# Aquaclear 110



## artemisblossom (May 22, 2008)

HI

I will be setting up the new tank in a couple of weeks. (It is a 125 gal.) and I was wondering if 2 aquaclear 110 filters would be enough filtration for it. I will be putting in 2 large blood parrot fish and maybe an oscar (they get along very well now but i do have a back up plan in case they start to fight). The manager at the lfs told me the Aquaclear filters are among the best and 2 of these would work as well as if not better than the much more expensive fluval canister filter. What do you guys think would the Aquaclears be sufficient??


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

The AC 110 is rated up to 125 gallons so two of them would deal with a high bioload tank. However I will state that a canister filter is always better than a HoB.


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

I say combine the AC110 with a canister filter and you should be ok. Sponge filters are good too if it's not a showtank.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

A cannister filter is not always better than a HOB. The best filter is one you are willing to maintain. The HOBs are half the work to maintain. Leaving cannisters for months between cleanings is not good maintenance. The AC filters can be operated with 2 sponge inserts which significantly increases their bio capability.


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

I don't find canister filters any more difficult to maintain than HoB. A bit more time is required but the process is pretty much the same. If you are allowing ANY filtration system to go months without maintenace then you are neglecting your tanks.


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## MichaelAngelo (Jul 6, 2009)

just to chime in... my experience is that the lip of the HOB filter may not be wide enough to deal with the large lip of a large tank!

my ac 70 doesn't fit over the lip of my 125


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

MichaelAngelo said:


> just to chime in... my experience is that the lip of the HOB filter may not be wide enough to deal with the large lip of a large tank!
> 
> my ac 70 doesn't fit over the lip of my 125


That's a very good point MichealAngelo pointed out.

I do believe an AC110 should have no problems with larger aquariums. Please correct me if I'm wrong.


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

gucci17 said:


> I say combine the AC110 with a canister filter and you should be ok. Sponge filters are good too if it's not a showtank.


Very good advice

From my own experience 2 Ac110's is not enough to handle a large BIO load



gucci17 said:


> That's a very good point MichealAngelo pointed out.
> 
> I do believe an AC110 should have no problems with larger aquariums. Please correct me if I'm wrong.


Yes it should I have 2 on my big tank. The glass is just a bit thicker than a 125's glass.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

to throw in my 2 cents. Aside from the maintenance and what not, which I dont really mind with my Eheim classics (takes me just a little bit more time then doing my AC HOBs). But I one good thing about canisters is with the output and intake tubes, you can customize where you want the intake, where you want the output etc. This compared to the rigid HOB is much more superior.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

There is no question that cannisters have some nice features, but they are in no way as easy to maintain as an AC. You don't even have to turn an AC off to clean the elements. Much easier to clean an AC while doing a water chnge, than a cannister.


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

I will still disagree with you there BillD about the ease of maintenance. However I have never had a flood from a canister filter whereas I have from HoB's. I also lost my collection of L46 due to a malfunction on the HoB. I have pulled all of my HoB's off my tanks and replaced them with powerheads with sponge filter covered intakes.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

KnaveTO said:


> I will still disagree with you there BillD about the ease of maintenance. However I have never had a flood from a canister filter whereas I have from HoB's. I also lost my collection of L46 due to a malfunction on the HoB. I have pulled all of my HoB's off my tanks and replaced them with powerheads with sponge filter covered intakes.


any type of sponge in particular? or just the normal BA blue sponge. Iv been trying to create something using the hydro sponges, but so far no luck.


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

You could try the ZooMed ones or the ones from MaxiJet. Both come either with the powerhead or as replacements


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## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

BillD said:


> There is no question that cannisters have some nice features, but they are in no way as easy to maintain as an AC. You don't even have to turn an AC off to clean the elements. Much easier to clean an AC while doing a water chnge, than a cannister.


It is very subjective. I have many AC filters and few Eheim canisters. Maintenance is a lot easier with the canisters, as I don't have to perform maintenance tasks often at all. AC filters, on the other hand, MUST be inspected and maintained frequently. Once I had a warped media basket with clogged up filter media, which caused the whole media basket to be pushed up, lifting the lid a little and dripping tank water behind the tank. It was few days after this occurred that it was discovered, leaving a significant water leak on the floor (carpeted).

Also, taking the AC filter out for impellar cleaning, etc is even more troublesome than my canister filter.

Based on my experience, AC HOB filters are nice alternative to canisters, at a lower price. However, canisters are way better almost in every way.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

KnaveTO said:


> I don't find canister filters any more difficult to maintain than HoB. A bit more time is required but the process is pretty much the same. If you are allowing ANY filtration system to go months without maintenace then you are neglecting your tanks.


I let my cannisters go months without cleaning them. In fact, the only reason I clean them is if I notice any reduction in flow. I'm unsure as to what the benefits of cleaning them, say once a month, has. To me, it just disturbs the bacteria. Even if some of the debris is producing ammonia, it is near the input and the water is still cycled through the bio portion of the canister.

Some messier fish, I might clean it more often (say, certain pleco's).


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

Yeah, it all comes down to bioload. I can imagine a planted 90 gal. with only one guppy would need the filter cleaned once a year if at all.


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## golfers1 (May 17, 2006)

*Filter types*



artemisblossom said:


> HI
> 
> I will be setting up the new tank in a couple of weeks. (It is a 125 gal.) and I was wondering if 2 aquaclear 110 filters would be enough filtration for it. I will be putting in 2 large blood parrot fish and maybe an oscar (they get along very well now but i do have a back up plan in case they start to fight). The manager at the lfs told me the Aquaclear filters are among the best and 2 of these would work as well as if not better than the much more expensive fluval canister filter. What do you guys think would the Aquaclears be sufficient??


Well, if you are gonna use HOB, I would definitely go with a bio-wheel HOB and a canister filter such as a Fluval #3. The old pengiun 440's were excellent HOB bio-Wheel's and quiet too. Everyone has there own methods and most are pretty good. But it all boils down to fish type and planet type.
Due Diligence is your best friend.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

I use AC110s on 20gal, 30gal and 40gal tanks.

So I would use at least a pair of them on a 75 gal.

I love HOB's but for a 75 gallon show tank on a wooden stand, I would ALWAYS prefer to use a cannister below. Fishrooms are for HOBs, and show tanks should have an EHEIM cannister below.

W


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