I'm looking to add another HOB in addition to a Topfin 60 onto the 55g. Since the Emperor and AC are about the same price, which one would you guys recommend? Thanks.
Emperor 400 vs. AC 110?
- Thread starter Aquarist123
- Start date
The Emporer 400 is a vastly superior bio-filter especially when equiped with supercartrages. These also cut way down on the costs by replacing the factory media with a simple washable set of pads.
The AC110 moves more water and properly set up can TRAP more junk mechanicly than the 400 however due to the design of the filter you end up dumping about a third of what you remove back in the tank. (junk gets trapped under the media holder.) The AC filter housing is also a LOT more prone to psyical damage than the Emporers is.
A lot is made of the AC's reliability but I have Emporer filters than have been running constantly for 9 years...
If water movement was all you wanted then buy a large powerhead. That water also needs to be cleaned. Either filter is more than enough for a 55 gallon tank on thier own.
The AC110 moves more water and properly set up can TRAP more junk mechanicly than the 400 however due to the design of the filter you end up dumping about a third of what you remove back in the tank. (junk gets trapped under the media holder.) The AC filter housing is also a LOT more prone to psyical damage than the Emporers is.
A lot is made of the AC's reliability but I have Emporer filters than have been running constantly for 9 years...
If water movement was all you wanted then buy a large powerhead. That water also needs to be cleaned. Either filter is more than enough for a 55 gallon tank on thier own.
Others have asked the same question maybe these links will help.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62294&highlight=Emperor+400+110
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50440&highlight=Emperor+400+110
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46933&highlight=Emperor+400+110
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31662&highlight=Emperor+400+110
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62294&highlight=Emperor+400+110
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50440&highlight=Emperor+400+110
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46933&highlight=Emperor+400+110
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31662&highlight=Emperor+400+110
Ah thanks, I guess I should have searched. I'll read through those threads and see what's best for me, thanks.
have three ac110s and 2 emp 400 and im still wondering why people like ac the best.Acs work ok for bio but thats about it, when i clean both out in a 5 gallon bucket every month the emp 400 turns the water black and the acs turn them tea colored.Just seems the ac filters run the water over the top of the filter media instead of through.
I totally agree with bigriver and Wolf. I've run a couple of ACs and I like the emperors FAR better. I run mostly emperors and penguins on my tanks along with canister filters.
When people have problems with Emp's it seems to be because they didn't have the intakes seated properly, didn't have the cartridges seated properly, or just didn't maintain the filter. Of course there's people that just don't like the design for some reason or happened to get a bad one but that can happen with any filter.
When people have problems with Emp's it seems to be because they didn't have the intakes seated properly, didn't have the cartridges seated properly, or just didn't maintain the filter. Of course there's people that just don't like the design for some reason or happened to get a bad one but that can happen with any filter.
after having penguins and emps for the 3 years ive been keeping fish i recently got an ac110 to see what all the hype was about. i much prefer my emps and penguins over the ac.