# Emperor 400



## burninrubber390 (Oct 25, 2010)

So I have an emperor 400 on the back of my 75 but I'm looking at switching filters due to the fact that I'm tired off having to completely prime it every time the power kicks off so I was looking at getting a new pump but not exactly sure which route to go I'm mostly looking for something that doesn't require constant priming due to the fact I know that the filter will fry after running dry over night because my power has a habit of coming back on when everyone is asleep and can't keep doing it that way so any suggestions would be awesome


----------



## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

Not an Aquaclear, that's I can say. Those are even worse than my Emperors in terms of priming. Great filters, but they go bone dry the second they go off.


----------



## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

I have an aqueon filter and a tetra filter that don't require priming. I don't have any tanks larger than 20 gallons, but my filters don't require priming. Try one of those brands. Another good thing to try would be adding periods! ;-) :razz:


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

There is a relatively new line of aqueon "quietflow" filters that have the filter pump inside of the tank. These filters should never need priming because the powerhead is sitting in the tank and pumps the water up into the filter. I have a few and they are somewhat quieter because the pump vibration is muffled by the water and the outflow is steady , not erratic than the ones with the biowheel. The have a kind of wimpy cartridge (which should make it cheaper than the emperor cartridge, less plastic) or two and a rigid plastic surface that looks like legos for bacteria to grow on. They aren't very expensive, but I have been satisfied with them so far. The last emperor I bought had a noisy impeller right out of the box. 

Some of my emperors will self-prime, some don't. I don't know what the difference is. Agree that aquaclears are worse. 

The other option would be a canister. Fluvals are a pain to prime the first time, but seem to restart okay. But if a canister is off too long, you need to open it up and clean it before anaerobic decay makes HS to pump in your tank when the power goes on.


----------



## burninrubber390 (Oct 25, 2010)

I know my marienland c-360 doesn't need primed on restart. My main problem is on the 75 i don't have the height that it requires to sufficiently filter and don't know if that is a problem with it. I mean if i can get away with the location where it is i will just go with another 360 for the 75


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Shoot marineland an e-mail and see what they say. I put a Magnum 350 on a bottom tank with no issues so far, but the "gravity prime" filters do have a min and max height range in the instructions. I suspect it will run, but you won't get the advertised flow rate.


----------



## burninrubber390 (Oct 25, 2010)

And that is just it the top of the 75 only sits about 29" from the floor. as for my 40 which has the c-360 is about 43" so isn't much of a problem.


----------



## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Quiet flows are very quiet. The only thing you can hear is the water going flowing back into the tank.


----------



## burninrubber390 (Oct 25, 2010)

Actually how is the magnum 350 from what I've seen it looks like a good filter


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I have a bunch of these because they are about the cheapest canister are about right to run a 4' tank (I have 11 or so) with another filter. They have quick release valves and nice inputs and outputs. They have a nice strong flow and you can set them up to gravel washing or water-polishing which is nice ability. The hoses are kind of soft and can crimp. The media container is kind of small, but you can put in whatever. The impeller is at the bottom of the canister, which is a real issue if you let sand or gravel get in the impeller well. They can get loud as they get old, kind of buzzing. 

IMO they are great for the price, but they don't have nearly the media volume as the C- line or the fluvals. The option with the 2 bio-wheels, is, IMO, just silly. It takes away all the advantages of choosing a canister over something like an emperor, the quiet, the low evaporation. 

The other thing i use on bottom tanks a lot is the HOT magnum, they are only 250 gph, so you need 2, but they have some of the canister advantages w/o needing the height. Again I'd skip the bio-wheel.


----------



## AquariumTech (Oct 12, 2010)

Actually you dont have to re-prime AquaClears unless the water goes bellow the intake tube. If your going to be getting a HOB, nothing even comes close to AquaClears and Fluval C Series (and Rena SmartFilter). Nuff said. 

A canister is the way to go though, personally I have always had the best experiences with Fluvals canisters, but there are a lot of other good brands out there that make good models. Its going to depend on your budget though. Anyways, this is just going to become a silly VS thread if its not already; where people tell you completely false opinions and other nonsense for whatever reason, so the best thing you can do is take this with a grain of salt, and to google. Then you can start your research.


----------



## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

I personally prefer Ehime canisters. Of the the brands I have tried the Ehimes have worked best for me. rena used to make a really nice canister but API discontinued them sometime last year. Lucky for me I was able to get one on clearance before the end. I personally only use canister filters. They are the best. Heck I even use them on my nano tanks


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I have an aquaclear that starts up fine, I have another one that goes dry even with the power on. And one that rattles and one that gets hot. Having the pump in the tank solves some issues (noise, heat, priming) but could cause others (electrocution, the cord being attacked by salt or fish). So far, so good on my quietflows, but they do have less media than the emperors and the aquaclears.


----------



## AquariumTech (Oct 12, 2010)

emc7 said:


> but they do have less media than the emperors and the aquaclears.


A LOT LESS! Not to mention once you change that cartridge, its all over so to speak. Then when everything finally starts building back up on it; UP! time to change it again. Even if you dont care about the carbon or w/e if you dont change it every 2-4 weeks (depending on your tank) the dam thing just gets a massive amount of flow-by. Which can also be some what accredited to its motor design; which makes more problems than it "helps". Flow-by is the term for water that doesnt pass through filtration due to design, or flows "around" the media. I dont care about by pouring water into my filter whenever I have to unplug it, im sitting right in front of 10-250 gallons of water anyways. 

I just hate those things, I could write a book on that dam filters flaws, but ill leave it at that.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I'm always amazed by the emotion people have for filters. Some love aquaclears, others e-heims. Say undergravel and you get a hate rant. The first time a aquaclear leaned back and let water run out onto the floor, the affair was over. E-heim are quiet, but low-flow.

I use anything I get cheap (the quietflows came from a silent auction @ ACA) and all have good and bad features. I put 2 filters on every tank and usually 'overfilter'. I am slowly moving from a bunch of power filter toward mostly sponges on central air.


----------



## burninrubber390 (Oct 25, 2010)

im probably just going to find another canister that the ''gravity" issue isnt a factor. I will leave the emperor on for extra filtration but wont rely just on that though.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Sounds sensible. Any 2nd filter, maybe a big sponge w/a power head will keep the fish alive if the emperor doesn't restart.


----------



## burninrubber390 (Oct 25, 2010)

And that's my thing it's all about keeping the fish alive and happy


----------

