Can this Filter Beat the HOB King? Seachem Tidal Filter Review

I'll give my review on the Seachem Tidal series of filters. I've had several of these running around my fish tanks for over a year - so the question now stands: is the Tidal better than the Aquaclear in my opinion - I'll break it all down!
Seachem/Sicce Tidal Filters: amzn.to/2XwKwVV
Aquaclear Filters: bit.ly/2LG2JOB
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[@fragile880]

I feel like I've watched a few HoB reviews, but this was laid out cleanly and I feel like I can make an unbiased decision on what filter works best for me. Thanks!

[@kfuhrman2008]

I’ve used both. I think the Aquaclear and Tidals are good filters. It has a lot to do with personal preference. But situation could dictate as well. The Tidal pulls water from 3 areas. The intake tube, the skimmer and some small slots in the pump housing that I don’t think I’ve ever heard a review mention. This is good because it pulls from the bottom, middle and top of the water. But if you have a tank with tiny fry or shrimp that could be a problem, since you could put a pre-sponge on the tube but the other opening have no built in shut off nor the ability to have a sponge. You would definitely lose fry and shrimp in the filter. So in that situation the Aquaclear might be the better choice. But with that said that’s the only situation I see a problem. I would chose the Tidal first in every other case. I agree that with some minor tweaks to the design the Tidal could claim the throne. Sea chem is listening though. The newest addition of the line the 35 has dark grey knobs instead of the bright blue.

[@BentleyPascoe]

Kurt - you are right and I spaced even though I know it pulls from 3 spots. There's a place for each filter and you have one of the best examples where I would never want a Tidal - cheers!

[@Kevin-mn4hd]

Just put a really light filter media over them, the suction will hold it, and give you a whole other filter while keeping fry out. Just another up side, more filters! Lol.

[@chasonsnotes]

I don't usually comment on reviews. I like you. I liked your review. Pros: You covered everything. I want one Cons: You covered everything like I was going to be tested on the content. It was so long I forgot why I want one.

[@bigbowlowrong4694]

You’re the only reviewer I’ve seen that mentioned the crappy plastic Aquaclears are made of. I much prefer the materials used in the Tidal.

[@BentleyPascoe]

I think Cory mentioned it in a livestream when comparing the two, but yea, I much prefer the Tidal's material choice.

[@rickbarg3980]

Still a superior filter ,there all made of plastic

[@MrDdunn11965]

@@rickbarg3980 not all plastics are the same. Tidal probably uses a polypro type plastic that is more pliable.

[@rickbarg3980]

That’s not my comment sorry🇨🇦

[@bigbowlowrong4694]

@@rickbarg3980 Hard disagree. Having used both its obvious the Aquaclears are made of poorer materials.

[@Miguel195211]

The self priming of the Tidal sold me. I have owned AC for years and love them, but if the power goes off I need a reliable filter that will turn back on while I am away from home (vacation).

[@robertbaker3174]

Bummer when you get home and motor if fried!

[@plushpossum]

I want a self priming Aquaclear. That would be the perfect HOB. I have both, and I prefer the Aquaclear; but I love the self priming feature on the Tidal.

[@charlesmandracchia8524]

You might like the Tetra Whisper IQ.

[@jerml6136]

AquaClear 110 is self priming as long as you keep your water level within 4" of top & the filter wont siphon empty, which honestly if you are not you're not maintaining tank properly (generally takes over a month or two or more to get that low) Also in both the AquaClear110 & the Tidal 110 you have to keep the impeller semi maintained for either to self prime.

[@Poconogreyhound]

Great video! Some of the issues I had are the same as yours. I don't like that the tidal 55 and up and you can't use filter media to prefilter the skimmer. On the 35 its very easy to cut some media for that. For me, the biggest plus is the auto prime. Here in the Poconos we tend to get brown outs etc quite often during storms so for me to not hear the filter struggling to reprime is a HUGE plus. Plus its great to know if we aren't home it will reprime by itself. I don't have much of an issue with the look of the black plastic in the tank as all my tanks have black backgrounds. The only other issue as in my previous message a few hours ago. I did have to cut down the intake on my tidal 55 to fit my 12" tall 42g lowboy. Not a big deal but still some time out of my day to do it. As for the end of the video, I think the aquaclear looks much better for a rimless tank but for flow, auto prime and size of the media bin (I jam filter floss above the sponge in mine), it would have to be the Tidal for me

[@ajw9975]

Another vote for the aquaclear. First, I think the power stoppages and running dry issue hype is a bit overblown. If the power goes out, and AS LONG AS you typically keep the water level in your tank above the level of the motor in the aquaclear, it's impossible for the filter to ever run dry. Second, I used to run a Tidal, but I went back to the Aquaclear. Why? It's actually because of the opposite of your finding. After running the Tidal for a couple of years, I found that enough mulm and algae builds up in the in-tank motor after a month or two that if the power goes out for any reason, the motor won't start up and you have to take the entire filter assembly out of the tank, disassemble the motor and clean it out, then reassemble, put it back into the tank and then it'll work. On the aquaclear, if there's a mulm-induced jam in the motor during a power outage, once the power comes on all I have to do is turn the impeller with a chopstick and all's well again. Plus the "surface skimmer" on the Tidalreally is a gimmick; it simply doesn't pull enough water for it to work. As someone else has mentioned, the skimmer on the Tidal kind of interferes with the functionality of an intake prefilter (if you wanted to put one on). I just find the aquaclear has the best overall design, has no gimmicks, and by far the easiest to maintain and MOD out of all the HOBs out there. I also really wanted to like the Tidal. But in the end, went back to the aquaclear. There's a good reason why the design has remained unchanged for the past 40 years!

[@MrGuppy-qt9ez]

This is a full, very good and well thought out review.

[@chiefy915]

Great review. I just bought the 110. The basket and blue color are my biggest gripes also, all noted in your video. I painted the inside flow dial black, and just never used the blue heater holder, this has helped a lot. Not perfect, but no buyer's remorse, I chose the right HOB for me.

[@davidadkins8805]

I’ve loaded my up with three 2x6 black sponges. Love this filter. When I do water changes I turn the flow down so it doesn’t rattle. The flow doesn’t seem to slow down with age like most. HOBs.

[@rochelled1215]

After watching, I am going to buy the little 35 and try it out. I love surface skimmers.

[@brianp2707]

I've had a 75 and 110 since they've come out. Only issue is you need to pay attention to the flow. If you pack it with too much filtration (sponges, media etc) and have the filter turned up, it will spill over the back of the media tray and bypass the filtration. It will also happen when the filter needs some maintenance.

[@tayson1222]

Yes I agree on this , this is the biggest issue with tidal. I will stick with ac110. I believe the tidal is better built sold materials and nice features , but what's the point of all this of water can bypass media if you have too much media or sponges!!! ac doesn't have a bypass issue .

[@apaulmcdonough2170]

@@tayson1222 stop Stuffing the Media Basket. The Sponge does Course Filtration, and the Mesh Bags that hold the SEACHEM Medias act as Fine Mechanical Filtration. The Filter is designed to bypass when the Media needs cleaning so the Filter can still Oxygenate the Water.

[@mannyaraujo1]

@@tayson1222 agreed

[@mannyaraujo1]

@@apaulmcdonough2170 it doesn't hold as much media as the aqua clear I don't care what anyone says and that's stupid sponge that comes with the seacham

[@apaulmcdonough2170]

@@mannyaraujo1 obvious that you overrate the amount of Media necessary in Water Filtration. If you believe More Media means More Beneficial Bacteria then you need to learn More. Excess Filtration is often a sign of Poor Aquarium management.

[@patricklaundra3286]

ok so maybe I'm not an over kill maniac after all. if you have a Tidal 110 on a 29 gallon - then it seems we are on the same page. I have a Tidal 75 on a 20 gallon tall .. I wanted that huge media space that I can customize any way I want. I love it. The whole removable media basket thing works really well for me. I live in a small studio apartment. and my aquarium is right by the head of my bed. so to be able to "neatly" remove the whole media arrangement and take it across the room to the kitchen to clean it is awesome. plus the matrix being in those bags makes it simple to rinse out without making a mess. It's super quiet. because the pump is inside the tank. which is a must for me. because it's right by my bed. I did my research on that one also. I have it mounted on the side so it circulates the whole tank lengthwise. I've had those cartridge filters that I had to hotrod the media in from day one. and didn't like that. I've also had an Aqua Clear that worked well but the pump was noisy. and I felt like I was cheating right from the start by customizing the media in that one too. I think the Tidal is purposely intended to have you create your own media configuration. that's probably why it comes with so little media in it to start with .. you brought up some fun facts that I had noticed but didn't really pay allot of attention to such as it's nylon plastic rather than polystyrene. it's flexible. you could throw it down a flight of stairs and it wouldn't crack. sure it's not perfect yet. but I think it does have many significant new design features that are a little better than the (old school) filters. & hopefully Seachem & Sicce will keep an eye on reviews like this. and there next improved model will be the Best Filter In The Whole World !! .. lol :)

[@jorgerobles628]

Very nice and honest review- 5/5 stars!!!! I bought two AC-500 many years ago, about 1986-87. When I was assembling them, I accidentally dropped one, and the case of it cracked in many places. I was lucky the pet shop store got it back and gave me a new filter for a 3.00 dollar replacement fee. Those AC-500 have been working flawlessly since new. About a year ago, I saw the Sea Chem 110 at another pet shop, liked the features, and bought one. I got home, left it on the couch near where the fish tank is, and my son, who was playing with our dogs, dropped it while playing with it(?), and the filter was pushed from one side of the place to another. I went to check what was that noise, and horrified I saw the filter on the floor. My floor is Terrazo, with no carpet at all, so its a hard surface. I checked the filter, and there was not a single crack on it, just slight scratches. That filter have been working flawlessly, just like the AC-500s. That ugliness this gentleman mentions here about that big black box where the pump and the skimmer are, is not a problem, I covered it with a piece of this plastic aquarium background, and no problem with it. The SC-110 is as quiet as the AC-500, have better water flow control, has the skimmer that the AC doesn't have, has less HOB space than the AC, the media replacement is the same process and the size/volume difference is not that much in favor of the AC's, has the clog warning device that the ACs don't have, and very importantly, its body is 100 % impact resistant, the ACs' is brittle. For me, the KING is the SC-110 or any of its siblings over any other filter. And I used to have a Whisper-60, a Penguin 300, and a Marineland Emperor 400 to supplement the ACs. The SC-110 is, for my specific use, the one to beat. I am getting two more SC-110s for my tank, that by the way, is a 125 gallons with natural plants, two 20-year old goldfish, two 12-14 inch plecos, and lots of blue gouramies and paradise fish, about 20-25 zebra fish, 6 large angelfish, and lots of cardinal and neon tetras. But the choice is up to you, I chose functionality, features and toughness above looks and brittleness. The media I use for the SC is coarse, medium and fine sponge filtering, and the Fluval Maintenance kit for the AC-500/110

[@BentleyPascoe]

Thank you for the feedback! Amazing to think those ACs truly can last as long as we hobbyists joke about, but it's been the king of HoB for a reason! I like both for different reasons, so I'm never upset putting either on a tank.

[@jorgerobles628]

@@BentleyPascoe Oh thanks for your comment, is very honoring to me!!!!! I just got those other two SC-110, and now my tank has three of those. The AC-500s were put to rest, and I noticed that the plastic housing on them had many cracks in the back of the housing. They could had broke and produce at least some unseen leaks, or may be a catastrophic event, I don't know, bit I feel very happy for their performance. But now, my absolute king of filters for my tank are those SCs, no questions asked or doubts about that. Again, thanks for your comment!!!!!!

[@jaybird8192]

For me, one of the biggest advantage of the Tidal is: To maintenance it, the removable basket instead of removing the whole HOB filter from the tank is a deciding feature. And you don't have to shut it off when taking out the basket with the media when cleaning it!

[@AAE-cg1il]

I have a Tidal 110 going on my heavily rockscaped overcrowded mbuna cichlid tank (46 gallon bowfront) for 4 years now. It replaced a Fluval that leaked all the time. To me the 110 is a canister killer……I have plenty of Seachem Matrix in it and just one of the blue sponges. It’s so easy to maintain……..

[@adkgaladkgal1799]

Have not tried the tidal,but just replaced my aquaclear 110.on my 60g tank, with another same. The 10 yr old filter still works but I want to change the motor seal before I have a problem and I will use it on my 50g tank. The aquaclear is reliable, love the big box. I clean it every 2 weeks because my large goldfish make big waste and it once overflowed on our wood floors. Only once.

[@chefrarestones1960]

Great review!!! I would love to try out the tidal . Sounds like the benefits totally outweigh the cons. Thanks for all you do!!! Can we see the invisible kitties your always talking to??? That would be awesome!!!

[@BentleyPascoe]

There are two, you'll see one very soon in a video I'm working on finishing the edits for.

[@madfishdiva]

Really good review Bentley. I do like the skimmer feature on this product. I like the Tidal. I have an API 50 which is very similar design with the built in skimmer.

[@stephenriley5524]

Hurray for B roll shots!!! Action = attention. We want to see the product in action. Your show is great and very informative. More B roll please. More product in action:) I have this filter on my 55. It is awesome!! I do agree on the skimmer. A gate here is an absolute must. I just hope Tidal realizes this soon. I would love a DIY for this issue if anyone has one.

[@CaylorsReptilesAquatics]

Bentley, a subject near and dear to my heart. I have used Tidals in many tanks over the past year. I've added them as Aquaclears have died or become unreliable. AC used to be a very reliable and well made product. When it was sold a few years ago, that all changed. Having used ACs for many years and a strong advocate for them, I was not easily convinced Tidals were as good, or better. My lfs finally convinced me to try one though. Having frequent power blinks and outages, the benefit of having an in water motor which restarts itself every time, was a huge benefit. (I don't recall you mentioning this huge benefit over ACs. Self starting in water motors are used on cheaper brands like Quiet Flow, etc. They are superior to out of water motors.) I would otherwise need to go around and ck ACs on over 20 tanks. Some were always not running water, but the motor was hot and stagnant water sat in the media basket. These had to be started manually. I keep all my filters clean, including the mechanical parts. So, this was not the issue of ACs not restarting. Currently, all my ACs have been replaced with Tidals. I especially love the built in skimmer on my marine tanks, however, they also are a huge benefit on the fresh water tanks. The sucking noise can be stopped by simply turning the water flow dial to minimum while the level is down during water changes. Its stops the noise, but remember to turn the flow back on when the level comes up. The quietness is awesome. Cory commented to me that ACs were quieter and Tidals were noisey. He uses ACs and also sells them so I feel that was biased. The reason AC is a little cheaper is the cheap materials, and lack of features Tidal has. Thanks for a review that is honest and does not pander to outside influences. Hopefully, hobbyists will realize something better and more reliable is finally available. Once you use one, you realize how superior they are. RIP Aquaclear.

[@BentleyPascoe]

It might be that I'm just lucky as all my ACs are older and thus, built like tanks. That being said, I like both for different reasons, but if I was to choose at the same price point, I'd likely be picking the tidal in all but some select cases.

[@CaylorsReptilesAquatics]

@@BentleyPascoe agree. The largest aqua store in the region, Aquarium Knoxville, has all the ACs on sale and they have been for months. They can't sell them, since they brought in Tidal. All our local Petcos stopped carrying ACs last year. They just aren't the same product they once were. I have a couple left of the old well built ones, but will replace them as well with Tidal. Change is hard especially when we once had a great product. Great product review Bentley. Actually, I think the first I've seen on Tidals that were not biased. Thanks again.

[@juliecaton3329]

Tough question! I would probably go with the Tidal. Thank you for the review! I have an AquaClear, a Penguin 350 Biowheel, a canister, and several air-driven, corner multi-media types. My new favorite is a DIY above-tank sump made from a planter, but still working out some kinks on those. I love the riparium style, so being able to stick the plants in the sump media is awesome. The odd media box shape of the Tidal does not bother me, but that big in-tank presence...... Looking forward to the light reviews! Keep them coming!

[@MidnightGeekSS]

Love your reviews, keep on making them! They really help out

[@melainkinney7213]

I have 2 of these monster on my 90 gallon salt water tank been running 2 110 tidals for almost 11 months i love them for 1 super silent 2 i can run charcoal or bio ball etc media and i normally run phosban filter pad in one / other i run chemiclean blue media in the other . I have had great results power outages i love it . i know the filter will turn on . I have nice tank for my 6 fish there 6 plus years old never had transition issue the heater thingies scares me afraid it break the glass . there is no film any more along water line at the top of my tank the skimmer works awesome .. Wall space it saves me is price less i have limited space these were awesome i picked them up from kens for around 45 dollar free shipping . I use Seachem food and Salt one could say were hooked on Seachem . Dude your video is spot on I'm not a fresh water hobbyist . Just a note I'm running a marlin cascade canister filter also with saltwater you need flow if Seachem ever make canister I'm on board i started out with the new ehiem canister clips broke after 2 months just throwing that out before i get beat up for not enough flow i have plenty muah guy excellent video on my favorite filter I ran Penguin 350 on my tank noise level kept us up at night do not miss its noise level maintence burden the space that thing took up err so long compared to seachem

[@SergioBernardoAlmi]

I love the color mat black ❤I use it for years and I love it

[@tobek284]

Thanks for the great and well balanced review. I like my tidals and think some of the fish personalities hate them just because they are different and not aquaclears. You raise some of the points I have and need to be modified with sponge or nylons to make them safer for fry or shrimplets.

[@BentleyPascoe]

I'd love to see pictures on how you modified with a little detail! Feel free to email me: [e-mail]

[@rsouthern2671]

I built a manifold and piped in the suction tube of my aquaclear 110 into my undergravel filter plates so that it is pulling suction from under the plates. No more buildup of muck and contaminates under the plates and the easy maintenance of cleaning the HOB filter with the aquaclear is a winning combo. I have used this set up for years and have crystal clear water with easy maintenance.

[@BentleyPascoe]

I like it!

[@rsouthern2671]

@@BentleyPascoe thanks. Great review by the way. I just ordered a new Aquaclear 110 and waiting on delivery for our new tank. I like the Seachem Tidals and will probably buy one eventually. I have used Aquaclear filters for decades and can say that the first one I bought was 15 years old when I broke the housing and had to replace it. Replace the impeller shafts at regular intervals every 3 years or so and there will be no noise. clean filter as necessary, a very small dab of silicone around the lip of the cover and vibration noise of cover is fixed. Be careful when cleaning filter and it will last 20 years. 500 gallons per hour of filtration from an Aquaclear 110 pulling from underneath an under gravel filter makes the water look like air. Might build another tank and try the Tidal.😁

[@gethighonlife11]

I like the Tidal versus the Aquaclear. I put a Tidal 110 on my 55 gallon tank, and it is great. I love the water flow, the heater clip and the self priming feature. I am about to replace the Aquaclear 50 with a Tidal 35 for my 20 gallon tank. The Aquaclear tends to get obstructions in the tube which impedes the water flow.

[@KaRim-jj3ip]

Now I’m going to get 2 of the tidal 110 for my 55 gallons cichlids ❤️ big up to you

[@lpspinners8736]

My favorite is the Tidal 110. Just set one up two days ago and I love it! I had Aquaclears many years back, but I just find the Tidal's features and design much better. Giving me one for free? I would take another Tidal 110. By the way, I appreciate you mentioning and showing a Tidal 110 on a small tank - thanks for that!

[@elizabethG633]

I have a Tidal 35 and learned it is not suitable for anything over 20 gal, and not a deep tank. But it works great in my 10 gal. In my 30 I am running a Fluval C2, but need slightly more filtration, and therefore have ordered a Tidal 55, which has all the features I want, plus I know just how quiet they are. I gave my son the Aqua Clear for his 15 gal and he loves it. My two 5 gal tanks I am running the Top Fin which has an excellent flow control and is ideal for Bettas.

[@claytonwalker5936]

Well done on the review👍 If you are running an hob on saltwater then the skimmer and high flow are a complete game changer.

[@stevecox8066]

I have a 110 on my 75 gallon, but ended up with a 55 on my 40 gallon. REALLY wish I had just picked up another 110 for the media storage and ability to dial back flow if necessary. Next is going to be running a new one on saltwater when the moment is right - it'll be a 110

[@John-Ebsen]

I had aquaclear on all my tanks, but I have only one running now and it's days are numbered. I've been switching to all sponge filters.

[@RoundhouseAquatics]

same with my tanks all sponge its the tried and true filter of all time

[@dmptcb]

Sponge filters are good but only for smaller tanks and small fish not for bioload tanks

[@gethighonlife11]

I currently have an Aqua Clear 50 on my 20 gallon tank and a Seachem Tidal 110 on my 55 gallon tank. I think that they are both good filters, but I'm leaning a little more towards the Tidal. I love that you can put an abundance of filter media and biological media in the compartment. The flow rate adjustments seems a little bit more defined on the Tidal. I also like the hang on aquarium heater clip that the Tidal offers. But I just hope that both products continue to do their job; to provide a healthy environment for my aquarium fish, thus them living a longer, happier life.

[@FishRfun]

I have a 55g community tank and use a modified topfin silentstream 75 and a seachem tidal 110. Between the two I can get a huge amount of bio media in there plus excellent mechanical filtration. Honestly the self priming feature of the seachem is nice, but it's not what makes it the best. The amount of space is, along with the filtration going from bottom to top

[@tomsmith5456]

I’ve got the Tidal 35 and if I try to put more media in it than it’s supplied with then up pops the little blue float within a few hours and the water overflows the white basket bypassing the media the filter certainly does not need cleaning , other than that it’s brilliant but I don’t like not being able to add more media..It only has the bottom sponge and the Seachem Matrix as supplied but it does keep the water crystal clear , so I suppose I shouldn’t try to add more media other than what Seachem provide

[@apaulmcdonough2170]

Far too many of the *KZbin Fish Experts* defeat the design of Tidals by being *creative* with Filtration Media and then give "poor performance reviews". I am using a 35 on my new 65 USG as a DeNitrate filter. Blue Sponge, 500ml SEACHEM DeNitrate Matrix in the 35 Matrix Bag, with 2 medical 4×4 Gauze Pads between the Sponge and Bag to keep the Bag Mesh cleaner. The 35 is running at almost its lowest speed. I have a older 55 Tidal, using the Blue Sponge, a "75 Tidal Matrix" Bag, and one of the new 55 Polishing Pads on top. I also use an Under Gravel Filtration system driven by 2 Power Heads.

[@adkgaladkgal1799]

Aquaclear is best. I also use DIY over the top home made filters for many years. Wish I could send you a picture. Thanks once again

[@plushpossum]

I have both. Aquaclear is better. Half a dozen reasons, but I do wish they had the motor on the inside. It's not important unless you have a lot of power outages, or if you forget to ad water to the reservoir during water changes; but needed mentioning. I'm an Aquaclear fan to the end!

[@99Canecas]

Im gonna try both lol nothing new out in 2021 still lol subbed .

[@nathanielm.6275]

I've never used either of these products. Based on what I've heard the Tidal sounds like the better one to me. The only HOB I've used was a Tetra Whisper. Even though the Tidal has the funky media holder it is still seems very easy to customize for personal preference. Also the skimmer is a nice feature. I always disliked priming my HOB when I re-filled my tank.

[@BentleyPascoe]

The old tetra HOBs used to be the best thing out there - I kinda miss them from back in the 80s.

[@BigDsmoke]

Thanks Bentley this was a very thorough, well laid out & put together and an excellent review!! I like the AquaClear's as they have worked great for my needs & I tend to stick to what I like & what works unless there's a reason to try something different. The Tidal does seem like a good hob filter tho & I do like how ya said water does flow thru the media a little better.

[@BentleyPascoe]

I agree, I think sticking to what has done you well is a good plan. I can remember the old Tetra whispers for the longest time being "the best" until they changed manufacturers and that's when AquaClears became the king.

[@BigDsmoke]

@@BentleyPascoe I havee been wanting to run a hob on the 75g in my room to run some crushed coral & sponge but dont have room. I'll see if the Tidal dimensions will fit against the wall & if it does I'll definitely try 1.

[@steviedee254]

A nice comprehensive & balanced comparison. Prefer the design simplicity and look of a single transparent tube inside of a tank with an Aquaclear. The media layout on the Tidal seem a little awkward as dose the flow design. After watching to this video I would definitely consider the Tidal in future as it dose have some design advantages over the Aquaclear, less space necessary behind the tank etc, and the price of the Tidal is actually cheaper than the Aquaclear hear in Australia.

[@johnjwedrall4290]

Nice thorough review 👍🙂 I'll buy or take the tidal filter.

[@777phatman]

I’m about to pick up my second tidal 110 today 😂

[@PhilMargolies]

As of today, the Seachem Tidal 110 actually costs less than the AquaClear 110. My primary reason for going with the Tidal is the easy of maintenance. I was using a Fluval cannister filter in my 60 G aquarium. It was such an ordeal to maintain the filter that I found I kept putting it off, going 4 months or longer between maintenance. I also have several AQs in my other tanks and have no problem with them. Maybe a little noisy sometimes, but I can usually fix that with some silicone grease. In this case I thought I'd try something different.

[@PhilMargolies]

Scratch that, at least for my 60 G which is an acrylic tank and will not fit the Seachem Tidal.😢

[@BigDsmoke]

I also am looking forward to seeing if there's any significant difference between running it full of sponge as opposed to biorings etc...

[@BentleyPascoe]

I'll let you know!

[@stevemacdonald2303]

I like the tidal 110. It looks good

[@fierofish]

I haven't tried a Tidal filter yet, maybe one day I'll test it out. But I've had two Aquaclears(one broke), and I'm not a fan. If your water level is slightly low and there is a power outage, the Aquaclears won't restart on their own. Meanwhile, I'm currently running five Penguin 350s, and haven't had an issue with any of them, even with the bio-wheels. And one of the 350s has been running for over 9 years now. Slap a thick sponge in place of the factory Penguin cartridges and your good to go.

[@RoundhouseAquatics]

id take the tidal over Aquaclear any day of the week .. id take a biowheel over an AQ also ... at least the old 1990's Biowheel not sure how they are now in days

[@bruceyung70]

Aqua clear has been one of my ultimate choice but Tidal became my new goto because although both are very quiet the tidal is quieter in a long run.

[@ejfishes7610]

Very good review. I’ve used AC and others in the past. For your question about which one for free, I’d like to try the Tidal as there are some features I like.

[@ramjam74791977]

I really like the Tidal

[@crw31399]

Just got 55 and so far loving.super quiet

[@brianmizway9324]

Tidal makes cut out polishing pads for this thing too.

[@snoopdogg734]

Hi Bentley ...great video as always, much appreciated. I have been in the hobby for over 30 years and have used aquaclear HOBs extensively. Recently I bought two aquaclear 50s from petco and both have failed within two weeks of each other, I am very disappointed to say the least. Couple questions/observations 1. I noticed the packing is different at petco and petsmart for the aquaclear compared to many of my LFS. Is there a possibility that they are manufactured at different factories. 2. I bought another aquaclear within the same time frame for a different tank from one of my LFS and has different packaging with no issues. 3. I just bought a tidal 55 for my 20 gallon high and I am very impressed. It is different to hot rod than an aquaclear, but very doable. 4. I did notice it is not as quiet as I thought it would be, but is tolerable. Sorry for the long comment, but I am intrigued about the aquaclear packaging/quality issues.

[@BentleyPascoe]

1. Possible that Petco gets the latest packaging where the distributor for your LFS still has stock of the old packaging. 2. Certainly do the warranty and get it replaced! It's possible a batch has issues.

[@edstaart8548]

Great and honest review, like it Bentley. I don't use hob but understand the differences. I would choose the one ( since there is only a slight difference) that my local fish store carries. That in case of trouble parts or knowledge about it. Something else you might know: one of my male preacox rainbows is looking different; it looks like he is darkening on his inside, not acting weird . Is this elderly symptoms,he is 3 years max. .?? You might have seen it before.where a healthy male is shiny silver he is almost dark grey. .????

[@BentleyPascoe]

Could be stress or a related bacterial problem. Most Praecox live 3-5 years, they're a bit shorter lived than some of the other big bows, but that being said, I would look into some additional water changes and maybe a medicinal dose of salt to help perk him up, 1 tablespoon per 10-20g.

[@edstaart8548]

Bentley Pascoe Thanks.

[@James_Hande]

I'll take the free AquaClear! With the Tidal's pro's & con's the con's out weigh the pro's for me. I usually don't have problems with my AquaClears self priming during my water changes. It's usually back to running normal before I top of the tank.

[@stevesaquatics165]

Great job Bentley. You forget to mention the broad range you can dial in the flow coming back into the tank and the dial on the intake tube to reduce suction from the surface skimmer and the heater holder. The tidal is a better built filter. And is my choice.

[@superrotomas]

He mentioned all of those things.

[@BentleyPascoe]

In hindsight I didn't do a good job of explaining the difference in the two flow adjusters, but I did briefly cover each.

[@russeldsouza6375]

Could you talk more about these features they are critical. Because I would like to know how a 110 could be adjusted to a 29 gallon tank without sucking in my guppies or neon tetras small fish. Thank you.

[@bettabegoodjr2104]

The water travels along that void in front of the basket down and up threw the bottom of entire basket. Look at the bottom of the bio basket look at the vents at the bottom. So none of the bio basket is passed over. I've seen ppl put foam mechanical filtration in front of the void in the basket for ex mechanical filtration. Maybe you said that idk but I do receive mine today. I felt like a child on Xmas eve and couldn't even sleep cause I'm so stoked on recieving the Tidal.

[@joec2174]

One last note, you mentioned adding extra sponges, the pump output control dial is vague in regard to creating or controlling back pressure and media bypassing. Before you do that leave the filter as is and add a white filter pad across the top of the tidal basket then note the debris by passing issue the tidal filter has. Also note the water flow by pass at the back of the curved section of the media basket. Then do the same with the aquaclear filter. The tidal filter can't compare to performance of the aquaclear filter.

[@BentleyPascoe]

I've seen a lot of people talk about by pass but then never really seen it. Suppose it's all personal experience but I think the bypass discussion is a little over hyped. Just my experience on the filter as I've used them.

[@apaulmcdonough2170]

The Filter is designed to bypass when the Media clogs - from lack of cleaning - to continue Oxygenation of your water. All you have done with your "customization" is clog a clean filter.

[@sahlee7187]

I have three aquaclear. Priming the pump is annoying plus on one of them, I have to use a long stick to get the pump started. For me, filtration trumps looks every time. I don’t mind that it’s black and would show in the tank. Yes I’d take this over aquaclear if it’s free. Yes I’ll buy this and give it a try if any of my current filter breaks down. Thank you for the video. If you could have the mic closer like in the beamswork evaluation, I’d appreciate it. I’ve had to max the tv volume on this one.

[@BentleyPascoe]

I was using my lav which is louder, unfortunately, I hit the mic itself several times with the filter during recording (still learning on some things) which really messed up the audio, so I had to base from my camera's microphone, hence why it sounds farther away and is lower volume.

[@tonybythesea448]

Nice review I see slight issues with my tidal but like it more than anything else I’ve used

[@no-knickers-emma1112]

You failed to mention the 5 year warranty. Compare that to aquaclear? Powercuts don't affect the Tidal. Build quality and pump are superior

[@BentleyPascoe]

Very valid on the warranty

[@ryanh1544]

Strange... in Canada the Tidal 110 is actually $20 cheaper than the Aquaclear 110, $80 vs $100 respectively. I'm one of those people who hates the trickle nose and doesn't like bulky equipment in my tanks but I'm kinda tempted to try one of these Tidals out if they're that good for the price. One thing I noticed I did like about aquaclear is how easy it is to source replacement parts from Amazon... instead of throwing away a $100 filter for the sake of a $20 housing or something. Maybe Seachem offers this?

[@BentleyPascoe]

Man, that's interesting Hagen being located in Canada, you would think the Aquaclears would be cheaper. There are some parts you can source easily, but not every part, where the Aquaclear you can get pretty much anything. I think Seachem has a little ways to go on this side.

[@ryanh1544]

@@BentleyPascoe that may just be amazon.ca looking to drum up sales to build better demand for them in the long run, in store those numbers may very well be different... one thing is for sure, it's always nice to see competition, without competition there's not much need for improvement, as customers we win when companies start competing for our business.

[@DnASnakes]

Great review. I'll stick to my AC 110. I do like the little pop up water change indicator. The basket rises and the lid pops up when my AC gets dirty.

[@BentleyPascoe]

Mine do the same - it's a reminder I've been too busy

[@jerml6136]

Tidal 110 good on a 29 with rainbows lol, while AquaClear 110 handles messy cichlids on my 75. Tidal 110 is closer comparison to an AquaClear 50 or 70. Honestly, I prefer an Eheim 2217/600 packed with K1 Media after ceramic rings (or without) & then the sponge (no charcoal, no floss pad), makes canister lightweight & keeps flow high, only have to service every 3 months or so (easy to backflush if preferred) clean hoses every 6 months for best flow, does similar job to AquaClear 110 but Eheim is quieter than anything.

[@tamarapurplesweetgrassmacg1175]

I took off the bottom blue keeping the hole open and I like it I need to get some Seachems bio as I`ve used this and my aqua clear.

[@srf6161]

Just got a tidal 110..gonna fill it with biohome....looks like a champ...👍

[@luvmywetpets]

After years of Aqauclear Im really liking my Tidal 110

[@kafmmaclub]

Just got a Tidal 110 today. So far after 5 hrs I love it. I bought it because of the skimmer. I have no noise from it at all. It filters my 75g along with my fluval 406. Flow rate seems in par with the 406 as well. Happy with my purchase and I hope my discus will be too.

[@christine-no8ml]

I got the tidal 110 its a choice between a canister and this. Tidal is cheaper than canisters, with some added features like skimmer. It has great media capacity and customization, quality is great its Made in Italy. The only thing I did not like is the skimmer it sucks up shrimp and fish fries. I will modify the skimmer put a fine net on the skimmer and at the bottom intake to prevent sucking fries and shrimps.

[@russeldsouza6375]

Is there a way to turn of the skimmer when feeding so the fries are not wasted.

[@MrDdunn11965]

Tidal hands down. Lot better than some HOB's that you have to change cartridges all the time. The fact that the water is pumped straight to the bottom of the basket to filter through the sponge and bio-matter is a plus. The skimmer is an added bonus that helps. The ability to hang a heater from it also is a major plus! Nothing like keeping everything together and hid behind some tall plants.

[@jimsvo4486]

The Aquaclears pump all of the water to the bottom of the main sponge first.

[@dgstanks7447]

Great video, But I think I’ll stick with my 110 aqua clears! Lol

[@fmn716]

I have a tidal 75 on my 29 Gallon. If there is anyone thinking of getting a tidal 35 don’t. It’s not the same rather get the 55 75 or 110. On mine I have added a sponge to the intake tube. Extra sponge in the meadow box and 250g more matrix media and I love it. The only thing I really really have is the blue visible dial in the tank for the slimmer. Looks terrible. Other than that. It’s great. Go get one

[@Nekursharingan]

I just bought a tidal 75 for my 20 gallon aquarium where i have a AC so im going to try it to see if its better, one other thing ive been hearing about the tidal is that the filter is black and that helps the bacteria cause they dont like light and the plastic on the AC is transparent so i hope the tidal is a good substitute for the AC

[@paulone65]

do not over fill the hob with to much media it will overflow and leak out the back,even though the blue indicator is down

[@CarolynnMc01]

I liked the fact that "Hey! If my power goes out, the motor won't burn up if i'm not home"..... I've burned up three aqua clear and 2 marine land in the past couple years because they aren't self-priming. That was expensive! The Tidal is the better choice for people in California whose power gets shut off willy nilly. So the Tidal is for me, ugly or not. :)

[@CarolynnMc01]

... and thank you for this review!

[@dpowers2005]

I love the tidal 35 in my 29 gallon community tank. I just started breeding guppies and will only use sponge filters in those tanks. I'm to worried about my fry getting sucked in by the tidal.

[@jenniferlong5957]

I love the Tidal!

[@anthonytindle13]

You've explained tidal great it's not the king but as good as, same with cars you can have a Maclaren F1 but this is as good with extra benefits:

[@jamjul40]

The Tidal is an awesome filter....

[@MELODYMUNRO]

Can the pumps be easily replaced on the tidals?.. personally I love sumps and hamburg matten filters, I do run a couple of aquaclears for polishing.

[@BentleyPascoe]

It is very easy to access yes.

[@chrisdavidson3180]

I would love to have an AC with a skimmer. I want low flow and custom filter ease.

[@Lonewolfblue66]

I use AquaClears myself on my 20G Longs. And the API Filstar XP L on my 75G. If given a filter for free, I really like the AquaClears, but would probably pick the Tidal to try. My only issue is I use floating plants, so not sure how that would be an issue with the skimmer.

[@BentleyPascoe]

You might get some stuck, I really... REALLY wish they made a way to block the skimmer portion so you could prevent things like that from happening.

[@gunnerneikoify]

The tidals seem to be decent filters but that big obtrusive part (pump, skimmer assembly) that hangs down inside your aquarium kept me from getting one. The aquaclears just have the pickup tube inside the tank and thats it.

[@luvmywetpets]

im buying the 110 . Ionly wish the dials were not blue. They should be black in my opinion.

[@bettabegoodjr2104]

By the way shoutout to all my Fish Nerds #KEEPITFLOWING

[@DiggingRob]

Another point, when you run the water level high, you loose the skimmer 😢

[@TheSunIsMyDestroyer]

so im a beginner in this hobby but i found a nifty site called aqadvisor, not sure you're familiar with it but i don't believe in the 1 inch per gallon rule and the site says i can have 60 neon tetras in a 16 gallon tank as a long as i have this seachem tidal 75 gallons. not that i'm going to do it, that's ridiculous. with that being said, how plausible it?

[@BentleyPascoe]

I would argue not. 16 gallons is enough to be relatively stable for a lightly populated tank, but at that level of population, you're very easily going to have ammonia spikes regardless of the filtration. The filter has a lot of capacity, but you're putting pretty high flow in a very small tank in order to make sure that your accounting for that much waste. I don't think it's very wise.

[@FishRfun]

@Bentley Pascoe the 1 inch per gallon rule is a loose guideline. You can't have a 10 inch fish in a 10g tank

[@elissajackson5140]

I would get a tidal just because I don't have one yet. Not sure if I would switch over all my tanks since I keep mostly guppies.

[@shredman59]

Reliable self priming....can't even compare a HOB with self priming to one without. As someone who travels weekly I have to know the pump will start up on it's own. So I want to see a roundup of best self priming HOB filters. I had an AC50 in the past and it was NEVER able to prime itself. Any power loss at all and that thing was done. "On Par" with aquaclear but self priming pump = better product.

[@shredman59]

Really great, thorough and informative video btw...nice

[@joec2174]

The tidal has a by passing issue. The water level mark is inaccurate . Fish can fit thru the bottom intake grates. The pump housing becomes a sludge farm. Water level in the tank is crucial for this filter. The aquaclear has none of these issues. Do yearly maintenance on the aquaclear impeller and use silicon gel on the shaft and it self starts every time.

[@FostaFunk]

I like the idea of filling it with the precut sponges! How many of the sponges did you need to fill the media box up?

[@BentleyPascoe]

I left some room just to note overly jam it, buying a box of two additional seemed pretty good as You can get them for tidals precut stuff

[@FostaFunk]

@@BentleyPascoe Cool, I was trying to decide between the Tidal and the Aquaclear for my 75 gallon but I think I'm gonna give the Tidal a try. Thanks for helpful video and the quick response!

[@fishrrelaxing9361]

That notch area is to make clearance for the water intake.. best thing you can do is.. cut the nub off the supplies filter and slide it between the basket and water intake area.. it fits perfectly! Then cut a new medium density sponge to place in the bottom of the tray. This allows you to run the flow wide open for much much longer wo getting bypass cause all the much isn’t collecting at the bottom clogging the holes in the bottom of the Basket. This will increase service intervals from weekly to bi monthly.. You’re wrong about the pocket.. the water flows down then up instead of left to right like a normal hob Best way to put media in unfortunately for the design is to just place media in loose. If you put it in bags you’ll only get half the capacity in.

[@richardwaldhouse8067]

I will try the tidal filter because the pump is inside the aquarium.

[@bobjack7180]

Congratulations

[@AQUAGUYUK]

Most hang on filters would be lacking in the media department and the figures quoted are magical lol but great video

[@BentleyPascoe]

I'm not sure how you'd define them as magical, flow rates are certainly not false. Tank size per filter maybe no.

[@AQUAGUYUK]

@@BentleyPascoe they say the tidal range starting with the 35 with service a 35 gallon tank yet has hardly any bio media in it and would the 110 service upto 110 gallons no way unless the tank had no fish in it

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@AQUAGUYUK you can add a good chunk of media to the tray, that being said outside of a sump I would not single filter any larger tank.

[@AQUAGUYUK]

@@BentleyPascoe Agreed but that's the issue with these filters on any aquarium its all about capacity and about two pound per 25 gallons would be a good starting point this is info gained from a water company on full cycle ending in nitrogen gassing off this is why people get varied results with the same set ups ,,,like using plastic media which by very nature is anti bacterial but I do love the review it was informative and pros and cons ,,,I think on any tank over 50 US gallons two types of filtration should be used ,,say a sponge and a canister or hang on and internal just to cover the bases just recently been to Asia and very rarely have filters all done by plants

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@AQUAGUYUK to be fair, most canisters cannot filter what they claim properly either.

[@truthfactreality6814]

I have 3 tidals. I painted the silly blue parts with krylon fusion

[@BentleyPascoe]

Smart man.

[@truthfactreality6814]

Bentley Pascoe I now have 5. 2 x 35s. 1 x 55 and 2x 110. The 110s are for a new 4ft tank I’m setting up. I have oase biomaster 600 thermo x2 on my main discus tank but wanted something even easier to do my maintenance on