# Is this a Good Filter ??



## Slicey P (Aug 27, 2012)

Hi, i'm planning on buying a 90gal tank in the future, and was wondering if i could get some advise on filters? The filter the petstore i'm buying the tank from wants to sell me costs $230 (not sure the brand name just the price)... but i have found one for $80 online, it's called a 'AquaClear 110'.....Does anyone have any experience with this brand??? What are some opinions?? Thx a lot!!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Aquaclears are good. There are lots of filters that will work. I will always recommend 2 filter per tank even if the second is just an air-powered sponge. @ 300 gph, I'd run it on a 55.


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## gillman (Aug 18, 2012)

ya aquaclears are good filters. As a matter of fact i just bought 1 from amazon.


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

IMO, if you've got the money to drop, you'd be better off going with a canister. We have a 70 rated canister on our 40 breeder and it's never looked better. Frankly, I'm not loving HOBs anymore since getting this thing. We're also done with AquaClears because we've owned several and while they're great filters, all of them have grinding impellers now, so they're unusable. 

This is the brand we got, and this size would work for your tank dimensions: http://www.amazon.com/FLUVAL-CANIST...id=1372775909&sr=1-1&keywords=canister+filter


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## Jaysee (Apr 24, 2010)

The AC110 does 500 GPH - not enough for a 90. It's a good filter, but in my experience canisters are the way to go on larger tanks. I also think its best to have 2 filters on large tanks, whether its 2 canisters, a canister and an HoB, or whatever. I prefer 2 canisters.

Canisters can be pretty expensive, but you can get them for cheap. I have 4 sunsuns (white filter on eBay) and absolutely love them. Do a search for "canister filter" on eBay an you'll see them. They are sold under different names, such as perfect and also aquatop. I highly recommend them.


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## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

Jaysee said:


> The AC110 does 500 GPH - not enough for a 90. It's a good filter, but in my experience canisters are the way to go on larger tanks. I also think its best to have 2 filters on large tanks, whether its 2 canisters, a canister and an HoB, or whatever. I prefer 2 canisters.
> 
> Canisters can be pretty expensive, but you can get them for cheap. I have 4 sunsuns (white filter on eBay) and absolutely love them. Do a search for "canister filter" on eBay an you'll see them. They are sold under different names, such as perfect and also aquatop. I highly recommend them.
> 
> ...



I would have to slightly disagree there. 500gph is enough for a 90 IMO. I run a slammed full fluval FX5 on my 125g and my parameters have never changed since I've had it. Most results on actual flow rates are around 500-550gphI can test it right now and I'd get the same results as I did after it was cycled. pH 7.8, 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, 0-10ppm nitrate.


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## Jaysee (Apr 24, 2010)

blindkiller85 said:


> I would have to slightly disagree there. 500gph is enough for a 90 IMO. I run a slammed full fluval FX5 on my 125g and my parameters have never changed since I've had it. Most results on actual flow rates are around 500-550gphI can test it right now and I'd get the same results as I did after it was cycled. pH 7.8, 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, 0-10ppm nitrate.


There is a HUGE difference between an HOB filter and an FX5 canister filter. The FX5 can hold at least 3 times the amount of media the AC110 can - probably closer to 4 or 5 times. 

500 GPH from a HOB is not equal to 500 GPH from a canister. The reason HOBs need higher turnover rates than canisters is to make up for the lack of space for media. The higher the turnover rate, the lower the concentration of ammonia in the water entering the filter, which means less ammonia to process. Because a canister holds SOOO much more media, it can process a larger amount of ammonia with one pass through filter, so the turnover rate doesn't need to be as high. The gold standard according to most is 8-10 times an hour turnover for HOBs and 5-8 times and hour for canisters. And that's based on manufacturer ratings.

Another thing - you are quoting the actual (full filter) flow rate from your FX5 and comparing it to the theoretical (empty filter) flow rate of the AC110. Not really a fair comparison, since the flow will be reduced when full of media.

Too, filtration requirements have a lot to do with stock, so while I'm sure there are a number of people out there that can run an AC110 on their 90 gallon tank, there are many others that cannot. 

The last comment I will make is on circulation, a large component of filtration. HOBs are terrible at circulation - 1 on a larger tank is inadequate in my experience. But, we all have different levels of expectation I suppose. 


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