Is it worth it to get a Seachem Tidal power filter?
- Thread starter Balistik928
- Start date
I haven't cleaned an impeller in years, nor have I had an AC 500 (110) not start after a power outage, nor have I ever had a damaged o-ring. 8 units, all running problem free for years & years ......
As previously stated, if one is going to pack their tank with fish and plants to the point that they have to be cleaned twice a week, probably best to set up a good sized sump, and forget about HOB filters. Or cut down on stock.
As previously stated, if one is going to pack their tank with fish and plants to the point that they have to be cleaned twice a week, probably best to set up a good sized sump, and forget about HOB filters. Or cut down on stock.
I've used various power heads in the tank like koralia and AC. I can still hear the hum when reading, and it still annoys me.
The only time I damaged an AC o-ring was when I decided to remove the motor and split the o-ring on an 8+ year old AC that sat in a storage bin in the garage for a couple of years.
If I turn off all equipment, I can hear the hum noise. But you said that your power head makes loud hum noise, that’s not my experience as it makes less hum noise than my HOBs. Hum noise isn’t annoying to me. It’s the clicking noise that I can’t stand.
RD said he hasn’t cleaned the AC impeller for years. That’s a miracle. I have the AC powerhead that has the same impeller design and probably interchangeable. I need to clean it every few months or else it would not restart, and I make sure it is cleaned before I leave for vacation. Gunk build up is bio slime accumulation that is occurring even in low stock tanks. If you keep plants, a piece of root fiber can get sucked and entangled the impeller.
RD said he hasn’t cleaned the AC impeller for years. That’s a miracle. I have the AC powerhead that has the same impeller design and probably interchangeable. I need to clean it every few months or else it would not restart, and I make sure it is cleaned before I leave for vacation. Gunk build up is bio slime accumulation that is occurring even in low stock tanks. If you keep plants, a piece of root fiber can get sucked and entangled the impeller.
I think you misread my comment. "There is a low hum, which I find much louder than a canister filter under the tank behind the closed doors." Based on the general position of the filters, I would personally rate the noise as the HOB is the loudest (nothing to buffering the noise), then internal tank powerhead/pump, and finally canister.
When I tested run Whisper, Penguin and AC side by side years ago, Whisper is the quietest, next is Penguin, and the loudest is AC. But silence comes with a trade off. Whisper is the worst self starter because it has the weakest pump. I had to finger kick start it often if I didn’t clean the impeller weekly. That’s too much and a safety risks to my fish when I go away, so I abandoned Whisper. AC is the best self starter, and Penguin comes next.
Now with a new line of HOBs with in tank motor, they can be powerful, quiet and reliable restarter at the same time. I have not tested run them though, purely theoretical assumptions.
I have a trick to make HOBs quieter without trading off restarting reliability. I replaced my Penguin 350 impellers with smaller 200 when the original worn out. It pumps less water, but quieter without trade off in restart reliability since the motor is the same. Slower flow rate will not turn the biowheels but I don’t use nor ever installed the biowheels anyway. Slower flow rate actually provides better mechanical filtration by clogging up the filter pads more thoroughly thereby delaying filter cleaning.
Now with a new line of HOBs with in tank motor, they can be powerful, quiet and reliable restarter at the same time. I have not tested run them though, purely theoretical assumptions.
I have a trick to make HOBs quieter without trading off restarting reliability. I replaced my Penguin 350 impellers with smaller 200 when the original worn out. It pumps less water, but quieter without trade off in restart reliability since the motor is the same. Slower flow rate will not turn the biowheels but I don’t use nor ever installed the biowheels anyway. Slower flow rate actually provides better mechanical filtration by clogging up the filter pads more thoroughly thereby delaying filter cleaning.
Not a miracle at all. A slight build up of bio slime does not cause an AC 500/110 impeller to jam up or even slow down. Not even close. My motors run 24/7 365 days a year, year after year after year. I don't even turn my AC's off when doing 80-90% water changes. Also as already mentioned I use probiotics
which helps keep sludge from building up, but even without using them in yrs past, the only time that I generally had impeller issues was when sand got sucked up, and stopped an impeller in its tracks.
Not sure what everyone else is doing, but while the AC is not perfect, I certainly don't have any serious issues that you guys are referring to.
Yeah ill agree there sand is the only issue ive had fixed that by moving the intake and adding a sponge prefilter.
On a different note with the in tank motor hob filters how much heat does it generate?
On a different note with the in tank motor hob filters how much heat does it generate?
The magnetic drive motors are made for air cool and touched warm, so don’t count on them to help your heating bill. Because of the low heat generated, they last forever.
Sand pumping is an issue with canisters and AC. Most HOB pumps are too weak to draw sand.
My goal is to clean my filters as frequently as practical soon after wastes are generated, rather than to hide wastes in the filters for months to generate nitrate.
Sand pumping is an issue with canisters and AC. Most HOB pumps are too weak to draw sand.
My goal is to clean my filters as frequently as practical soon after wastes are generated, rather than to hide wastes in the filters for months to generate nitrate.
I was looking to purchase a new hob the past weekend and I might have gotten a Tidal but no stores here seem to carry them.I picked up a Marineland instead due to the price that I could not pass up.
