filters...bio wheel or aqua clear???

[asa]

what filters do you recommend?
bio wheel or aqua clear?
i have a 46gal tank. one store swears by bio wheel and another says aqua clear.
i heard that aqua clear in the long run is cheaper to maintain with the sponges etc vs replacing cartridges on a bio wheel.

what say you?

 

[HN1]

They both work well IME. Replacing sponges and cartridges shouldn't be a concern. Just rinse them well in tank water and you're fine until they start breaking up. So replacement costs should be negligible. Do YOU have any preferences between them? Happier with one store more than the other?

 

[otrguy]

I've used both. I prefer the biowheel. I have been using a marineland canister filter with dual biowheels for 5 years and it has been fantastic. You dont need to replace the biowheels unless they are physically damaged, mine are still the originals. If you replace them then you lose all the good bacteria that has developed. Hope that helps. BTW the aquaclears are also great filters.

 

[Solarris]

I have a 55 gall with an emporer 400 on it. When I first set it up I wasted money by buying several of the cartridges with the carbon attatched that it says to replace every few weeks. Not long after I discovered that drsfostersmith.com carries a filter cartridge that comes with the sponge filter pad and carbon seperate so you dont have to always use the carbon. I just rinse out the sponge and put it back in. In the other media slot I use the Azoo Quartz Balls for the added biological filtration.

I have heard a lot of good stuff about the aquaclear also and purchased one that I am going to use on a 10 gallon quarantine tank till I finish stocking my large tank then I am going to turn that one into a planted tank. I just don't have any experience with them yet so I can't really say anything about them.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Aquaclear or nothing for HOB's. I have 10 aqua clear HOB's hanging around.

Also aquaclear via bigals.com I believe has the generic filter media for the aquaclear, all I can say is the cheaper media is just as good as the AC brand label.

Ive had bio wheels and hate them with a passion. I have sworn off all marineland products.

 

[Solarris]

What do you hate about biowheels? I have no experience with any others yet. I've seen some people say they hate biowheels and others say the love them but I haven't seen anyone say why the hate them.

 

[WhiteDevil]

I dont like how the wheels can just stop. and I also dont like that fact that marinelands cant handle sand tanks all that well. I went thru 4 marineland penguin 200's in a matter of hours starting at 2am one morning.

There are too many moving parts on it and you get better filtration from an AC, the AC is alot easier to use, the media is 100% customizable unlike carbon cartridge only marinelands. I dont use carbon in my tanks, it poses too much leach risk for the fish I keep.

IMO sponge filters are better then marinelands.

 

[Solarris]

I can see that about the sand and the moving parts. I did manage to find a filter from drsfostsmith.com that you can leave the carbon out of, it's a plastic fram with a sponge filter in it that can be taken out and rinsed easily but it also comes with carbon that you put in if you want it. I don't use the carbon either. And yeah, I'm sure if I was using sand in my tank I would not use an emperor filter either.

 

[WhiteDevil]

They just dont seem to hold up well and marineland's customer service is the worst Ive ever seen and dealt with.

Im just saying if you want a very reliable product, bypass the penguins/emporers for the aquaclear.

I do have an AC70 HOB that I havnt used in months, just needs media. Ive converted over to wet/dry filters on my tanks and have no use for them other to sit in a sealed baggie in a sealed box in the shed.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I had a penguin for a very short amount of time, it ended up giving out on me. I bought a USED aquaclear that is about 1.5 years old, it filters better and quieter than the penguin, and is alot easier to clean IMO. The ONLY HOB filter I'll ever buy again is aqua clear

 

[Crepe]

If you CO2 inject a biowheel will aerate your water too much.

 

[HN1]

If you CO2 inject a biowheel will aerate your water too much.

ANY HOB really will.

 

[WhiteDevil]

any return that breaks the water surface will, some HOB's are used with Co2 injected tanks however they are always still surface tanks.

 

[Crepe]

ANY HOB really will.

Right, that's what I meant. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Big Dog]

I will say this. Get the aquaclear filter. It's the only way to go. Very easy to clean and you do not have to keep buying new filter pads all the time. I use this filter system on all 7 of my planted aquariums. Get the 110. I been using these filters ever snice they cam out.

 

[otrguy]

Sorry to hear about bad marineland experience. I've never had a problem with them yet. Also the Magnum 350 does not require carbon but it is an option.

 

[asa]

thanks all. seems like its a toss up. in hawaii, replacement parts are too expensive. i was looking for another wheel because the used filter that i got was missing both. one place wanted $18 bucks apiece.

so i figured i may as well buy another new filter.

those who have aquaclear, should i get the AC70 (rated for 40-70 gal) or just go big at the 110's? this is for my 46 gal tank.

 

[SnailPowered]

I have an AC110 on my 75g and I don't see any reason to ever go to another HOB filter. I would think that the 110 would be a lot of flow for a 46g but it is slightly adjustable and depending on the fish you have some fish really need a lot of water movement.

 

[mgamer20o0]

I dont use carbon in my tanks, it poses too much leach risk for the fish I keep.

this one is new to me for reasons not to sue carbon....

If you CO2 inject a biowheel will aerate your water too much.

ANY HOB really will.

but there are options to help lower the effect of that in non biowheel hobs. though the point is mute if they are not adding co2.....

my 2 cents is AQ and only AQ for hobs. they give me so many options. plus its nice when you have several tanks to use the same kind of filter you wont have to worry as much making sure you have the right media.

 

[happygirl65]

I havepersonally used canisters, bio wheels and AC HOBs. I like the AC HOB's for non CO2 injected tanks...THey are very easy to clean and maintain, so easy to get to all the parts to clean the impeller etc. The biowheel is a bit tougher to maintain IME.

Canisters are the only way to go for CO2 injection. You can fill the tank really high with a HOB but you are still sacrificing hard earned CO2.
Also you can just use filter floss (I buy from Big Als) to stuff the compartment with, you don't even have to buy their cartidges at all. ...you can dial in your own desired amount of filtration that way. The stuff works great.