If you are interested in buying either one of these filters check out the Amazon Affiliate links below. Seachem Tidal 110: amzn.to/3fhiHO6 Aquaclear 110: amzn.to/3cnRyqF Bulk Filter Floss: amzn.to/3tWwhdS Also, our new shirts can be found at: www.primetimeaquatics.com/merch For the latest in the fish room check us out on Instagram primetime_aquatics For more cool behind the scenes stuff consider becoming a member! ruclips.net/channel/UCYVN7EN0ALL6CE4U7NpMUTAjoin
Marineland also makes a smaller version of that prefilter sponge for the Pro 275 that will fit tightly onto those intakes, or if you buy a 3/4" pvc coupler fitting and work it onto the aquaclear tube, you can use that pro 450 filter.
@@QuintessentiallyEssential If I already had the Aquaclear and it was doing a good job I wouldn't spend the money on the Tidal but keep Tidal in mind for new tanks in the future.
I like how you can use the lid on the tidel 110 to hold the basket. Those two raised ovals on the bottom of the lid hold it right in place so you have a place to set it and water doesn't leak everywhere.
@@benjaminsonksen4451 between having a seachem, ultra pump zero, and a python that is a substantial length, this will completely make buckets obsolete..
I use both Aquaclear and Seachem, to circumvent the outage, I run both on a surge protector battery that lasts about 3 hours after the power goes out and has came in clutch many times!
Jason, with the Tidal wave I use a very thin filter floss in front of the skimmer part to keep both tiny plants out along with fry . It works and the suction works to keep that floss there :)
Actually with both of my Aquaclears, there is no reason to remove the basket--I do this only yearly to clean out the filters. The only media I ever used was the foam and biomedia. I also prefer Aquaclear's plastic--you can see through it. There are benefits with that. Both my aquaclears are over 15 years old.
The only thing that would make the tidal perfect is if it had the filter surface area of the Aqua clear. Without that I would go with the aqua clear, and they will last almost forever especially if you don't get sand sucked into the filter.
@@badtrekee4348 I suspect the same, that dead corner that nothing fits into shows how poorly thought out this is, or it proves selling you proprietary sponges etc. was by design. Aquaclear was made to work with everything!! Also, bothers me how Prime Time minimizes the Tidals shortcomings (terrible bypass issues) and gets upset that aquaclear doesn't put the biomedia in a sack for you. I have to admit it is fun to get something different and new, I might even do it but honestly I already know the aquaclear is superior. There is a reason you see them hanging on the back of tanks in stores all over the country.
Hey Jason, I have 2 Tidal 110s on each of my 100g acrylic moderately stocked all male cichlid tanks. Crystal clear all the time. I'm turning 900 gals an hour in each tank. No better HOB on the market. Canisters filters, been there, done that. Love the ease of HOBs. Thanks for the comparison. As always, great vid...
Thanks for the honest review. The only fault I have found with my AquaClears is they are not self priming. I've not had noise problems except for one lid in decades of use, that I just put a plant pot on top which worked great. The Tidal with the motor in the tank can add unnecessary heat to the water and gum up with detritus slime easier. The grates on the skimmer will suck in fry, shrimp & nano fish & because it is part of the filter box, there is not a good enough way to fix this issue that I have found. I love the self priming feature. I don't care for all the fuss of having to get filter floss & stuff it into all the holes that the water bypasses the filter with each time I do filter maintenance. I don't know about the longevity of the Tidal because it is still too new. As you mentioned with the blue dials etc, I also find them an eyesore. I always use intake pre-filters on all my intakes so that wasn't an issue for me on either filter. Just my added thoughts on both filters.
Had a dial for the intake break on my Tidal filter, and the piece fell down the sink. Emailed Seachem with my problem. Within a few days , was sent a replacement part and some Seachem fish flakes at no extra cost. That’s true customer service.
@apdroidgeek1737 Yeah the c series is good if you don't want to tinker but a lot of it needs really really constant maintainence or it's flow shuts down and it's very segmented.
Good video! I love the Aqua clear 110. I have one sitting on the shelf in my closet as a 911 back up. Great reliable filter! Mine is 12 years old and still kicks butt. The bad things are as you mentioned. The thing is noisy. The worst part is sometimes the lid will rattle. Plus struggles to start when shut off. I do not have a Seachem 110 but I do have the 35. Great little filter! Very quiet.
I have an aquaclear, I wanted to love it, I really don't. The basket can be difficult to deal with, it doesn't self prime, makes too much noise for me, and don't get me started on that lid! My next hob will definitely be the seachem tidal. Great video!
I am a firm believer in the motor being in the tank. I have had a couple of problems after power outages. Last thing in that circumstance that I feel like doing is chasing around the house priming filters!
Tidal has an excellent motor too, Seachem partnered with a well known Italian company named Sicce (pronounced Sea-che) the company is well known for making good motors as well as other filtration devices. This motor if you look at it resembles a miniature pond pump.
They are both very nice filters no doubt. Am partial to my AC's though. Never had an issue with them in any manner. We often have power outages and the AC filters start back up every time. With routine maintenance of the impeller & providing proper tank water height, the AC's have run flawlessly for me. I mostly use sponge material with a fine poly pad on the top, for finer filtration. Two things I do like about the Seachem filters are the quality of the plastic housing & skimmer. Thanks Jason, for a wonderful comparison video. 👍📺😎
Just got back into the fish world after a 5+ year hiatus and was totally lost since i didn't keep up with all the new goodies out now but this video helped me alot determining which one to pick, I had the a.c in my Amazon cart but after this I've leaned towards the tidal. You have a new subscriber good sir! Appreciate the detailed info!
I'm a fan of the seachems. My fav. Ill never turn back. I have 110s 75s and 55s on several different tanks. The self primeing is my fav and the other thing I really like is the motor is on the In side of the tank. Had all over a year now and no issues. Best part for peice of mind comes with a 5 year warranty. Thanks for the video was great.
I love my Aqua Clears. I think the actual filtration would be better I'd wager. But I'd always wished they improve them. Like supporting the impeller shaft from bottom & also the top. Also to many nooks and crannies that are hard to clean. Needs to be streamlined. The biggest complaint is the self prime issue. I think if they'd put a one way valve in the inlet part, the water would be far less likely to siphon itself back out. I think I remember using AquaClear (also under different name brands) for maybe 30 years now. That's a good run. Hats off to TIDAL though!
I ran 2 AC 110 filters for 6 years and only found out about the SeaChem filters last year. Began running the Seachem and the AC on the same tank and after 7 months, swapped out the 2nd AC for a 2nd SeaChem. When you watch the AC work, it's obvious water bypasses over the top of the basket, it may hit the biological media, but any other filtration would be passive. With the SeaChem, all the water is forced up from the bottom through all of the media and in theory that should work better, but does it? Until recently, I wasn't sure if 1 did a better job than the other, until I removed a large decoration and found it had a lot of black algae inside and underneath. The algae floated around the tank and a few days later at the next water change, I decided to shake all the media from both filters in a container of treated water to get the algae off. With the AC filter, there was no sign of black algae at all in the media, but the media in the SeaChem was covered in it and it was clear that the SeaChem was much better at removing detritus from the water than the AC. IMHO, the SeaChem is superior in the most important ways.
I have the AquaClear 30 for my 20 gallon tank. Runs quiet for me and I love how it blends in with my black background. I have a fluval pre-filter on it and can't even tell its there! I have a sponge and 2 bags of biomedia in it (one will be moved to a 10 gallon hospital tank.).
I’ve got an aquaclear, it worked fine I like the clear and it has a nice big media area, it rattled, not super load just irritating, and the pump is outside the tank. I switched to seachem my only complaint is the blue adjuster in the tank, I colored it black with a sharpie.
Hi Jason. When I buy my next filter it will be the Seachem 110. I like the way Seachem self primes. I have 2 aquaclear 110’s on each of my 90 and six foot 150 gallon. Fortunately my power has never has never shut off since I have had the aquaclears so the self priming hasn’t been an issue. I like that the Seachem 110 is less noisy. Don’t get me wrong the amount of noise the aquaclear makes doesn’t bug me. Nice features for both. I put an extra sponge in my aquaclear and it really traps a lot of detritus. To make a long story short I admit the Seachem 110 wins out. Wish I had this video before I bought my aquaclears. Sincerely, Marty Borst
The simplicity of the aquaclear is great, IMO, with a huge downside being the impeller position making starting up after water changes just a little more annoying. I like my aquaclears as far as HOBs go, but that update would put them over the top.
LOL at those years the plastic gets hard then cracks and you definitely had to replace impeller and spindle few times (since they get loud over time),i know i ran them that long too. I don't believe you if everything is still original.
@@grizzybear9111 One of them I did replace the motor, which I got very reasonable on ebay. The other not. I do periodically clean them. I found the Aquaclears very satisfactory and did a much better job than the SUMP pump.. which I had problems with.
I just ordered 2 of the Aquaclear 70 filters, cant wait to get them up and running. They make using your own media so much more efficient than most other HoB filters
I have been using Aquaclears for YEARS!!! (Don't want to admit how many! LOL!!) But I bought a Tidal because it has the motor on the INSIDE of the tank. I really do love that feature. REALLY LOVE IT. SINCERELY. But my Tidal played out after 8 months. GRRRRRR!!!! I was so mad!!!! But I was smart enough to have left my old AquaClear in that tank and it just keeps on keeping on! I have no idea how old it is. At least 5 years. If Aquaclear ever comes out with one that has the motor in the tank it will NO DOUBT be the best Hang on the Back filter ever invented. Hands down!!!
you cant kill a aquaclear. i have been using for years. Also with the motor on outside you can replace it if you like. i use a 110 but put a motor from a 30 on it so can use on a smaller saltwater tank that cuts down on your flow but you add all the benefits of the larger unit . i dont think you can get to the motor on the tidal.
I have been using AC filter for a long time. What I can see, the quality of AC filter is getting worse. The main problem on AC filter is vibration on the top lid. I purchased two AC110 and two AC70 and all have vibration issue. I returned them because it was very annoying vibration noise.
My aquaclear filters prime right up no prob. I turn them off for 10 minutes when feeding almost every day. Never once have they not started back up. Marineland never starts back up.
Seachem tidal wins every time. I have the whole range. I replaced a few canister filters with tidals. They are canister killers. The only thing I hate about the Seachem is the blue parts. I painted mine black
@@100bgeagle those flow rates just aren’t true on canisters though. I use both at the moment. Oase biomasters and Seachem tidals are my go to filters. If you use decent quality biomedia you shouldn’t need to pack it out as much. Biohome ultimate is the one
Love all of my SeaChem filters. I have replaced all of my other HOB's with them. The Aquaclear just feels and looks so cheaply made to me to be at the same price point. Plus the flow adjustment and the way the flow tube mounts inside is pretty hokey to me and it's not self priming .
Love my AC 110s. I do wish they were self priming, but the surface skimmer on the seachem I think would cause more headaches than what’s it worth. Aquaclear for me.
Hi Christopher! I have both filters (although my Aquaclear is a much smaller version) and I can assume you that the surface skimmer is a LIFESAVER. I even rely on it more than the actual input when feeding, because most of the debris or uneaten good tend to go at the surface.
I've used aquaclear 50 and it got the job done when I was using it. Now I have been raising my guppies in all my tanks without an hob filter and just using natural filtration just using guppy grass with no problem so far.
I have 3 aquaclear110s and I love them, but I do have to say; the Seachem internal motor is a really nice feature. Those blue parts would annoy me though. The clean look of the aquaclear is great but you definitely do need some kind of prefilter on the intake if you keep smaller fish or fry. Looking forward to your update (eventually)!
Seachem Tidal has another advantages. 1. The blue pin at the cover, will move up when it is clogged. 2. When we want to ckear the media, use the cover to avoid water spills to the floor. Flip it back, put the media basket on top of it. There are two holes at the basket, which we can place it nicely on the flipped cover
I personally have been using aquaclear for several years I've never had an issue with them them none of my Aqua clear filters have ever been noisy and have never been loud they've never had any problems with clogging and they are extremely quiet and I have had them for several several several years over 10 years and they're absolutely wonderful filters and they keep your water absolutely crystal clear clean And you can go with several months without cleaning them with other filters you have to change them or clean them once a month If An aqua clear filter is noisy that's probably because it's dirty and it needs to be cleaned that's not the filters fault that's people's fault for being lazy and not cleaning the entire filter like it should be cleaned that's why they get noisy and they get loud because they get clogged That's one thing I realize with people as they don't clean You're supposed to take the whole entire filter apart and clean it That's why they get noisy and they don't work properly because the motor gets clogged and gross . Personally I do not like the automatic starter filters they are too bulky and they are not very good looking on a tank That's just my preference to me that's just laziness
I have 4 seachem 110s. I had one 2 years ago and have gradually changed over all other HOBs to these filters. They are absolutely quiet, turn back on after outage (which is great when I live alone and am off at work) and the give great flow to the water which is a plus for those fish that like fast movement. Finding intake pre filter sponges is easy - they’re an alrounder. One downside is if due to evaporation your water level goes down a bit - there’s a point where the skimmer in the tidal starts making a sucking sound and in my experience that has always been at 2am - and you WILL want to get up and fix it :) I’ve only had one aqua clear and I personally didn’t rate it - but have heard rave reviews form others. Self priming for me is a must so I go seachem all the way.
I had an AC 110 for about two years and I ended up cracking the plastic where the motor twists on. I couldn’t locate another AC locally but the shop had Tidal filters. I decided to give the Tidal 110 a try. I Used the Seachem matrix media and also added the existing biomedia from the AC to seed it. After about two months I removed the AC media and added another bag of the Seachem media. It’s been a few years and I like it. I have not had any issues and I find it just a tad easier when doing routine maintenance and I no longer need to fill the reservoir manually to get it restarted.
Great video! I love how you do filter reviews. I was wondering if you guys could reschedule when you stream because I can't make it at the time when you stream.
I have two tidal 110s I used hotmelt glue to cover the intake skimmer with a cut up piece of filter floss to keep the food out. I use a sponge pre-filter on the intake tube. My acrylic tank is 125 gallons. I have baby koi and goldfish and my tank is really clean, quiet and worry free. I do use some charcoal in addition to sponge and filter floss and biomedia that came with. Thank you for the video. You had me at Seachem Tidal 110!😂
Been researching these 2 filters trying deciding on which to buy and I think will go for the the aquaclear 110 I like all the extra features of the tidal but from my research people seem to complain about the media getting clogged too fast, noisy when the skimmer get clogged with food and i don't like the shape of the basket, sponge seems too small the skimmer is described as useless. The aquaclear is just a more simpler filter the only downside is it lacks self prime other than that it would be perfect.
I have 4 AC110's running on my 75's, and I have liked them quite a bit. Literally the only downside to me is the impeller. It should be situated in the tank for self priming and noise, as it can rattle. I would absolutely be all over the Tidal 110 IF it's basket had a more user friendly, simple shape like the AC, and it didn't have the surface skimmer gimmick. I am, however, in the process of phasing out HoBs in general in favor of canisters and sumps supported by sponge filters. I'll keep my AC's as backup for sure though. Simple and effective.
I am also going to hob from canister filter and I’m torn between the aqua clear and tidal but I like to add a floss pad for smaller particles and I have several flat sponges from coarse to fine I want to do my own set up it’s for a Jack Dempsey tank 1 fish large tank so I don’t know which is best for me yet!! Driving me crazy
I have an older filter where the motor and impeller are a hybrid of this. The motor is outside but the impeller is inside. It self primes, it's easy to maintain and there is no chances of leaks. It's by far my favorite.
I've been using Whisper models for 30 years. I've had very few issues with them. Cheaper than both these models. Replaceable slip in filters. I have had a couple fiddler crabs get killed in the filter and an African claw frog escape up the pipe. Found it weeks later dehydrated on the floor. They are quiet,reliable, last a long time, cheaper, have overflow to know when the filter needs replaced or cleaned. They do need to be primed , which takes 5 seconds and a cup.
I have both of these filters on my 75g oscar tank. The AC is in fact LESS wide than the Tidal by less than a half inch. I can not fit the Tidal between the wall and my tank but the AC does fit. The AC does a better job picking up poop from the tank than the Tidal.
I bought a Tidal 110 for my first (&still only) larger tank and love it. That internal filter and the ease of pulling the media basket makes it a winner for me. The 1st one I ordered had a loud motor, and the company worked with me for weeks to troubleshoot, then sent me a new motor, then finally and brand new filter - very helpful- and now it’s essentially silent. I don’t seem to get much pull through the downspout even with the tab wide open; most visible debris goes into the skimmer when I shuffle things up with cleaning but that still does a great job. Only plus to my nefarious Black beard algae problem: I let it grow on the blue knob and now it blends in!🤣😂🌱
Loved my AquaClear 110 for 3 years, but then the motor went out. Went to buy a replacement, and now Fluval has bought them out and the quality is HORRIBLE. I've gotten two of them locally, not shipped, and the plastic is super cheap and brittle. One of the clips on the motors broke so it just fell out of the bottom, then I returned it for a second one but the reservoir was completely shattered. After a second return, I said forget it and just ordered a Seachem Tidal. I hope it works as well... The AquaClear was SUPER easy to clean/maintain. I hope the Seachem Tidal is also.
Agree with everything you said. I have 5 of each in my fish room. If AquaClear would put the motor in the tank and change the plastic to the type the tidal uses they would take over the world. I have been replacing my tidals with marineland pro filters. That skimmer just kills the tidal. Let’s see a tidal vs AquaClear vs Marineland pro.
I just had a power outage in Woodstock on Friday night it was nice to come home and boom my Today was running again, I have the tidal 75 and it is wonderful, IMO the best HOB on the market.
Question: I bought a 75, I could hear the motor if the AC isn't cycling. I swapped for a 55 - same thing, not as loud but with the TV off and the AC off - I can hear it across the room. Is this abnormal? It has so many reviews on how quiet - I'll try one more time. But if I'm just being over sensitive because I don't leave a lot of background noice on, it would be nice to know
I build my own filter media using two layers of double sided washable polishing cut your own, sandwiched between layers of coarse sponge pads also cut to size and reusable. I bleach my polishing pads and actually run them through the wash with my dish rags rinsing out before use. Recently I've been bleaching with dish soap and drying. I do like that removable enclosed filter box but I use Aquaclear so far. Thanks for letting me see the guts of the Seachem, I've wondered. Oops left out the zipper bag of floss I use as one layer and a large coarse sponge on the intake. When I water change I refill the tank and filter so It's ready to start up.
I had to Tidal 100 filters and the filtering performance was terrible. In addition when I shut them off to perform a water change they would not restart requiring me to take the filters apart, and jar the motors to get them working again. Purchased two Aquaclears and their performance is excellent. Crystal clear water now.
92 gallon corner tank with 3 large comet tail goldfish and a bunch of community creatures. Unable to do planted and have used two Aquarium Co-op medium sponge filters. Originally used hang on back overflow to wet/dry sump system, but switched to two Aquaclear 110 instead (need two on corner tank for flow and eliminating dead spaces). Using two AC 110's is quieter, easier to clean, and have worked flawlessly for goldfish. The flow rate is very adjustable, and even though the 110 is more powerful than the AC 70 or AC 50, the flow can actually be adjusted lower than them by where you position the intake tube. I have used AC 70 with impellers from AC 50 on planted community tanks with much success, but they just wouldn't keep up with goldfish. Using die-electric grease or Vaseline to lube the impeller shaft eliminates the noise from AC 110, and has lasted over a year without any reapplication or failure. Individual replacement parts can be ordered for the AC 110 easily and cheap, which is a HUGE HUGE plus! I've experimented with different media, and the best is actually double sponging each filter housing. Single sponge with nothing else would keep up just fine with the goldfish, anyway. I simply remove the trays weekly and squish the crud out of the sponges. I am terrible about cleaning the tank or doing water changes, (usually only once a month), and have never cleaned the sponge filters, but the water is always clear and weekly tests show parameters that never change. I highly recommend the AC 110, they keep up single handedly with a goldfish tank!
I have 3 tidal 110 love them .if you buy nano sponge filter from aquarium coop 4 bucks cut the sponge in half you got to in take sponges . Use the base for plants that can't be buried in suppstrate works great an you can move them around .an still use top for air move ment in tank all for 4 dollars
Great review! I have to Tidal55’s on my 75. Heaters next to the intake make for even heat distribution. Self priming makes it a no-brainer. The best part is they are QUIET!
I’ve had the tidal 110 for about a year-ish now and I have to say I love this filter. My only issue is that the intake tube on the bottom does absolutely nothing? All the water comes from the skimmer instead 🗿
Love your video! Upgrading my turtle's Penguin 350 and figured I'd buy something strong for when I get a new tank (75g) down the road. The AquaClear has been on my wishlist for over 15 years and this is something to think about...
The Seachem Tidal is by far a superior hob filter. I’ve been using the 110 on my 75gal for 8 months and just added a Tidal 55 to it as well. So much quieter, the water outlet diverted on the tidal helps break surface tension better as well. Also no obnoxious lid rattle on the Tidal that plagues the Aquaclear.
Did you not find the 110 was enough on it's own for the 75 gallon? I'm thinking of putting one on my 75 gallon. Just need to figure out some baby fish mods for the intakes.
@@shelleystalkerhalik3543 the 110 is large enough as long as you’re not to overstocked. The problem is with a tank that long I found it a the other end doesn’t get quite enough water circulation and that’s why I added a second hob.
@@boneheadfish7893 thanks for the reply. Did you happen to think of any mods for the skimmers on this filter to prevent babies from being sucked in? I know the intake tube is easy enough with a sponge but the front skimmer might be a problem.
@@shelleystalkerhalik3543most likely it's enough. But if your overstocked, then 2 of them can't hurt and would make your filtration system that much more powerful and awesome.
The Seachem is definitely more refined, if you prefer the thicker foam, just buy another Seachem foam filter and double them up, now you will have about the same thickness as the AQ 500, but alot easier to clean, with the added benefit of alternating cleaning of the Seachems foam if you are a firm believer in maintaining the good bacteria. The AQ foam is one and done, more difficult to get clean as well.
Nice video, the Tidal in my opinion is superior than the Aquaclear, the only thing that you missed, was to inform that the Trial top tray has a support to hole the basket on it, with this the water well no drop on the floor, when you take the basket to be cleaned,😉
I run a 70 aquaclear backup. I just need it as backup (holiday!), have dwarf shrimps/ molluscs and it costs here almost half of Seachem. Look forward to the longterm test. I run a aqua clear 20 and 30 for about 4 years. Still no noise. It’s very calm (32dB) and I only hear a mattenfilter (air).
Love the video you help me decide to get the seachem 110 bought 2 off the for my 130 also running a Proclear model 175 wet dry. Keep the videos coming . Thank you
Jason, me again, Please make a Penguin Pro 375 versus Tidal 75. I think both are pretty much toe to toe. It would be rather interesting to have your personal standpoint on them! Cheers!
I just picked up the 70 aqua clear - the one size down from the one you're doing the video about and the bio media that comes with the 70 is the same media that comes with the Aqua Clear filter suitable for the 10 gallon aquarium. The only difference is that there's more of those small beed sized bio media pieces in the 70. I'll be switching it out with the same as what comes with the 110 filter. Just to those who are new to the hobby, you do not have to use the bio media medium that comes with the larger Aqua Clear filters.. there are billions of choices one can use... Lava rock is an excellent choice... Anything pourous works great. This brand of filter goes wayyyy back to when filtration was discovered as a great option for keeping fish in self contained isolated holding tank full of water. The only one thing I dislike about the AC is that everytime I have to shut down the filter then restart it, I constantly get that annoying air pocket in the tube... You would think that Hagen would have corrected this from happening easier than poking and prying with the inlet tube(?)
My aquaclear 110 never let me down. Changed the energizer after 10yrs. 4 goldfish in a 60g and water has overflowed on to our wood floors once, Went 2 weeks witho
The Tidal is a good step forward in filter evolution but, for me personally I prefer the AquaClear because I do have shrimp and fry so the skimmer and mid level intakes is a huge problem. I’ve even tried putting filter floss on the inside of the mid level intake and it just sucks air. So you need that intake open without any obstruction. I don’t think I’ve ever dropped anything while taking the AquaClear basket out, it’s pretty simple. But I do like the locking slide on the Tidal as well. IMO it depends on the type of tank you have. If your fish are big enough to not get caught in the intakes of the Tidals, it’s great. But if you have smaller fish or fry and like simplicity AquaClear is best. I don’t like the contours of the Tidal basket. I wish they can make it rectangular like most other filters. And if AquaClear can put that motor on the inside, that would be a dream filter for me.
What really won me over was the fact I can turn it on and off at will while I feed the fish at the power strip (my strip has individual switches for each plug), and no need to have a cup of water handy... Not sure if this is bad for the motor to do it this way, but until someone invents a filter that adjusts the flow down to mere droplets, it works for me.
I really like the self prime feature of the Tidal but I don’t care for the shape / design of the basket. I have a couple Aquaclears and just wished they were self primed. Great video as always Jason.
********ATTENTION: when your filter is shipped the control POST (upper dial) can pop out of its hole> so you can't control the water flow. This gave me a flood in filter #1 and really pissed me off. So after I was given a refund and sent another one by "BIG AL'S" I took the faulty filter apart--easy to do. Seachem said they have a packaging issue when I contacted them. So if you get a filter that won't allow you to control water flow with the blue upper dial, it is>>>>>>>the post popped out. You'da man! I love your explanations by both of you. I went with Tidal75's in my two 55-gallon Fluval tanks and two sponge filters. I get a great flow at a lower rate to avoid overflow. My 55's are heavy on Pleco's and why I went with Tidal filters. The Tidal is friction fit to put it together. Best filter I have ever used. THANK YOU PRIME TIME AQUATICS
I was watching this video and looking at the SeaChem site for the specs and saw that, per SeaChem, the wall clearance is 4" on the 110, not 3" (it's 3" on the 55, 3.5" on the 75).
Hey Amazing video. Thank you for taking the time to review this units. Was considering upgrading my Aquaclear to a Tidal but now im not sure if there is a reason. I have a Saltwater Aquarium, which i've had for about 5-6 years now with no issues for the most part. But, lately my nitrates tend to be a bit high. Due in part to less frequent maintenance. However, I've heard that in a Saltwater Aquarium it's not recommended to use sponges in my filter, especially a HOB filter due to the fact that it gets gunked up too quickly with the nature of saltwater squarium producing more detritus than fresh water. So i'm thinking its my media more so than the filter itself. Yesterday i added a bag of Seachem Purigen between my sponge and bio media bag. I hope that makes a difference. What would you recommend as far as media for an Aquaclear in a saltwater tank? I've done some research and know Purigen is highly recommended and used often. Is there anything else you would use? Maybe there is better Bio media over the standard bio media that sells for the aquaclear? Perhaps replacing the regular sponge with filter floss instead? i heard filter floss is proffered over a regular aquaclear sponge.
I have one Aquaclear on my super red grow out tank on one end and a sponge on the other. Looked at the Seachem but didn’t get because of the reason you brought up about sucking up fish /snails .
Had a aquaclear motor gave out after about a month.. waste of money. The fact that it struggles so much to start even when priming it and it’s soooooo LOUD. Got a tidal I’ll never go back it’s unbelievably quiet and the floater has already saved me 2 times before it got too clogged. Tidal allll the way!
id get the aquaclear because i love my aquaclear 50, its got a huge sponge block, the pump takes very little power to run, and replacement parts are cheap and everywhere
Great video I am a tidal guy now but I don't care for that blue button there has been times mine pop up and the filters don't need maintenance. That could mislead new people to the hobby to work on something that doesn't need it. That is really the only thing I don't care for on it. Hands down if I had to choose between the two it would be the tidal
Jason I love your videos, I think I could watch you reviewing a phone book 😂. But seriously, you put out great info, clear and to the point. I'm a former Aquaclear fan girl who now uses Tidals. The self priming is a deal breaker for me, it's worth putting up with the ugly blue knobs.
If you are interested in buying either one of these filters check out the Amazon Affiliate links below.
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Marineland also makes a smaller version of that prefilter sponge for the Pro 275 that will fit tightly onto those intakes, or if you buy a 3/4" pvc coupler fitting and work it onto the aquaclear tube, you can use that pro 450 filter.
Jason.
I.already have the tidal 35 and 75.
Great videos and info
Brother.
Tidal 110 all day! I’ve had mine for a year with NO PROBLEMS at all I love it. Highly recommend
They are both very good filters but I agree with Tidal is the better filter.
After seeing the differences, I am going to switch from aquaclear to the tidal. So much more efficient and convenient. They thought of everything lol
@@QuintessentiallyEssential If I already had the Aquaclear and it was doing a good job I wouldn't spend the money on the Tidal but keep Tidal in mind for new tanks in the future.
Aquaclears are amazing, keeps my water crystal clear and fish and plants healthy!!
I like how you can use the lid on the tidel 110 to hold the basket. Those two raised ovals on the bottom of the lid hold it right in place so you have a place to set it and water doesn't leak everywhere.
Or just have a 5 gallon bucket available
@@benjaminsonksen4451 between having a seachem, ultra pump zero, and a python that is a substantial length, this will completely make buckets obsolete..
Seachem for the win. We have intermittent power outages, and this filter just starts right up again. Also, it is very quiet and easy to maintain.
Also you'll be cleaning that thin sponge twice a week. Let anyone with a fish room come tell me thats it's not garbage lol
What, you live in Texas too?
Every time I get all my clocks set, ⚡️ ZOT⚡️. I wake up and they’re all behind again. 🙄
I use both Aquaclear and Seachem, to circumvent the outage, I run both on a surge protector battery that lasts about 3 hours after the power goes out and has came in clutch many times!
@badtrekee4348 those tidal sponges are hilarious 😂
Never once have my aquaclears not started up after losing power. Yours do?
Jason, with the Tidal wave I use a very thin filter floss in front of the skimmer part to keep both tiny plants out along with fry . It works and the suction works to keep that floss there :)
Nice!
Oooh! That’s a great tip! I’m going to try that with mine.
I put a thin sponge in fount of the skimmer and if you don't clean it often it makes a terable gurgling sound!!
I glued mine on in front of it. I saw another video where you can open it up and put a sling in the inside up again the skimmer intake.
Actually with both of my Aquaclears, there is no reason to remove the basket--I do this only yearly to clean out the filters. The only media I ever used was the foam and biomedia. I also prefer Aquaclear's plastic--you can see through it. There are benefits with that. Both my aquaclears are over 15 years old.
The tidal is a scam.
@@badtrekee4348 lol why?
The only thing that would make the tidal perfect is if it had the filter surface area of the Aqua clear. Without that I would go with the aqua clear, and they will last almost forever especially if you don't get sand sucked into the filter.
@@badtrekee4348 I suspect the same, that dead corner that nothing fits into shows how poorly thought out this is, or it proves selling you proprietary sponges etc. was by design. Aquaclear was made to work with everything!!
Also, bothers me how Prime Time minimizes the Tidals shortcomings (terrible bypass issues) and gets upset that aquaclear doesn't put the biomedia in a sack for you. I have to admit it is fun to get something different and new, I might even do it but honestly I already know the aquaclear is superior. There is a reason you see them hanging on the back of tanks in stores all over the country.
Hey Jason, I have 2 Tidal 110s on each of my 100g acrylic moderately stocked all male cichlid tanks. Crystal clear all the time. I'm turning 900 gals an hour in each tank. No better HOB on the market. Canisters filters, been there, done that. Love the ease of HOBs. Thanks for the comparison. As always, great vid...
Why do you prefer hob over canister? just curious
Thanks for the honest review. The only fault I have found with my AquaClears is they are not self priming. I've not had noise problems except for one lid in decades of use, that I just put a plant pot on top which worked great.
The Tidal with the motor in the tank can add unnecessary heat to the water and gum up with detritus slime easier. The grates on the skimmer will suck in fry, shrimp & nano fish & because it is part of the filter box, there is not a good enough way to fix this issue that I have found. I love the self priming feature. I don't care for all the fuss of having to get filter floss & stuff it into all the holes that the water bypasses the filter with each time I do filter maintenance. I don't know about the longevity of the Tidal because it is still too new. As you mentioned with the blue dials etc, I also find them an eyesore. I always use intake pre-filters on all my intakes so that wasn't an issue for me on either filter. Just my added thoughts on both filters.
Had a dial for the intake break on my Tidal filter, and the piece fell down the sink. Emailed Seachem with my problem. Within a few days , was sent a replacement part and some Seachem fish flakes at no extra cost. That’s true customer service.
Aquaclear 110 set the benchmark years ago with simplicity and huge water flow but would be nice if they released a new model to rival the current 110.
They did release new model its called the Fluval C series filters.
Dude it's all you need
Fluval made a new one but its still no match for seachem tidal
@apdroidgeek1737 Yeah the c series is good if you don't want to tinker but a lot of it needs really really constant maintainence or it's flow shuts down and it's very segmented.
Good video! I love the Aqua clear 110. I have one sitting on the shelf in my closet as a 911 back up. Great reliable filter! Mine is 12 years old and still kicks butt. The bad things are as you mentioned. The thing is noisy. The worst part is sometimes the lid will rattle. Plus struggles to start when shut off. I do not have a Seachem 110 but I do have the 35. Great little filter! Very quiet.
I have an aquaclear, I wanted to love it, I really don't. The basket can be difficult to deal with, it doesn't self prime, makes too much noise for me, and don't get me started on that lid! My next hob will definitely be the seachem tidal. Great video!
Aquaclears aren't supposed to be loud, either clean yours or somethings wrong with ot
It was that way right out of the box. I'm very sensitive to sound and it bothered me tremendously.
@Drinking Water not yet lol
The Tidal can make terable gurgling sound when you cover the skimmer to protect your little fish.. It drives me crazy
I am a firm believer in the motor being in the tank. I have had a couple of problems after power outages. Last thing in that circumstance that I feel like doing is chasing around the house priming filters!
I hear you!
💯👍
Tidal has an excellent motor too, Seachem partnered with a well known Italian company named Sicce (pronounced Sea-che) the company is well known for making good motors as well as other filtration devices. This motor if you look at it resembles a miniature pond pump.
They are both very nice filters no doubt. Am partial to my AC's though. Never had an issue with them in any manner. We often have power outages and the AC filters start back up every time. With routine maintenance of the impeller & providing proper tank water height, the AC's have run flawlessly for me. I mostly use sponge material with a fine poly pad on the top, for finer filtration. Two things I do like about the Seachem filters are the quality of the plastic housing & skimmer. Thanks Jason, for a wonderful comparison video. 👍📺😎
Just got back into the fish world after a 5+ year hiatus and was totally lost since i didn't keep up with all the new goodies out now but this video helped me alot determining which one to pick, I had the a.c in my Amazon cart but after this I've leaned towards the tidal. You have a new subscriber good sir! Appreciate the detailed info!
I'm a fan of the seachems. My fav. Ill never turn back. I have 110s 75s and 55s on several different tanks. The self primeing is my fav and the other thing I really like is the motor is on the In side of the tank. Had all over a year now and no issues. Best part for peice of mind comes with a 5 year warranty. Thanks for the video was great.
The self prim is the kicker for sure
I love my Aqua Clears. I think the actual filtration would be better I'd wager.
But I'd always wished they improve them.
Like supporting the impeller shaft from bottom & also the top.
Also to many nooks and crannies that are hard to clean. Needs to be streamlined.
The biggest complaint is the self prime issue. I think if they'd put a one way valve in the inlet part, the water would be far less likely to siphon itself back out. I think I remember using AquaClear (also under different name brands) for maybe 30 years now. That's a good run.
Hats off to TIDAL though!
Would you recommend two 75's for my 75 gallon or one 110?
I ran 2 AC 110 filters for 6 years and only found out about the SeaChem filters last year.
Began running the Seachem and the AC on the same tank and after 7 months, swapped out the 2nd AC for a 2nd SeaChem.
When you watch the AC work, it's obvious water bypasses over the top of the basket, it may hit the biological media, but any other filtration would be passive.
With the SeaChem, all the water is forced up from the bottom through all of the media and in theory that should work better, but does it?
Until recently, I wasn't sure if 1 did a better job than the other, until I removed a large decoration and found it had a lot of black algae inside and underneath.
The algae floated around the tank and a few days later at the next water change, I decided to shake all the media from both filters in a container of treated water to get the algae off.
With the AC filter, there was no sign of black algae at all in the media, but the media in the SeaChem was covered in it and it was clear that the SeaChem was much better at removing detritus from the water than the AC.
IMHO, the SeaChem is superior in the most important ways.
Bro way to long
I have the AquaClear 30 for my 20 gallon tank. Runs quiet for me and I love how it blends in with my black background. I have a fluval pre-filter on it and can't even tell its there! I have a sponge and 2 bags of biomedia in it (one will be moved to a 10 gallon hospital tank.).
Sounds like a nice setup!
I’ve got an aquaclear, it worked fine I like the clear and it has a nice big media area, it rattled, not super load just irritating, and the pump is outside the tank. I switched to seachem my only complaint is the blue adjuster in the tank, I colored it black with a sharpie.
Hi Jason. When I buy my next filter it will be the Seachem 110. I like the way Seachem self primes. I have 2 aquaclear 110’s on each of my 90 and six foot 150 gallon. Fortunately my power has never has never shut off since I have had the aquaclears so the self priming hasn’t been an issue. I like that the Seachem 110 is less noisy. Don’t get me wrong the amount of noise the aquaclear makes doesn’t bug me. Nice features for both. I put an extra sponge in my aquaclear and it really traps a lot of detritus. To make a long story short I admit the Seachem 110 wins out. Wish I had this video before I bought my aquaclears. Sincerely, Marty Borst
Look at it this way - if the ACs are running well for you that's all that matters.
The simplicity of the aquaclear is great, IMO, with a huge downside being the impeller position making starting up after water changes just a little more annoying. I like my aquaclears as far as HOBs go, but that update would put them over the top.
There is a update to the Aquaclear it's called Fluval C series
I have some Aquaclear 500s (they used to be called) that are 15 years old. These are arguably the best filters ever made imo.
Had I got into the hobby at a time when stuff isn't made to last... sucks..
My aquaclear 110s over 15 years old too! Still going on strong!
LOL at those years the plastic gets hard then cracks and you definitely had to replace impeller and spindle few times (since they get loud over time),i know i ran them that long too. I don't believe you if everything is still original.
@@grizzybear9111 One of them I did replace the motor, which I got very reasonable on ebay. The other not. I do periodically clean them. I found the Aquaclears very satisfactory and did a much better job than the SUMP pump.. which I had problems with.
I just ordered 2 of the Aquaclear 70 filters, cant wait to get them up and running. They make using your own media so much more efficient than most other HoB filters
So you have experience with the AC filter which would you choose AC no Seachem
Honestly just buy the extra foam for a few bucks and fill it with foam. Foam is the best static media hands down.
I have been using Aquaclears for YEARS!!! (Don't want to admit how many! LOL!!) But I bought a Tidal because it has the motor on the INSIDE of the tank. I really do love that feature. REALLY LOVE IT. SINCERELY. But my Tidal played out after 8 months. GRRRRRR!!!! I was so mad!!!! But I was smart enough to have left my old AquaClear in that tank and it just keeps on keeping on! I have no idea how old it is. At least 5 years. If Aquaclear ever comes out with one that has the motor in the tank it will NO DOUBT be the best Hang on the Back filter ever invented. Hands down!!!
you cant kill a aquaclear. i have been using for years. Also with the motor on outside you can replace it if you like. i use a 110 but put a motor from a 30 on it so can use on a smaller saltwater tank that cuts down on your flow but you add all the benefits of the larger unit . i dont think you can get to the motor on the tidal.
I have been using AC filter for a long time. What I can see, the quality of AC filter is getting worse. The main problem on AC filter is vibration on the top lid. I purchased two AC110 and two AC70 and all have vibration issue. I returned them because it was very annoying vibration noise.
My aquaclear filters prime right up no prob. I turn them off for 10 minutes when feeding almost every day. Never once have they not started back up. Marineland never starts back up.
Seachem tidal wins every time. I have the whole range. I replaced a few canister filters with tidals. They are canister killers. The only thing I hate about the Seachem is the blue parts. I painted mine black
I use hang on filters as secondary to my canister filter, I will never give up my canisters.
what did you use to paint the internal ones? i want to do this with mine now that i saw your comment lol
I replaced my hobs with cannisters, Quieter, and holds 10x the mechanical, and biological, man, what a difference,not even close!!!
@@100bgeagle those flow rates just aren’t true on canisters though. I use both at the moment. Oase biomasters and Seachem tidals are my go to filters. If you use decent quality biomedia you shouldn’t need to pack it out as much. Biohome ultimate is the one
How can they be canister killers when canisters hold way more media.
Love all of my SeaChem filters. I have replaced all of my other HOB's with them. The Aquaclear just feels and looks so cheaply made to me to be at the same price point. Plus the flow adjustment and the way the flow tube mounts inside is pretty hokey to me and it's not self priming .
Love my AC 110s. I do wish they were self priming, but the surface skimmer on the seachem I think would cause more headaches than what’s it worth. Aquaclear for me.
Hi Christopher! I have both filters (although my Aquaclear is a much smaller version) and I can assume you that the surface skimmer is a LIFESAVER. I even rely on it more than the actual input when feeding, because most of the debris or uneaten good tend to go at the surface.
I've used aquaclear 50 and it got the job done when I was using it. Now I have been raising my guppies in all my tanks without an hob filter and just using natural filtration just using guppy grass with no problem so far.
I have 3 aquaclear110s and I love them, but I do have to say; the Seachem internal motor is a really nice feature. Those blue parts would annoy me though. The clean look of the aquaclear is great but you definitely do need some kind of prefilter on the intake if you keep smaller fish or fry. Looking forward to your update (eventually)!
Seachem Tidal has another advantages.
1. The blue pin at the cover, will move up when it is clogged.
2. When we want to ckear the media, use the cover to avoid water spills to the floor. Flip it back, put the media basket on top of it. There are two holes at the basket, which we can place it nicely on the flipped cover
I would really like to see a video of these two filters addressing the "bypass". Maybe explain the flow directions etc. Thanks
I personally have been using aquaclear for several years I've never had an issue with them them none of my Aqua clear filters have ever been noisy and have never been loud they've never had any problems with clogging and they are extremely quiet and I have had them for several several several years over 10 years and they're absolutely wonderful filters and they keep your water absolutely crystal clear clean And you can go with several months without cleaning them with other filters you have to change them or clean them once a month If An aqua clear filter is noisy that's probably because it's dirty and it needs to be cleaned that's not the filters fault that's people's fault for being lazy and not cleaning the entire filter like it should be cleaned that's why they get noisy and they get loud because they get clogged That's one thing I realize with people as they don't clean You're supposed to take the whole entire filter apart and clean it That's why they get noisy and they don't work properly because the motor gets clogged and gross . Personally I do not like the automatic starter filters they are too bulky and they are not very good looking on a tank That's just my preference to me that's just laziness
I have 4 seachem 110s. I had one 2 years ago and have gradually changed over all other HOBs to these filters. They are absolutely quiet, turn back on after outage (which is great when I live alone and am off at work) and the give great flow to the water which is a plus for those fish that like fast movement. Finding intake pre filter sponges is easy - they’re an alrounder.
One downside is if due to evaporation your water level goes down a bit - there’s a point where the skimmer in the tidal starts making a sucking sound and in my experience that has always been at 2am - and you WILL want to get up and fix it :)
I’ve only had one aqua clear and I personally didn’t rate it - but have heard rave reviews form others.
Self priming for me is a must so I go seachem all the way.
I love the aquaclear,always have.I have 2 110s on a 125,also 2 60 gal sponge filters.I change water weekly and feed the heck out of my fish.
I had an AC 110 for about two years and I ended up cracking the plastic where the motor twists on. I couldn’t locate another AC locally but the shop had Tidal filters. I decided to give the Tidal 110 a try. I Used the Seachem matrix media and also added the existing biomedia from the AC to seed it. After about two months I removed the AC media and added another bag of the Seachem media. It’s been a few years and I like it. I have not had any issues and I find it just a tad easier when doing routine maintenance and I no longer need to fill the reservoir manually to get it restarted.
Great video! I love how you do filter reviews. I was wondering if you guys could reschedule when you stream because I can't make it at the time when you stream.
Believe it or not that is the only time we have available during the week - always on the run!
@@PrimeTimeAquatics Oh, that stinks. I made it to one of streams and I loved it!
Jason, you should make a vid of how to get beard so well trimmed. Mine is about as long as yours but I never get it that well arranged! 😭
I have two tidal 110s I used hotmelt glue to cover the intake skimmer with a cut up piece of filter floss to keep the food out. I use a sponge pre-filter on the intake tube. My acrylic tank is 125 gallons. I have baby koi and goldfish and my tank is really clean, quiet and worry free. I do use some charcoal in addition to sponge and filter floss and biomedia that came with. Thank you for the video. You had me at Seachem Tidal 110!😂
Been researching these 2 filters trying deciding on which to buy and I think will go for the the aquaclear 110
I like all the extra features of the tidal but from my research people seem to complain about the media getting clogged too fast, noisy when the skimmer get clogged with food and i don't like the shape of the basket, sponge seems too small the skimmer is described as useless.
The aquaclear is just a more simpler filter the only downside is it lacks self prime other than that it would be perfect.
What's your update? What you get?
I have 4 AC110's running on my 75's, and I have liked them quite a bit. Literally the only downside to me is the impeller. It should be situated in the tank for self priming and noise, as it can rattle. I would absolutely be all over the Tidal 110 IF it's basket had a more user friendly, simple shape like the AC, and it didn't have the surface skimmer gimmick. I am, however, in the process of phasing out HoBs in general in favor of canisters and sumps supported by sponge filters. I'll keep my AC's as backup for sure though. Simple and effective.
Hi. Why switch from HoB to Canisters?
I am also going to hob from canister filter and I’m torn between the aqua clear and tidal but I like to add a floss pad for smaller particles and I have several flat sponges from coarse to fine I want to do my own set up it’s for a Jack Dempsey tank 1 fish large tank so I don’t know which is best for me yet!! Driving me crazy
I have an older filter where the motor and impeller are a hybrid of this. The motor is outside but the impeller is inside. It self primes, it's easy to maintain and there is no chances of leaks. It's by far my favorite.
I've been using Whisper models for 30 years. I've had very few issues with them. Cheaper than both these models. Replaceable slip in filters. I have had a couple fiddler crabs get killed in the filter and an African claw frog escape up the pipe. Found it weeks later dehydrated on the floor. They are quiet,reliable, last a long time, cheaper, have overflow to know when the filter needs replaced or cleaned. They do need to be primed , which takes 5 seconds and a cup.
I have both of these filters on my 75g oscar tank. The AC is in fact LESS wide than the Tidal by less than a half inch. I can not fit the Tidal between the wall and my tank but the AC does fit. The AC does a better job picking up poop from the tank than the Tidal.
laurendoerr, I agree
I bought a Tidal 110 for my first (&still only) larger tank and love it. That internal filter and the ease of pulling the media basket makes it a winner for me. The 1st one I ordered had a loud motor, and the company worked with me for weeks to troubleshoot, then sent me a new motor, then finally and brand new filter - very helpful- and now it’s essentially silent. I don’t seem to get much pull through the downspout even with the tab wide open; most visible debris goes into the skimmer when I shuffle things up with cleaning but that still does a great job. Only plus to my nefarious Black beard algae problem: I let it grow on the blue knob and now it blends in!🤣😂🌱
Very nice to hear the customer service was good too!
Biggest issue with Seachem's is the surface skimmer. Can't have my baby shrimps getting sucked up into the filter. #TeamAquaclear
Put a round sponge over the intake it will act as a pre filter and small fish an shrimp won't get sucked in
When you cover the skimmer it makes a terable gurgling sound you have to mess with it alot!!
Loved my AquaClear 110 for 3 years, but then the motor went out. Went to buy a replacement, and now Fluval has bought them out and the quality is HORRIBLE. I've gotten two of them locally, not shipped, and the plastic is super cheap and brittle. One of the clips on the motors broke so it just fell out of the bottom, then I returned it for a second one but the reservoir was completely shattered. After a second return, I said forget it and just ordered a Seachem Tidal. I hope it works as well... The AquaClear was SUPER easy to clean/maintain. I hope the Seachem Tidal is also.
Agree with everything you said. I have 5 of each in my fish room. If AquaClear would put the motor in the tank and change the plastic to the type the tidal uses they would take over the world. I have been replacing my tidals with marineland pro filters. That skimmer just kills the tidal. Let’s see a tidal vs AquaClear vs Marineland pro.
I just had a power outage in Woodstock on Friday night it was nice to come home and boom my Today was running again, I have the tidal 75 and it is wonderful, IMO the best HOB on the market.
Love the Tidals. Currently running 5. From the 35 up to the 110.
Question: I bought a 75, I could hear the motor if the AC isn't cycling. I swapped for a 55 - same thing, not as loud but with the TV off and the AC off - I can hear it across the room. Is this abnormal? It has so many reviews on how quiet - I'll try one more time. But if I'm just being over sensitive because I don't leave a lot of background noice on, it would be nice to know
I build my own filter media using two layers of double sided washable polishing cut your own, sandwiched between layers of coarse sponge pads also cut to size and reusable. I bleach my polishing pads and actually run them through the wash with my dish rags rinsing out before use. Recently I've been bleaching with dish soap and drying. I do like that removable enclosed filter box but I use Aquaclear so far. Thanks for letting me see the guts of the Seachem, I've wondered. Oops left out the zipper bag of floss I use as one layer and a large coarse sponge on the intake. When I water change I refill the tank and filter so It's ready to start up.
I had to Tidal 100 filters and the filtering performance was terrible. In addition when I shut them off to perform a water change they would not restart requiring me to take the filters apart, and jar the motors to get them working again. Purchased two Aquaclears and their performance is excellent. Crystal clear water now.
I love my API Superclean filters. I want the motor silenced by the water. I have found the Aquaclears to be a little too buzzy. Great review!
lol API
92 gallon corner tank with 3 large comet tail goldfish and a bunch of community creatures. Unable to do planted and have used two Aquarium Co-op medium sponge filters. Originally used hang on back overflow to wet/dry sump system, but switched to two Aquaclear 110 instead (need two on corner tank for flow and eliminating dead spaces). Using two AC 110's is quieter, easier to clean, and have worked flawlessly for goldfish. The flow rate is very adjustable, and even though the 110 is more powerful than the AC 70 or AC 50, the flow can actually be adjusted lower than them by where you position the intake tube. I have used AC 70 with impellers from AC 50 on planted community tanks with much success, but they just wouldn't keep up with goldfish. Using die-electric grease or Vaseline to lube the impeller shaft eliminates the noise from AC 110, and has lasted over a year without any reapplication or failure. Individual replacement parts can be ordered for the AC 110 easily and cheap, which is a HUGE HUGE plus! I've experimented with different media, and the best is actually double sponging each filter housing. Single sponge with nothing else would keep up just fine with the goldfish, anyway. I simply remove the trays weekly and squish the crud out of the sponges. I am terrible about cleaning the tank or doing water changes, (usually only once a month), and have never cleaned the sponge filters, but the water is always clear and weekly tests show parameters that never change. I highly recommend the AC 110, they keep up single handedly with a goldfish tank!
I have 3 tidal 110 love them .if you buy nano sponge filter from aquarium coop 4 bucks cut the sponge in half you got to in take sponges . Use the base for plants that can't be buried in suppstrate works great an you can move them around .an still use top for air move ment in tank all for 4 dollars
Great review! I have to Tidal55’s on my 75. Heaters next to the intake make for even heat distribution. Self priming makes it a no-brainer. The best part is they are QUIET!
Tidal for me. I just tip any shrimp and fry back out when I do my maintenance.
I’ve had the tidal 110 for about a year-ish now and I have to say I love this filter. My only issue is that the intake tube on the bottom does absolutely nothing? All the water comes from the skimmer instead 🗿
Have you adjusted the bottom dial?
Very nice comprehensive review, already looking forward to the update (in the not so near future) 🤓
i've been using aquaclears for a long time now (a little over 8 years) but i think it's time to try something new! Looks like a reliable filter to me.
Love your video! Upgrading my turtle's Penguin 350 and figured I'd buy something strong for when I get a new tank (75g) down the road. The AquaClear has been on my wishlist for over 15 years and this is something to think about...
The Seachem Tidal is by far a superior hob filter. I’ve been using the 110 on my 75gal for 8 months and just added a Tidal 55 to it as well. So much quieter, the water outlet diverted on the tidal helps break surface tension better as well. Also no obnoxious lid rattle on the Tidal that plagues the Aquaclear.
Did you not find the 110 was enough on it's own for the 75 gallon? I'm thinking of putting one on my 75 gallon. Just need to figure out some baby fish mods for the intakes.
@@shelleystalkerhalik3543 the 110 is large enough as long as you’re not to overstocked. The problem is with a tank that long I found it a the other end doesn’t get quite enough water circulation and that’s why I added a second hob.
@@boneheadfish7893 thanks for the reply. Did you happen to think of any mods for the skimmers on this filter to prevent babies from being sucked in? I know the intake tube is easy enough with a sponge but the front skimmer might be a problem.
@@shelleystalkerhalik3543most likely it's enough. But if your overstocked, then 2 of them can't hurt and would make your filtration system that much more powerful and awesome.
The Seachem is definitely more refined, if you prefer the thicker foam, just buy another Seachem foam filter and double them up, now you will have about the same thickness as the AQ 500, but alot easier to clean, with the added benefit of alternating cleaning of the Seachems foam if you are a firm believer in maintaining the good bacteria. The AQ foam is one and done, more difficult to get clean as well.
Great video. One thing, the warranty on the tidal is 5yrs if you register it!
Nice video, the Tidal in my opinion is superior than the Aquaclear, the only thing that you missed, was to inform that the Trial top tray has a support to hole the basket on it, with this the water well no drop on the floor, when you take the basket to be cleaned,😉
Been deciding between these two filters to put on the other end of my 125 Gallon that has an FX6 already. Leaning towards the Tidal.
I run a 70 aquaclear backup. I just need it as backup (holiday!), have dwarf shrimps/ molluscs and it costs here almost half of Seachem.
Look forward to the longterm test.
I run a aqua clear 20 and 30 for about 4 years. Still no noise. It’s very calm (32dB) and I only hear a mattenfilter (air).
Love the video you help me decide to get the seachem 110 bought 2 off the for my 130 also running a Proclear model 175 wet dry. Keep the videos coming . Thank you
Jason, me again,
Please make a Penguin Pro 375 versus Tidal 75.
I think both are pretty much toe to toe.
It would be rather interesting to have your personal standpoint on them!
Cheers!
I just picked up the 70 aqua clear - the one size down from the one you're doing the video about and the bio media that comes with the 70 is the same media that comes with the Aqua Clear filter suitable for the 10 gallon aquarium. The only difference is that there's more of those small beed sized bio media pieces in the 70. I'll be switching it out with the same as what comes with the 110 filter.
Just to those who are new to the hobby, you do not have to use the bio media medium that comes with the larger Aqua Clear filters.. there are billions of choices one can use... Lava rock is an excellent choice... Anything pourous works great.
This brand of filter goes wayyyy back to when filtration was discovered as a great option for keeping fish in self contained isolated holding tank full of water.
The only one thing I dislike about the AC is that everytime I have to shut down the filter then restart it, I constantly get that annoying air pocket in the tube... You would think that Hagen would have corrected this from happening easier than poking and prying with the inlet tube(?)
Jason ..you have a lot of knowledge of aquarium and aquarium's related goods....superb..... salute you.....
Thank you!
I have both but I'll recommend the AC110. The motor does not make the water go hotter, The flow are much better and the quality of the HOB.
My aquaclear 110 never let me down. Changed the energizer after 10yrs. 4 goldfish in a 60g and water has overflowed on to our wood floors once, Went 2 weeks witho
Hands down the tidal. It has a tray that comes out, the lid sits under the tray to stop the water leaking on your floor, and heater handle.
The Tidal is a good step forward in filter evolution but, for me personally I prefer the AquaClear because I do have shrimp and fry so the skimmer and mid level intakes is a huge problem. I’ve even tried putting filter floss on the inside of the mid level intake and it just sucks air. So you need that intake open without any obstruction. I don’t think I’ve ever dropped anything while taking the AquaClear basket out, it’s pretty simple. But I do like the locking slide on the Tidal as well. IMO it depends on the type of tank you have. If your fish are big enough to not get caught in the intakes of the Tidals, it’s great. But if you have smaller fish or fry and like simplicity AquaClear is best. I don’t like the contours of the Tidal basket. I wish they can make it rectangular like most other filters. And if AquaClear can put that motor on the inside, that would be a dream filter for me.
Love all your content! Hope to see you at a show again sometime soon!
Thank you!
What really won me over was the fact I can turn it on and off at will while I feed the fish at the power strip (my strip has individual switches for each plug), and no need to have a cup of water handy... Not sure if this is bad for the motor to do it this way, but until someone invents a filter that adjusts the flow down to mere droplets, it works for me.
I’m using the aquaclear 30 for a 16G tank, i think it’s too weak in terms of filtration, considering to add another sponge filter on top of that
I really like the self prime feature of the Tidal but I don’t care for the shape / design of the basket. I have a couple Aquaclears and just wished they were self primed. Great video as always Jason.
I'm really surprise Seachem doesn't have a model without the skimmer.
Agree to use a prefilter on all filters. I have dragonstone and I swear the sediment it constantly leaches killed my last HOB's motor...
Now this is what I call an end to end informative review. Thank you - awesome video. Keep it up.
Aquaclear all the way I have 2 110s on my 90 gallon angelfish tank and they do the job very well.
I have both. I like tidal a little more.
Great comparison video, I myself am partial to the aquaclears, but I've kept both.
********ATTENTION: when your filter is shipped the control POST (upper dial) can pop out of its hole> so you can't control the water flow. This gave me a flood in filter #1 and really pissed me off. So after I was given a refund and sent another one by "BIG AL'S" I took the faulty filter apart--easy to do. Seachem said they have a packaging issue when I contacted them. So if you get a filter that won't allow you to control water flow with the blue upper dial, it is>>>>>>>the post popped out.
You'da man!
I love your explanations by both of you.
I went with Tidal75's in my two 55-gallon Fluval tanks and two sponge filters.
I get a great flow at a lower rate to avoid overflow. My 55's are heavy on Pleco's and why I went with Tidal filters.
The Tidal is friction fit to put it together. Best filter I have ever used.
THANK YOU PRIME TIME AQUATICS
I was watching this video and looking at the SeaChem site for the specs and saw that, per SeaChem, the wall clearance is 4" on the 110, not 3" (it's 3" on the 55, 3.5" on the 75).
Hey Amazing video. Thank you for taking the time to review this units. Was considering upgrading my Aquaclear to a Tidal but now im not sure if there is a reason. I have a Saltwater Aquarium, which i've had for about 5-6 years now with no issues for the most part. But, lately my nitrates tend to be a bit high. Due in part to less frequent maintenance. However, I've heard that in a Saltwater Aquarium it's not recommended to use sponges in my filter, especially a HOB filter due to the fact that it gets gunked up too quickly with the nature of saltwater squarium producing more detritus than fresh water. So i'm thinking its my media more so than the filter itself.
Yesterday i added a bag of Seachem Purigen between my sponge and bio media bag. I hope that makes a difference.
What would you recommend as far as media for an Aquaclear in a saltwater tank? I've done some research and know Purigen is highly recommended and used often. Is there anything else you would use? Maybe there is better Bio media over the standard bio media that sells for the aquaclear? Perhaps replacing the regular sponge with filter floss instead? i heard filter floss is proffered over a regular aquaclear sponge.
I’m not sure about saltwater - I haven’t had a saltwater tank. 😀
Just got a used tidal 110 for $50 on eBay the other day, so excited for it to come in
Nothing beats that AC see through body!
Great video. It would be nice to also compare how long the wires are.
Up in Canada on Amazon. The price was 90.00. But it altogether was 129.00
I have one Aquaclear on my super red grow out tank on one end and a sponge on the other. Looked at the Seachem but didn’t get because of the reason you brought up about sucking up fish /snails .
That was a good choice in your situtation!
I have the Aquaclear 110 for my 40G
Had a aquaclear motor gave out after about a month.. waste of money. The fact that it struggles so much to start even when priming it and it’s soooooo LOUD. Got a tidal I’ll never go back it’s unbelievably quiet and the floater has already saved me 2 times before it got too clogged. Tidal allll the way!
My 2 Favorite HOB Filters are: Seachem Tidal Filters
Eheim Liberty Filters
id get the aquaclear because i love my aquaclear 50, its got a huge sponge block, the pump takes very little power to run, and replacement parts are cheap and everywhere
Great review, I would like to see a review on the New & Improved, Aqua-Tech 20-40 hang on back filter.
Great video I am a tidal guy now but I don't care for that blue button there has been times mine pop up and the filters don't need maintenance. That could mislead new people to the hobby to work on something that doesn't need it. That is really the only thing I don't care for on it. Hands down if I had to choose between the two it would be the tidal
Jason I love your videos, I think I could watch you reviewing a phone book 😂. But seriously, you put out great info, clear and to the point. I'm a former Aquaclear fan girl who now uses Tidals. The self priming is a deal breaker for me, it's worth putting up with the ugly blue knobs.
Thank you :-)
ive got Aquaclear filters that have been running non stop since 1992