter. If appearance is an issue use a corner Matten. In either case if you have so much particulate matter that neither a traditional sponge filter or a corner Matten can clear the tank you have have issues with your maintenance routine or husbandry practices. From 20 up to 75 or so gallons use a PROPERLY set up canister. IMO anything over 75 gallons is worth investing in a sump. I personally own and have used all filters mentioned here and the vast majority of HOBS available both currently and over the last 40 years. All of the above is my opinion and sorry if anyone is offended but I am old, cranky, and don't care. Have a great day internet!
Yeah you definitely don’t have take the motor apart to restart the Aqua clear, Just stick you finger in there and give the propeller a poke and it will startup. It is kind of a pain. I’ve had a Aqua clear for 8 years with no problems, it’s outlasted 2 penguins.
I was a diehard Marineland filter advocate, years ago. The plastic was better and there was a window to see if the bio wheels were turning. I have broken parts on my newer filters. Whereas my old filters are still intact. My aquaclear filters are awesome. I use a prefilter, which gets cleaned weekly, so no more 'popup' issues. I do agree that they don't restart all the time. For that issue I just stick my finger down by the propeller to give it a 'kickstart'. I have redundant filtration and heating in my tanks, so rarely do I have a system calamity.
I haven't had any of the issues you have had with the aquaclear. It could be down to the fact that I use a pre-filter sponge, have less stocking, and always refill the media compartment with water after a water change to make sure it will restart. I think overall it's a solid option for a hang on back filter and aside from the visual clutter of a HOB it has been my favorite filter out of the 5 I have used
Let me say, I’ve had a Aqua Clear since 1997 that I bought with my first tank. I’ve only put one o-ring and replaced the impeller once on it. I’ve also had 3 Emperor 350’s in even less time. I think I bought my first Emperor in like 2002-2004. What you say is true with start up with the Aqua Clear but I have a wooden kabob I use to kick start the impeller. Just turn the adjustment flow to the slow side and you can reach the impeller and get it going again in like two seconds. I use sponges on my intakes and I did have issues with the Emperor restarting just as often as the AquaClear with that type of setup. It’s true the Emperor does have more compartment space but even with a heavily stocked tank it’s still more than enough room to do the job with the AquaClear. Plus I don’t get the whole “my water is clearer than yours” crap. How many times have you seen a lake or river that is crystal clear? Hardly ever. Maybe 1% of those bodies of water are that clear. I don’t want my tank to be crystal clear. Sure I want my glass to be clean but there is something wrong somewhere if your water is as clear as glass. Especially if you have live plants. With the AquaClear the water has to flow though pretty much all the levels. I think the Emperor it can bypass some of the media. I think AquaClear filters the water more thoroughly. I totally agree the biowheels are a waste and not needed at least for the experienced aquarist. Interestingly enough I have that same AquaClear and now a new Marineland Pro 275 on my 55 gal. I’m not totally happy with the Marineland 275 but it is quite but the control valve hardly works and the bio wheel don’t spin (that’s to be expected) but it does move water so that’s a plus.
In all honesty I've never had a marine land filter. But my Aquarclear filters are great. I have a 110 on my 55 and a 70 on my 29. I use a power strips on each of my tanks. When I change water I also change my filter pads. I use poly bio filter pads with marine pure in my filters they work great together. First I turn off my power strip for a couple of hours to let the waste settle to bottom. Then I vacuum and clean my tank. As I refill my tank I prime my filter. Then I turn the power strip back on. I have no problem doing it this way.
Palmer aquatics your channel is awesome and in two weeks I am gonna get back into fish I'm running both of your favourite filters, emperor 400 and a sponge filter and I modded the 400 expect a vid soon!
I have these two filters. My AC always restarts and runs very quite. My ML350 needs help with the restart. The intake tube must be pulled up and set back in with great care. But I still like the ML350 more. I toke the advice of this channel and use bulk filter pads. I put a coarse pad in the rear and a 100 micron pad in front of it. The amount of beneficial bacteria that grows in between these pads is insane. I just rinse the pads in tank water and put them back in. Just do one side on week one and the other the next week, never both sides on the same week.
I have the Aquaclear 70 on my (fresh water) 54gallon corner tank and I’ve never had any of the issues that you’ve mentioned. If the tube isn’t perfectly lined up with the pump intake you may not get it to start up on its own. I am always amazed at how quickly the Aquaclear will clear my tank once I change the sponges/media. I only clean my tank, filter and 50% water change about once a month (I know it should be more often). I only have about 7 large goldfish and an 8” koi in the tank. They seem to be very resilient. Anyway, I wanted to share my experience with the Aquaclear 70 filter. I am very pleased with its performance. Thanks for your videos... They’re very helpful and informative.
I like both filters for their own uniqueness, but the biowheels were always my favorite as a kid because of the wheel, even though the wheel would stop after several months and need some maintenance. Probably also because the biowheels were on most of the tanks in my local fish store waaayy back when. Fish always seemed to do great in those tanks, even over-stocked. I do remember the aquaclears needing to be re-primed after almost every power outage or low water issue, and yeah it's a hassle, but they have been built well, but the re-priming is a pain. The Bio-wheel filters are great prices these days, nearly half what they were back in the 90s also making them a good choice these days. Back in 2015 I purchased 2 of them and an Emperor 400 on Amzn for under $70, that would have been unheard of in 1996.
I've used Whisper back filters for over 10yrs, my favorite is the dual bay filter. Hard to find them today but they work great for most 40 gal, tanks or larger.
I've used two (2) AquaClear 70's on my 55 for 20 years and never had a problem. In fact, BOTH ARE THE ORIGINAL filters I purchased. I only ever had to buy a temporary replacement because I dropped one and had to patch the corner, now keeping it at a backup. I also have not had a problem with it not re-siphoning after a power outage because I keep my tank topped off and the filter media properly cleaned. I even use pre-filter sponges. When I set up my 10 QT that was my go-to mini filter and just prefer the product. I find them easy to maintain with my various media jam-packed. I also do not overstock my tank to maintain my fish health and my sanity.
I have 2 aqua clear 110 on the back of my 65 gallon. And I have a 110 on the back of my 37 gallon. I absolutely love aqua clear. Easy to clean...no noise..the basket makes cleaning a breeze. You just unplug it first...then remove the basket with the media...clean it....place back into filter unit...prime it..plug up...done.
Tina Blum...hello and thanks for sharing. I own 3 aquaclear filters. Unless i am doing my bi-monthly impeller cleaning, i never turn off the power. You can keep the filter running and simply take out the filter media basket. I love this filters. No noise and they do an awesome job keeping my tanks clean. As long as i keep the impeller clean, i have no issue with them shutting of or powering back on Thanks
Never heard of an Aquclear stopping with the power on. In my experience they have stood the test of time better than any filters I've had. I also add extension tubes to the intake and never lose suction when doing a water a change.
My experience in using Aquaclear has been pretty good. To prime the filter to get it to start after turning it off, just take a cup of water a pour it over the impeller.
@@coreyronson2171 I've got a computer backup battery on my aquarium so if there is a power outtage, my tank is good for several hours. Awesome if you have a shark that needs constant air, almost had a situation when my shark almost died when my battery ran out after almost 6 hours, but managed to get a generator running and put it under my aquaclear 70 filter and it saved it.
@@joshualaurent3016 Nah, only when the water level gets too low in the tank, cuz it will get low in the filter too. Then I would just top off the filter after the tank is full and then turn it on and it would usually just start right back up.
I'm using 3 AquaClear filters right now. I found that anything above the 30 causes issues. I had an AquaClear 50 that would leak water all over my floor. Got rid of it. I also used to have the same issue as you, with the filters not staring up after water changes. I used to have to tab them on the sides to start them up. Drive me nuts. But once I leveled the tanks, and leveled the filters they now start up as normal when I turn the power back on after a water change. That's my tip if your having that issue. Thanks for sharing.
I own a 125 gal tank, and have three different filters, one AC 500 for more than 25 years, one Whisper 60 (W60) for about the same time, and a Marineland 350 (M350) for about 8-10 years. My AC never clogs as much as the other two, and the AC media is better to clean than the other two, that once the media is clogged, you have to replace it, not with the AC. The AC sponge of the AC is very good at filtering and can withstand a lot of rinses. I can not say the same for the other two, and the expenses were high at first, but I got more sponge material to adapt it to the W60 and the M350 . The reason I have the other two instead of more AC is because the AC is a deep wide filter in the back, and could not put it to hang in the back of the tank, there is no space for it, while the other two can be installed in the back. So if I were to move that tank forward, the AC could fit easy, but how you move 1500+ pounds by yourself...... I am planning to buy a second AC, the 110, to substitute the W60 and the M350 and put it in the other side, and check if the quality of the water is at the same level. But that is my experience so far with those filters. But I am also considering to change my filtration to a Wet Dry under the cabinet system, that could give me less maintenance than what I had to do now.
On the aquaclear when you turn it off and it doesn't restart, I just take a chopstick or butter knife and shove it gently down from the top in the hole that has the adjustment part over it and poke it down in there and it starts right up again... just sayin its easier than taking the whole thing apart. move the flow adjuster as far to the right as you can and there is room then on the left to push something down the hole where the pinwheel thingy is then poof it start spinning and you can push the flow adjuster back to your needed position.
i've always used AquaClear. Every filters in my tanks are Aquaclear filters. I've been using all of them for 8 years now, and none of them stopped working (except if you turn off the filter and restart it) or broke. The filter also clears the water really fast. I do not know if yours are defective but mines just clears the water so fast.
I’ve used both. Never had a major issue with either of them, but the bio wheels do seem a little bit gimmicky to me since only a small part of the wheel is in the water at any given moment and the water isn’t even forced thru the biowheel, but only slaps up against it. Maybe the design of putting the wheel in the air lets extra bacteria grow on it to make up the difference, but it would have to be a massive improvement since the AC sponge is the size of like 100 biowheel flaps, and the water goes THRU the sponge instead of just knocking it around. I do seem to recall wrapping a rubber band around the AC to keep the lid from rattling or something, but it wasn’t a major issue.
I love aqua clear and I have 2 70s running in my 75gal koi tank. I also have a aqua clear 50 in a 20 gal tank for my small red ear sliders. I love what you said about making my own filters because it’s way cheaper than the prescribed filter pads. All my filters start right back after changing pads and all I do is fill back up and plug in. It syphons water up and it’s back on. Also I love being able to just pull out filters,sit on towel and take to clean(super simple) then replace. I’m gonna upgrade to a fx4 now because I just was gifted a ft. long pleco and he bumps the tubes in tank knocking them loose. In short I love the Aquaclear and the filter your speaking on may be defected because I have the exact same ones never had those issues. Thanks so much for the great video, Stay Safe!
I owned 3 different penguin 350 and i never had bio wheels stop working, i feel over time they start to spin faster because the bacteria kindof lubricates them. I try to not mess with the biowheels much. Another trick is that if the biowheel is not spinning properly try to switch around the purple notches that the biowheel sits on that has helped me before if the biowheel wasnt spinning as fast as it should. Overall a great filter for the price.
I've had 2 Aquaclear 70 for over 10 years and they are still cranking. I actually bought 2nd one when I had to bring in a Koi from outside pond over the winter and used in 100 gal Rubbermaid where koi spent winter. the 2 Aquaclear did a great job, koi has been back in pond and now I use each filter in 40 gal and 38 gal tanks. I love the flexibility of media I can use and customization.
I've run two Aquaclear 50s on my 70 gal Mbuna tank for two years and have never had a problem restarting. Granted they're a bit noisy when restarting as the water gurgles up the intake tube but they've never failed. And when tank cleaning or water changes, after turning them off, I can always pour some tank water into the filter tank to prime it and it comes back fast. My only irk with Aquaclears is the right side of the lid popping up when the filters get gummed up but IMO, that's a good thing - it's telling me to do my job.
When it comes to HOBs, I’m preferential towards 1.AC(30 on up) 2. Seachem Tidal 110 3. Penguin 350 I’ve used all of them with perpetual success👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾! I will never own another Aqueon 🤮, even if offered for FREE.
I acually have 7 aquaclears filters...99% of the time...they do restart when we have to turn our power off for whatever reason. I have 3 marienlands and have hated them in a short time frame of using them. For multiple reasons from cleaning..to water output..cleaning the tank...etc. just my experience. I am getting ready to set up a new 75 gallon for discus..and am going aquaclear. Plus..with the tubes being clear...I can see the dirt that is trapped in them and I know that they need " touching up". Thanks for sharing. Have a great New Year!
@@reaver6070 You're right. If you're having issues with it not starting (and the filter is clean), I'd change both the impeller, and the shaft. I did that with a 20 and was amazed how worn the old shaft was. You could see how it had worn down.
I could make a Marineland work, but the Aquaclear is such a nice HOB filter. It holds a tone of media, it’s easy to layer the types of media you want to use, and it’s very easy to clean. For what we now know about biology filtration in the fish keeping hobby, there is no need for the bio wheel design. I won’t go as far as saying it does nothing, but close to it. I still keep a HOB on my 110 with my FX6. I like how I can add a bag of media to it (like a bag of active carbon), and easily remove it after a week). I have had 1 Aquaclear stop working on me. It was very easy to get the replacement motor sent to me. When I was only using HOB filters, I found them to be a solid step up over the bio-wheel Marinelands.
I run the aquacleaer 70 in my 55g saltwater tank and have been running it for the past 6 years with only one issue. When it restarts due to cleaning or power outage what have you; I need to physically poke the impeller with the intake tube removed otherwise it won't spin; just like in the video says. Did that a few months after owning; replaced impeller and still same thing. Little annoying but hasn't effected the filter operation. Thing filters amazing and I love how it has a large media compartment is. I don't use the supplied bio media; I use the Fluval ceramic rings and like 2x the amount. I ran a tetra filter, and an aqua culture filter and there is no comparison. Filter is very quiet and unlike video my lid has never lifted from the filter compartment moving upwards. Hands down best HOB filter I've used after 20 years in the aquatic hobby
I have used and own multiple of each . I was a huge Marineland HOB filter fan, I have 4 of each. I would put Aquaclear above Marineland for the simple fact of cleaning out the filters and media. Both are amazing filters but for ease of service I now put Aquaclear in front of Marineland HOB filters. Just my opinion but from experience.
@@badtrekee4348 found a great deal on an aqua clear 110 and thought I'd give it a try. it's moving more water than the marineland. the impeller is quiet, and the adjustable water flow is nice.
I've ran the Biowheel 350, I think it's a good filter. However I've never used the Aqaclear 70, just several 110's. The pump has never stopped working on me. Love the flow they have and versatility of media. I also use it on my saltwater quarantine and hospital tanks. I'll definitely agree about their lids though.
My penguin was very noisy. It rattled right out of the box. Yes, the media was easier to change. The aqua clears took a few more minutes to change. If you have sand substrate, the aqua clears were more subseptable to clogging but quieter and you choose the contents of the media you can use.
I use an aquaclear 500 lol it's the old version of a 110 is almost 20 years old and still running strong. And the design is no different than the new design of the 110 I love it.
Love your videos. I am in this hobby for over 50 years. Only use aquaclear 110 on my salt 60 gallon tank. Main reason salt creep is contained . The marineland emperor has a lot of salt creep. Put silicone gel on the aquaclear impeller shaft. It will restart on its own every time. I do that once every two years. Never have an issue. One water exits the by pass outlet on the aquaclear its time the clean the filter foam.
Interesting. I have operated an AquaClear for 7 years and to date it hasn't exhibited any of the problems you stated you had with yours. I have a heavy bioload in the tank and the water is crystal clear. When I drain 50% of the tank and refill it if I don't change the filter it starts right up. If I change the filter material or clean it all I do is fill the filter with water plug it in and it starts right up. I live in the country and power hits are not uncommon again to date the filter has never had a problem with restarting.
I have been using the emperor 400 filters for over a decade now and I have found that although they are good and moving water and cleaning the aquarium that having to use cartridges and having to continuously replace the propeller along with the inherent noise level of the Marineland Emperor/Penguin filters cost prohibitive. I replaced my Marineland filters with Seachem filters and threw out all the Marineland filters except one with I modified by throwing out the biowheel ( garbage ), putting a piece of foam a 1/2 inch up the spray bar intake and then sealing it off with GE brand silicone ( the foam was to hold the silicone in place ). I then use the Aquaclear foam or a generic ( Petco brand ) foam blocks in the front of the filter backed by the media basket filled with carbon and multiple loose pieces of coarse sponge cut to 1/4 inch on all sides. I only use the Marineland as a backup filter. Every Aquaclear I owned had the same issues you spoke about. I currently only own one and it’s on a hospital/quarantine tank. To solve the problem of the basket Rison I cut up someone half inch tubing into 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch pieces and put them where the course sponge normally would go. Adam placed the course sponge on top of them and a fine sponge on top of that. There seems to have solved the problem on the basket rising...... To solve your issue with your pleco tank I would suggest using a Marineland magnum if you want something off the shelf. This is just my experience and my opinion. I hope it helps someone.
I own both filters and I couldn't agree more with what you've said in this video, Jason. I'd like to add that when Penguin bio wheels stop spinning it gets resolved with you cleaning the media in the baskets, when media starts to clog the water flow decreases causing the wheels not spinning. Greetings from Mexico City, I love your channel!👌
I have always used Aquaclear 70"s. I never had a problem with them not starting. When I do a water change I always have to unplug them because I take out a lot of water. When I'm ready to plug them in, I just fill them with water, plug it in and they start right away. I also never had a problem with them restarting after a power outage either. Maybe you have a faulty one? One thing that I really like about the Aquaclear is that the impellers are interchangeable. I had an Aquaclear 70 on a 20 gallon tank because I wanted more room for media. I purchased an impeller for an Aquaclear 20 and put it in the 70. That reduced the water flow to 200 gallons per hour, and I had crystal clear water.
I just starting using a marineland emperor 400, I purchased a couple at an auction. So far I like the filter, I did replace all of the filter media, and I did not use the biowheel. So far it's doing a good job, and you can't beat the price 20.00 for two of them!
I've owned a couple penguin 350's in the past with no major problems and now I have (2) aquaclear 70's for my 55g tank. One feature I like about the aquaclear 70 is the single waterfall design. My tank now turns 600gph with only (2) waterfalls spaced 24-inches apart instead of (4) waterfalls spaced roughly 4-inches apart if I were to install dual ML penguin 350's. It might not seem like a big deal to some people but I myself prefer to keep surface currents moderately calm.
I’ve used Aqua Clear/Fluval for a while. I love Aqua Clear product quality and reliability. I haven’t had issues with restarting/re-priming with the Aqua Clear. It always started up when the power went out. You have to make sure that the flow control valve is maxed out (another reason I like the Aqua Clear). I do agree with you regarding water quality with the Aqua Clear. I have a 60 gallon tank with a super heavy bio load. I ended up getting a Fluval G3 to supplement the Aqua Clear 70 for the amount of bio load I have. For me, the Aqua Clear hands down is a winner for light to medium stocked tank.
I have a Marineland 150 biowheel (minus the biowheel, since I got it used and can't find new biowheels anywhere to put in it). I run it on a 20gal that's heavy stocked. Works great. I combine it with a sponge filter
I’ve used both. Pros and cons to each. I’m using AC now because I’ve found with two layers of sponge and one bio media my water is perfect. I’ve had two and never had a problem restarting. I think you’ve got a lemon. Cons for ML are the width and the wheel noise. But I think both will do the job.
Ive used marineland penguin 350s for 10 years, one of them is still running, a bit loud but still running strong. Ive used every filter type and none of them last that long. I buy them for 25$ each, you cant beat that. The bio wheels never stopped for me, ive been able to keep them running. I like the aquaclears but they dont last as long.
I prefer the aquaclears personally, this is becasue of adjustable flow rate, quieter, and i have had three marineland filters break on me so i tried out aquaclear and i absolutely love them now
Got a tetra whisper off amazon that didn’t work and when I returned it they gave me $5 gift card for amazon. At that time the penguin 350 was on sale for $21 not a bad filter for $16
Used marineland for a few years. The bio wheel would stop spinning after a while. The most alarming issue was a loud buzzing noise and the filter would stop working. The impeller wasn't damaged and I always kept up with normal maintenance. I liked this filter for awhile but switched to aquaclear and not going back. I put a pre sponge filter on my aquaclear 70, then on the bottom I have a sponge, then a ton of ceramic media. No more cartridges which is also great $$$. Use what works for you when it's all said and done
I have an Aquaclear 20 that's been running for 10 years without issues. I also bought a AC 110 and a AC 50 and they're awesome. Easy to clean, rectangular media holder so you can drop whatever you want in it. I also had a Fluval C4 but it's too complex and holds less media so I prefer the AC.
Fairly new to the hobby about 2 years in and I started with the basic tetra filter that came with my 10 gallon tank it was garbage upgrade to a marine land penguin 100 bio filter it was so great I upgraded my other tank with one great budget filter I just bought a 60 gallon marine land heartland tank and stand ensemble I am currently I. The process of setting it up and have acquired a penguin 350 for that setup which I hope holds up just as well although I will eventually upgrade to a canister filter but I'm not there yet
I found my aqua clear only failed to start if it the stock levels were too high. To fix this you can do the following 1. get a bigger aqua clear. 2. feed less / cleaner food 3. more maintenance.
Ive had the same aquaclear filters for years now and I've never had to clean the motor.. they never shut off.. They always start right back up no issue.. sounds like you have some faulty aquaclear gear.
LOVE aquaclears, they are versatile and mine literally has two of the teeth broke off of the propeller (so it only has four blades instead of six) and the flow is still the same and the motor still is quiet. this thing has a literal broken motor and still working strong💪
Early on with my AquaClear 50, I experienced restart issues... usually after water changes, like you do. The solution: Re-prime the filter. Just take a cup or something of tank water and pour it in to top-off the filter, keeping some ready for the restart after FULLY refilling the tank. As for motor maintenance... mine never needed it! Attaching a sponge filter over the intake kept out the larger particles that typically build-up and clog the impeller, so it was never an issue. Yes, it added a bit of maintenance to the weekly tank service... but it was worth the price of sparing headaches over removal & disassembly of the entire filter, which I now fully clean--minus motor--monthy as a good habit with any filter. Lastly, I'd like to recommend installing an inTank media basket. Doing so has not only made the weekly service if the Poly-Fil floss piece easier, but it's operation mire effective. Combined with the sponge filter over the intake, my heavily stocked 29-gal (2 Parrot Cichlids, 3 Glo-Fish Tetras, 12 Neon Tetras) has been like freshly cleaned glass to look into. And, BTW... the only times my AquaClear rattled was when the intake stem/elbow wasn't set in properly. And the only time the pump made noise was when I tried swapping the impeller with one for a 70. Which is kinda ironic, since I swapped one for a 50 into a 20, and it's been dead-silent. Also, was yours made by Hagen or Fluval? Because since the latter bought-up the former, the construction quality of the AquaClears has slid considerably.
@@PrimeTimeAquatics Since we're being honest, the worst I ever experienced was when the impeller wouldn't turn after restarting. This rarely happened, and usually seemed fault of the motor's recess getting filled with detritus. Running a sponge on the intake helped prevented that. But when it would happen, reaching in with something long and slender lightly "kick" one of the impeller blades got it going again. And it'd keep going... until the next time it occurred after shut-down. P.S.: A dab of petroleum jelly--or silicon lube gel--on the impeller shaft helps prolong the life of it and the impeller, and allows for easier start-up.
I have had a marineland for 14 years. The plastic pieces where the bio-wheels sit just recently wore through. Aside from that I did not have any problems with the filter for 14 years.
I have had both. When I had the Marineland 330 or 350 (Not the Emperor) in my 120 gallon tank with KOI fish it was great in the beginning. It was easy to replace the cartridge but it was expensive. Also the Biowheels would stop and I did NOT like that. I clean the pins that hold it for the biowheel and sometimes it work and most of the time it didn't I never understood why. When they were Made in USA the plastic was nice. When I bought a replacement after 7 years of service and a power outage the other design was very flimsy with the fit and plastic finish since the Marineland was now made in China. Recently I ended up buying the Hagen Aquaclear 110 filter made in Italy and it was nice in the beginning however I did not like how the Aquaclear Like you said the motor never restarts and it is annoying. Another thing is since I have koi and after a month the basket rises up and lifts the cover. I also had a made in France Rena XP3 canister which was a powerhouse however it was messy to clean especially in the winter. Plus the frustration and physical labor to prime and clean for the Rena was a hassle once a month. Unfortunately mines of 12 years of service after maintaining the cord was kink and blew a fuse. I ended up buying another Aquaclear
My favorite filters: sponge filter, undergravel filter, but if it has to be hang on back has to be aquaclear, a great design is a great design. Keep in mind I never ever put the lid on the aquaclear as is quieter I find and nice to see the water!
Literally running them both on my 75 gallon with marbled convicts now 🤣 I like them both differently to be honest, if I was hard pressed to choose one I may have to go with the Aquaclear, but they are both awesome and get the job done.
I like both, I'm currently running both in my tanks. I run my Aquaclear in my planted tank that's housing barbs and firemouth cichlids. And my penguin 310 on is on my Texas cichlid tank. They both are very reliable and perform great.
After further thought I think you are right. I recently started keeping fish again. About 25 years ago I bought an established 30 gallon fish tank and stand from a coworker. I was freaked out because I had to drive 80 miles in an eclipse with this thing and it didn't fit very well. I actually had to leave the rear open somewhat and it was cold that night. By cold I mean 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That is not really that cold in western NC but for fish that like upper 70's it would have been. Luckily they made the ride and once I got them home the water was a mess. I did learn that night how to clean a fish tank and we had no youtube to help us back then. Haha, I feel old at 45! On the back of that tank was a smaller marineland filter and I can't remember the size of that filter. It was small. I went out and bought the marineland penguin 400 with double bio wheels. I had a Ferrari on the back of my tank. Well, to be honest I have 2 marineland 400 and that small one. I think.i was close to 1100 gallons per hour filtration. I do remember very well that the water was always crystal clear. I thought back then that more filtration equals more healthy fish. It worked out very well. I started with 5 fish. A blue channel cat,rainbow shark,raphael cat,yellow gauramu, and I cannot remember the last one. Looking back it was an odd group but they got along great. Then there was the day I came home and looked around and there were only 4 fish. My gaurami was missing. I checked the floor but nope. I noticed the blue channel cat was fat. He was about 9" at that point and I learned that a gaurami is very tasty to a bcc! I have went way off course here but those marineland filter were amazing!! I have started back keeping fish recently and was given a 36 gallon bow front. I wanted that to be my tank to keep in my bedroom. It had an aqua clear on the back. Cloudy water of course when I filled it up and ran it for a few days. I got so tired of it I went and bought an Eheim pro 4 250. My water has started to clear up finally but I left the H.O.B on it until the Eheim has a chance to build up bacteria. I remember seeing that old Marineland 400 a while back somewhere in my garage. The problem is my garage is 40'x50'. I am thinking off using that filter again solo on my bedroom tank. I have a 15'x15' bedroom not in use downstairs at my house to start a fish room. I could try to run an aqua close for a couple months on a tank and maybe the water might clear up by then, lol! Anyway, thanks for the video and I will definitely shoot you some questions as I get back into keeping fish!
I love the aquaclears and have never had any trouble with them I have a 110 on my 36 gallon goldfish tank with 2 goldfish and it does a beautiful job. I put some poly fill in mine and since the water has been crystal clear.
I had a twin wheel penquin, it was the medium range one. Had nothing but problems with it loosing suction and prime without power loss, and was on a 30gallon standard. I now have a 20g standard, heavily stocked and i am using an aquaclear 20, and a 30. Both with the supplied sponges on bottom in the basket. Between the housing and basket at the bottom, i crammed a bunch of biomax, small diameter. In the trays sponge, then biomax bags, the 20 has a purigen pouch, the 30 has an amonia bag, then both have filter floss then lids. I have had them about a year, the 20 didnt restart 3 times for me, the 30 has yet to do that. Noise, egh, so so, not horrible. My tank stays 100% cycled, and 100% chrystal clear, aside of a lil green algae haze on the glass that the snails miss here or there. In my case the aquaclear has far surpassed quality and usefullness of the penquin. And what is nice with the aquaclears, is that the water flow is forced from bottom to top with extreme minimal bypass. The penquin was nore of a mid level push out to media flow pattern. It was not being forced bottom to top to fully engage all the media and produce the biological transfers. Just my situation
A solution for the AquaClear hard restart from power fluctuations is to get a small computer UPS (uninterruptible power supply) and plug the AC into that, it’s basically a backup battery hooked to a power strip, in the event of an outage, it switches instantly to the battery so the filter sees no interruption in power
Hey Jason. Not sure if you read comments on old videos (no criticism intended) but I wanted to comment. I watched this four years ago when it came out. I was getting back into fish and after a crazy absence there was so much new equipment out there, that I had to decide on. Now I have had some experience with what works for me. Keep in mind I am in Canada and while you would think converting prices from US to Can funds would be a matter of adding 30% to the prices you pay....if only it was so. At the time you brought this video out I bought two HOB's. One was an AquaClear one a Marineland. Both are rated for 25 gallons (actually I think 30). There was a price difference here I think it was $12. Again I have no idea where prices come from up here. So I set both filters up according to Cory's videos on Hotrodding. I used a combination of ceramic and Aquaclear foam blocks as well as a piece of fine floss on top. Both filters were set up evenly. What I disliked over time, is Aquaclear can empty your tank onto the floor if you put too much filtration in it and it is not set level with that phony little arm they put on it. Of course that little arm can fall off after a couple of years....yeah. The pro's of the Aquaclear is that you can do so many things to create an inlet filter, which keeps the impeller clean for a longer period. I like pulling the "Basket," of filter media out into a one gallon bucket, to squeeze them out. Trying to pull everything out piece by piece just dumps too much crap into the water column. I have never had my Aquaclear lose prime and fail to prime and start running. I don't know why, but again this is my experience and so I simply speak to that. I fixed the level arm issue with a piece of sponge filter and some silicone. What I liked about the Marineland. I can't afford to blindly spend extra money on equipment, so the price is good. I can hot rod the filter, but it's a pain. I pull the blue fiber filter and charcoal off the plastic frame and I put it in to support the rest of the media and I add Aquaclear foam blocks. I bought those zippered mesh bags and put ceramic media in it and put that on the bottom. I put an inlet filter on, I do not need the adjustments on the suction line so I would like the option of removing them. I do not like not having a media basket. Not having one is messier in my opinion. That being said, there is only one thing that keeps me from buying Marineland filters and again this is my opinion, it does not mean I do not like the Marineland, it is just a pet peeve thing. That stupid bio wheel that is a great idea, eventually stops spinning. I wipe off the axle stubs and use a Q-tip to clean out the shaft cradles and it will start to spin for awhile and. eventually it quits again. I think it has something to do with the wheel balance. Now even if you just took them out it would still be a good filter, it is on me, that if I know that a part should be spinning and it is not, it drives me nuts! were it not for that one reason I would say they are evenly matched and no matter your choice, it will be okay.
so, i figured out what makes the lid not sit correctly. If the U tube is pushed down too hard (the intake tube is pushed down pretty far), it causes the U-shaped tube to be sitting slightly LOWER at the end inside the aquarium, because of this subtle shift/tilt, it makes the 'adjustment lever/knob/handle tip toward the tank slightly and it gets in the way of the filter lid. Just very slightly slid the intake tube up up a TINY bit (not so much that it creates a gap between the other end of the intake tube and the motor/pump surface it mates to tho). Finicky thing! Trying to love it, but that Seachem Tidal 55 is looking more tempting all the time.
