Is it worth it to get a Seachem Tidal power filter?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Having ran numerous AC's on tanks for many years, I just wanted to address a couple of things that have been mentioned.

1. It doesn't stay level. The cheap little plastic piece used to level it is crap and doesn't stay put.

I use a piece of Velcro, the soft side, where each level rests. I have never had a filter move, and none of my tanks are perfectly level, they all lean in one direction. (side to side|)

2. It is very prone to clogging and overflowing onto your floor. You really need to stay on top of cleaning these.

Mine run for months between cleaning, and I have never had one overflow onto the floor. That's 8 AC 110's, over 15+ yrs of use for all 8 filters. Unless one's maintenance/cleaning is way off the mark, I don't know how a filter could get so clogged that it overflows onto the floor. Sounds more like operator error.

3. The Tidals pump housing is in the tank so it takes up more space in the tank. However, that design means you dont need to manually fill the filter up after a big water change.

I have extra intake extensions on my AC filters, and I leave the filters running, even on 90% water changes, and never a need to manually fill the filter up after a water change.


I guess over time one will find out how reliable the Seachem units are, AC's have certainly proved themselves many times over for many years. Good luck.
 
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I have both the tidal and aquaclear and would recommend the tidal, you can change the output from %20 to %100 so if you want to decrease the output (maybe you have fish that don't like flow) you can do that unlike with the aquaclear, the tidal has a surface skimmer which is good and bad, it's good because it can remove waste from the top, but it's bad because if your water level drops it makes a loud gurgling noise which is annoying as hell, the tidal has an extendable intake so you can have it take water from the bottom of the tank or the middle of the tank, the tidal has a heater clip and a larger media basket, the media basket is enclosed so it is easier to clean and the tidal has a built in indicator to tell you when the filter gets clogged, but it also has a channel to allow water to escape so it doesn't overflow onto the floor. I really love the tidal filter, more so than the aquaclear if I'm going to be honest
 
I used AC for years and bought my first tidal maybe a year ago.

The filter on an old 55 I keep around broke down and I needed something immediately and cheap until I had the money for a new AC. I found a tidal 50 for dirt cheap at my lfs and picked it up "for now". That tidal 50 is still on that 55gal and it does just fine keeping that water perfect.

Whisper quiet, self priming and a surface skimmer with a nice big media basket to boot, plus super easy maintenance. basically everything you want in an hob filter. Now I have several of them (2 75s and a 110) as backups or supplements to the fluval canisters I run on everything else.
 
RD. said:
Having ran numerous AC's on tanks for many years, I just wanted to address a couple of things that have been mentioned.

1. It doesn't stay level. The cheap little plastic piece used to level it is crap and doesn't stay put.

I use a piece of Velcro, the soft side, where each level rests. I have never had a filter move, and none of my tanks are perfectly level, they all lean in one direction. (side to side|)

2. It is very prone to clogging and overflowing onto your floor. You really need to stay on top of cleaning these.

Mine run for months between cleaning, and I have never had one overflow onto the floor. That's 8 AC 110's, over 15+ yrs of use for all 8 filters. Unless one's maintenance/cleaning is way off the mark, I don't know how a filter could get so clogged that it overflows onto the floor. Sounds more like operator error.

3. The Tidals pump housing is in the tank so it takes up more space in the tank. However, that design means you dont need to manually fill the filter up after a big water change.

I have extra intake extensions on my AC filters, and I leave the filters running, even on 90% water changes, and never a need to manually fill the filter up after a water change.


I guess over time one will find out how reliable the Seachem units are, AC's have certainly proved themselves many times over for many years. Good luck.
Click to expand...
I second this thought ... I have had AC 20 & AC 30, I've not faced any issue till today. The plus point with Scachem Tidal is the skimmer.
 
AC is the only brand of HOB that can overflow and leak. Read this.

Aquaclear filter overflowed?

So my filter which i believe is a ac 50-70, was over filling and leaking all over the floor. Flooded my living room. Any ideas why it did this? Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
www.monsterfishkeepers.com www.monsterfishkeepers.com

The company is aware of its design deficiencies, but did not fix them because it is selling well.
 
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…….. which at the end the OP stated: "I had stuffed a extra inch of polyfill on top the sponge and other stuff. It fluffed the more it got wet thus causing the overflow. Its running fine now"

Another clear case of operator error. I have been running AC's for longer than many people here have been keeping fish, and have never had one overflow, or leak.
 
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The issues of AC have been brought up many times, and RD has always been defensive of AC. It appears that he has used AC exclusively for such a long time that he became personally attached to it.

AC is marketed for versatility of using any media one wants, but when it overflows, he blames on operator error. Nonsense. A good design HOB should have a bypass spillway when the media is clogged.

The external O ring is another vulnerability. There is no reason why the AC motor must be unscrewed in order to clean the impeller and over time, damage the O ring.

Leak and overflow are no minor defects. The fact that AC can still pump when the water level is drawn down 90% makes it more dangerous. It can drain the tank and cause major flooding.
 
Like any item, once you start using parts not designed by the manufacturer for use in their equipment, you increase the likelihood of failure of the equipment. (e.g. overstuffing with Polyfil). Also, like any o-ring, it needs to be replaced eventually. Removal of part with an o-ring requires lubrication when you put that part back. Most users don't do this.
 
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The overflow issue is ENTIRELY operator error. If you attempt to load the media basket beyond its capacity then, yes it has a chance of overflowing. Same thing would happen if you crammed the penguins full before the cartridge. The o-ring issue is again operator error for either incorrectly maintaining it or incorrectly fitting it. I use a chunk of pool noodle to keep mine slightly angled towards the tank.
Looks like i was too slow typing my reply. Lol
 
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