Fish Tank Filter Showdown: Marineland Penguin 350 vs Aquaclear 70
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- čas přidán 1. 08. 2024
- Hello Everyone,
You can find the Marineland 350 here (affiliate link): amzn.to/2yzuW1e
You can find the Aquaclear 70 here (affiliate link): amzn.to/2IYnSjF
Bulk Filter Floss (Affiliate Link): amzn.to/2CetmW5
In this video we compare the Marineland Penguin 350 vs the Aquaclear 70. Feel free to share your thoughts on each of the filters if you have any experience.
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Thanks for watching!
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!
OMG i was looking for a video exactly like this thank you so much !!
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 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 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 have an aqua clear 110 and love it. Lots of room for media and adjustable flow rate is great
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 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.
Thanks for sharing!
I have a ac 30 that’s been great for 15 years, but I also have a ac 70 that never fully primes and lid always rattles I’ve only had this one two years. Love your videos thanks 😉👍
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'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 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.
I agree with u 100% I've had both of them and the the same issues you had now I only just use canister filters or a sponge filter
I use marineland hobs working together with aquaclears on several tanks I love how they both work together I also use marineland powerheads to make internal filters also
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!👌
Appreciate your perspective!
I use both of these HOB filters. I think they are both customizable. What I like about the Aquaclear, is that I can adjust the flow rate.
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 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
Like the video's Jason! I have a AquaClear 50 never had a problem with it yet, but it did take a while for my water to clear.
Appreciate you watching!
I have the same exact problem with my aquaclear! Every week, I have to take the motor out and clean it to get it to run again.
Another great video. I am glad I am not the only one who has issues with the AquaClear. Makes water changes a pain.
I really did want to like that filter.
As a new subscriber I really enjoy your filter analysis videos . Please do more If your so inclined. Thank you.
Will do! Thanks
Loved the small Aquaclear on my childhood 5.5gal. Man was that tank overfiltered.💚💛🧡
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.
Love the marineland filter I use 2 on both of my 55 gallon tanks. Paid 25 dollars a piece
Good video, very informative.
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.
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)
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'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!
I have a aquaclear 70 along with a sponge filter running my 65. I'm very satisfied.
Water pressure me too! I love it!
I love the bio wheel filters. I’m currently running 6 penguin 350s and 2 emperor 400. They have been great for me
Glad to hear they are working well!
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'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.
Glad they are working well for you!
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.
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
Gr8 video. I have that exact marine land hang on filter for my 55 gallon tank and it works fine. 😁👍
Marcus Kelly Good to hear!
As long as my AquaClear has water covering the impeller area it self primes no problem. I use the original sponge on the bottom and poly fill above that. Pulling the basket up makes it easy to change. Better than digging into the filter box to fish out the media in the Marineland. Really wish I could find my old Aquamaster Supreme filters. Noisy but loved them!
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.
Thank you for sharing that perspective!
I have several aquaclear 110s... some I've had since the early 90's
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.
Awesome!
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.
When I used hob filters I used the aqua clear. I have never had one not restart when I encountered a power loss or unplugged for tank maintence. I also like the water flow inside the aqua clear over the marineland. The aqua clear comes from the bottom up and the marineland is more from the side and designed for the use of the cartridges more then diy media.
I know people that have been using AquaClear power filters for YEARS without any issues. You probably got one that was made on a Monday.
I think I must have gotten a few all made on Mondays. Haha
Prime Time Aquatics ROFDWL
I personally prefer the AC inserts over the flat cartridges of the Marineland filter.
😂 lol
@@seekingthetruth9896 you can use the aqua clear sponges in the penguin.
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 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.
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.
Cool!
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
Could you give me any suggestions? I’ve tried the Whispers Quiet Flows I’m just a beginner would like a simple filter for now
TUBE EXTENSIONS , water level issue solved !
Thanks for doing this video. For me I will take the AC 70 any day over the Marineland, it is so easy to maintain and clean and you can use any type of media you want. We are currently running around 10 x 70’s in our home without any issues. We have gone through many power outages over the years and for the most part these filters have started back up, once in awhile one will simply need to have the impeller restarted but that’s simple. If one does not restart I simply take something like a wooden chop stick and stick it into the impeller shaft area and it will usually just resume working with a simple nudge. When cleaning or water changes are needed I rarely shut off my filters, I use tube extensions to the desired depth of 70% and that has worked perfectly. Everyone has a filter they like best and for us the AC 110 has been the one that gets the job done !
Maybe you just got a lemon 🍋! If your tank is not clearing up maybe you need to have adequate filtration, all of our tanks are crystal clear however we do not simply rely on our AC filters they are only part of the filtration systems on all of our tanks. I believe in over filtering, example my 210 gallon African Cichlids show tank has the following filtration:
2 x AC 110
2 X large sponge filters
1 Eheim 2260 the MONSTER
1 x Aquatop 350 canister .
Thanks for sharing your experience! Not sure what was going on with the clarity issues, but as soon as I put the Mainland 350 on it the tank cleared up completely in a couple days. Glad they are working well for you!
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.
Thanks for sharing Cathy! Glad everything is working out well. : -)
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
Robert P. Haha when I first read your comment I thought u said u had an aqua clear for 70 years I was like shyiitt
@@joshua7508 there's a video of a guy cleaning out his 24 year old one
With My 70 the right handle on the media holder always lifts up and pushes the top up
I have 2 aquaclear 110s and 1 aquaclear 70. Love them. And they are more than aquarium filters. They have changed the world.
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 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
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.
I’m a huge fan of your channel! Cool to see other fish tubers
Thanks man! Fun watching your stuff too.😀
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!
Yes I have the Marineland 350 and 200 in currently running the 200 on my 55 with a DIY set up filter Marineland penguins have always seem to be good filters but I have had some where I had to constantly replace the impellers other than that they kept running never own an AquaClearjust one more thing I do believe the quality of some filters have gone down quite a bit in recent years from what they used to be
I have plans to set up a 75 and a 55 in the future and I think I'm going to go with marineland filters. Currently I have smaller tanks and I'm running aqueon filters with no issues but would like to try something different when I get my new tanks. Thanks for an informative video :)
They have worked well for us!
I have three Marineland Penguins of various throughput and could never, ever get the bio-wheel to work even straight out of the box. I went ahead and adhered a piece of plastic to the inner lip of the basket so that it raises the level where the water comes out and that solved the problem. Like you said, the wheel isn't needed for the media surface but with the wheel working correctly it does increase the speed of the water that comes out of the output and one of the reasons I like the Marineland filters is the amount of water agitation it provides. It creates a nice, smooth current when the water level is at the lip of the filter.
Marineland filters are good workhorses at half the price. For the same premium as a Aquaclear, I would rather buy an Aqueon QuietFlow that is quiet, has good throughput, and self primes.
Great video, Jason!
Nice idea. I’m weird in that because I know it’s supposed to spin, when it’s not I find it annoying. Haha
It was basically the same for me. "This is supposed to this, and I don't really need it to do this, but it's not so I'm angry".
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.
I have used the aqua clears for over 25 years. You do have to clean out the impeller assembly once a every couple of months. The media changing is nice and easy. I have 2 of the 110's on a 60 gallon. I have them timed so that change one's media bags once every 3 weeks or so. That way the bacteria in one is good to go while the other is re growing, I have 4 large Lionhead goldfish. Once every few months I get a plecko to clean the glass and then take it back to the petshop. I do not use a heater and the water temp stays at about 72 degrees. The goldfish are all well over 10 years now and they do well. I feed them high quality pellets, blood worms , Vegtables like peas and cut up squash that is cooked along with cooked carrots, peas and bits of spinach leaves. They do not get floating pellets because I dont want them gulping air. Also have a power head and a Battery powered air filter and stone. 10-15 gallons of water changing once a week.
Doc Mengele Appreciate you sharing!
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!
Good to hear!
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.
Appreciate you sharing your experience!
I have aquaclear 110, and never had any problem. Even to restart! It is powerfull and let the water so cristal! Very amazing!
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.
Thank you for this video. You really hit the nail on the head when discussing the pros and cons. I too have had similar issues with the Marineland filters. I haven't run into the problem of my AquaClears not wanting to restart. By that, do you mean you had to prime the filter after it was turned back on or that it just wouldn't come on at all?
Thank you for this video!! I found it very informative and you opened my eyes to a lot of issues. ☺️
Thank you! Ya, the aqua clear impeller would stick so that had to be restarted.
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.
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.
Good information. I learn a lot from u
Thank you! Always appreciate you watching.😀
Jason, great meeting you at the AE this weekend. To restart the aquaclear, just take the intake tube off and reach in and touch the wheel that spins, and it will start, still not great, but better than taking off the pump. Will save a lot of time.
Hey Craig, It was great meeting you as well! Thanks for the info. : -)
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.
Glad they are working well for you!
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.
I don't have the Aquaclear 70, but I do have the Aquaclear 20 running on my 10 gallon and 50 on my 15 gallon saltwater tanks. I've had the 50 for 2 years and still runs fine. The only thing that I have difficulties with it are cleaning the intake tubes when they get covered in algae and inside on the main media compartment. I am currently looking out for a new filter for my 2 38 gallon freshwater tanks tho. Still looking
I have worked with both, aqua clears and marineland and in general both are very good. However, I think the king of HOB filters is the Acquaclear 110. It is true that when power flickers they commonly do not restart so you have to keep an eye on them. Other than that the AC 110 in unbeatable.
I have both. Actually it's a Bio-Wheel 200 and the AC-70.
As a matter of fact I have 2 of the Bio-Wheel 200's and after watching this video, and a few others on making my own media filters I may switch to both of the Penguins instead. I was hesitant because of the cost of the wheels.. but now I am learning that you don't want to replace or clean those..
Thank you for the great advice!
CREEP Glad it helped!
I love aqueon power filters so easy to cut some bulk filter pads to fit in there and always works great 👍🏼
I've had good luck with them as well.
I'm in the process of changing my canister to a hob. I put a aquaclear 50 in my 40g with a fluval 305 canister. The water was extremely clear with both filters. I'm going to remove the canister soon.
Thanks bud 🤜🏻🤛🏻
Not seen anywhere in Australia to buy the penguin HOB's, I mainly have Aqua clear's if i see a marineland Penguin ill be sure to buy it and see how i like it. Starting up can be some issues with the AC, just be sure to have enough extension on the intake so it stays bellow the water level. Now starting issues do vary with the Aqua clears some of mine stay primed when switched off and some don't. But overall happy with them keep my tanks clean. On any HOB very regular clean the propeller makes a big difference in performance and longevity. With Your 40g Pleco tank Jason I probably would have put the AC 110 for that bio load, but for the price of the Penguin 350 and the availability at the time i would have just got the penguin myself. It seems to work really well for your tanks. Great Video Hope you and your family are Having fun at AE. :)
Thanks for sharing! Always interesting to hear what’s available in other countries!
I don't know if you can use chewy.com or eBay and have them shipped to your country but that's where I got my Marineland penguin 350s..
Very good comparison. I have both AquaClears and Marineland Penguins. Now do a comparison to the Seachem Tidal 55? For a HOB filter I think they’ll be tough to beat?
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.
Glad to hear they are both working well.
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.
Appreciate you sharing your experience!
Thank you so much for your advice. Have taken out airpump cos driving me crazeeeee. Got a powerhead with sponge filter on your advice. The noise is so zen sounding now.
British housewife
Good to hear!
I haven't had that issue with my AquaClear in the 6 months I've owned it. Obviously it's not as long as you've got with it, but I've never disassembled it once. I prime it, and it takes about 10 seconds to suck water up the tube and then it's fine.
I def prefer the Marineland to the AC, especially the pros, they are great, what is really a surprise to me is how good the Pet Smart brand Top Fin filters are, they ones i have give me zero problems, never had to jack with the motor, it always self primes right back up and keep the tanks very clear, thumbs up to plucky little top fin haha.
i use sponge purigen crushed coral with floss and sponge on intake and its amazing
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 do not have any of these problems with the aqua clear. Love the aqua clear. Always restart if you keep up on the maintenance. There very versatile and you can put what ever you want in them.
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.
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.
I own several of both the Aquaclear and the Marineland filters of various sizes. I prefer the Aquaclear if I had to choose but like them both. I have had problems with restarts like you mentioned but instead of removing the pump motor I would just remove the "u tube" to access the impeller and would stick a zip tie down into the impeller area to hit the blades which usually restarts it. I also have removed all the lids and the irritating bio wheels and never use the factory filter inserts
Appreciate you sharing your experience!
In order to take full advantage of the MP 350, it's best to customize the media with your own filter floss and bio media, rather than depend on MP's filter cartridges. Personally, I cut the carbon out of the cartridge and used that as a stiff structure to keep the filter floss and bag of ceramic rings stable.
Great video 👍
Never had a problem with my AquaClear restarting over the last 6 months. Sounds faulty to me, you can find some motor parts for the AquaClear sold separately if you wanted to try replace something perhaps?. Also never seen my media rise up and push against the top lid and make any change in its operational sound. Using the AquaClear 30 myself, water crystal clear.
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.
Yep my power went out for a minute when I was at work my aquaclear didn't restart. Always had that issue gotta have a backup
Totally agree with you, Jay. I have gone away for a weekend and come home to find out the power had gone out and the Aqua Clear never restarted. Bummer.
I didn’t expect the marine land to be better. I have the 200 and my only issue is the bio wheel. It kicks up the water and make a lot of splashing noise from that which is annoying to me because when I hear it I just think we have a busted pipe somewhere. I take them out which makes it better but still loud when the flow hits the surface of the water. The pump itself is relatively quiet and soothing to hear so no complaints there.
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.
Thanks for your input!
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 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.
I exclusively use aqua clear and the 400 version of the marineland...aqua clear edges it all the way around in my many years of experience.Enjoyed the video.
Thanks for sharing!
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