Seachem Tidal aquarium filter long term review - How does it hold up against the AquaClear?

I've been using the Tidal filters from Seachem/Sicce for about 3 years now. After this long, do they still hold up well to the AquaClear series of hang on back aquarium filters? Which is best for your fish tank?
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[@notnow659]

Have been listening to KZbin for a long time. As far as aquariums go this guy is the best, hands down. Maybe not the most prolific, but knowledgeable and he doesn't talk down to his audience. Great place to get information.

[@ianferguson4728]

I'm 62. Tried every gimmick and aquarium toy. Going back to old school. Slow flow deep sand. In South Africa, the cost of replacing parts and up to 10 hrs a day with no electricity and voltage surges dictates that we go for simplicity. Aquaclear impeller shafts wear quickly and the cost is almost half the cost of a new filter. Old Sicce canisters circa 1980s and classic Eheim are the only ones that did a proper job. If I had to choose hob, Aquaclear for me.

[@TMAquatics]

Have them both. Love them both. Aquaclear is simple and proven. I was forced to switch to the Tidal 75 for my three new 60 Breeders, because the Aquaclear 70 don’t fit on the wider rim. The Aquaclear 110 does, but I prefer the Aquaclear 70’s at 1/3 the power draw. Thanks for sharing a very well thought out comparison. You made a lot of valid points that everyone should consider. 👍

[@plushpossum]

I have both. I prefer the Aquaclear. Hands down! Better basket, more attractive, and I have one that's over 7 years old. One of my Tidals lasted less than 2 years.

[@razinfishes1918]

Bentley so the skimmer issue I resolved by taking it apart and I silicone the skimmer slots up to stop it from skimming. So now it is pulled only from the tube and I keep a sponge on the end of the tube to keep the fry from getting sucked up.

[@MA-pd6hf]

Did it work long term? I was gonna do this but wasn't sure if it would kill the impeller motor

[@workharddieproud]

You can modify the front skimmer area. I did mine, plus other changes. I have two Tidal 75 filters but I only use one at a time and change them out just to clean them. Far as the basket is concerned, it really does hold a lot. In mine from Bottom, is Seachem Blue Coarse sponge, White Polish Pad, Seachem Bio Matrix, White polish pad, Seachem Matrix Carbon, White polish pad and very top is Purigen. Now to the mod, you can buy clear aquarium silicone “Loctite” at Lowes, I used that to fill in all the narrow slots in front of the filter, the skimmer slots. I also drilled out the hole bigger in the bottom of the intake tube, also drilled a bigger hole through the bottom part of the intake tube screen, then I took some black silicone tape and wrapped the top part of intake tube screen. Also, removed the bottom intake tube water cutoff slider, the blue one. Now all this sounds like a lot of work but it’s really not once you know what to do. The big improvement is, I now have much greater water intake from the bottom intake tube, “ more suction “ Keep in mind that the Tidal also pulls in water from the bottom of the pump housing. By blocking off the front skimmer area, I have NO extra noise what so ever. I also keep mine tilted towards the front, not level. Also, I cut a small square piece of blue coarse sponge and put it inside the square top area of the filter where the water enters the basket, this acts as a “ filter tube intake sponge” but better in my opinion and easier to remove and clean. Wanted to add that with me having two tidal 75’s I was able to test out my mods. I made the changes and then filled out clear plastic tote with water, hung the filter on it and then put pellet food at the bottom of the tote to see how much a difference it made but I also did that WITHOUT any changes. So I know the before and after effects.

[@nabokovfan87]

Seachem definitely should release a "Tidal: Planted" version of this filter that just closes off the grates and a modifies the intake to a traditional filter. They might need to expand the pump chamber and modify molds with plugs, but the amount of openings on the intake means that sleeping, flat-bodied fish (like a tigerbarb) can just get sucked into it. I would also really like Seachem / Sicce to sell a pre-filter sponge that is designed for this filter. It's necessary and a very unique dimension due to the tube size they use.

[@liquidrockaquatics3900]

If they just simply increased the intake tube size on the bottom, you could use a piece of black, gorilla tape and cover up the skimmer, and nobody would even know. I tried that, but I could not take the sound of that thing constantly.

[@nabokovfan87]

@@liquidrockaquatics3900 I've sealed it with black silicone and tested it for about 6 months at this point.

[@TheeExecrationist]

This 100%! If I have to hear that sucking sound again it will be too soon!

[@dcphifer4307]

Great points. I love having well planted tanks.

[@dcphifer4307]

@@liquidrockaquatics3900 what if you glue a piece fine mesh over the hole.

[@plushpossum]

OMG!! I love that albino Weather Loach behind you!!!!!! I just bought 2 juveniles. They're fabulous!!!

[@reneberthet9168]

Thanks for the fair assessment and covering the pros and cons so people can decide on what would be best for their situation. The Tidal overflow possibly causing some leaking at the top if left unattended was new to me but good info nonetheless. I hope both manufacturers watch this and consider some of the improvements you suggest. I love tech so these type of reviews you do are a great watch!

[@dcphifer4307]

I agree.

[@AMNitrates]

Love your reviews brother.

[@Bassboy1987]

From my experience with the Tidal over the past couple years, the biggest flaw it has is that when you try to add more sponges, or any other filtration or media, it bypasses much easier than any other filter. So you have to be careful with that, other than that, it's a great filter.

[@DeFreeseAquariums]

I picked up a used 110 and swapped out my Fluval 110 and what a difference. Not to mention if there's a power failure I don't have to worry about it starting up again. Hot rodded it and it is working out great. Great video!

[@michaelhaines3451]

The Tidal's skimmer sucks fish food into it, forcing me to unplug them before feeding. Sometimes I forget to plug them back in (not the Tidal's fault :)). My Aquaclears I can leave running, the fish food is eaten before it reaches the intakes, which have sponge pre-filters in any case. I like both, they each have their positives.

[@michaelgore5418]

Very good comparison! Your video broke it down. Thanks!!

[@gregghorner9107]

I tried various combinations of filter floss and sponges to maximize filtration without overflow. I found that the best approach is to stay with the coarse sponges. I stack three of them in the basket with some media on top to hold them down. The stacked sponges prevent crud from overflowing into the media bag.

[@toddt6730]

Just found your channel, I love the idea that you're comparing in my opinion the two best HOB filters available, I've used aqua clear for many years, the issue is that they are made of plastic glass and breaks so easily, I have parts for all aqua clear, I have a tidal 75 and have all the issues that you mentioned, I don't like that skimmer area, and the filter has very little media but lots of areas for gunk to build up, I'm in the process of getting new cases for my aqua clear filters and going with them going forward

[@James_Hande]

Two things prevented me from trying a Tital for my last tank setup. As you pointed out, not so easy to prevent sucking up fry but the biggest issue was lack of replacement parts. So yet another AquaClear. Thank you Bentley for the comparison long term use review.

[@dcphifer4307]

I like the idea of keeping at least 1 set of replacement parts, although have a few spare 5G tanks as Quarantine... there is a spare Water Filter should I need one.

[@ejfishes7610]

Have tried both, gave the Tidel a good year tryout but in the end (for some of the points you brought up), I’ll be sticking with Aquaclear.

[@cjcummings3199]

Great unbiased review

[@jeannev7048]

After your long term review of the tidal, aquaclear will remain my hob of choice Jeanne

[@AMNitrates]

The Tidal can start back up from a power outage. That’s a huge plus.

[@adkgaladkgal1799]

Thank you for this, I am so glad I replaced my Aquaclear 110 with another 110. My old one just probably needs a new impeller.

[@sairvinginthestacks]

I have a tidal 35 on my 10 gallon. It's quite most of the time, sometimes it gets a little noisy. The filter has been running for a year and it has turned into my favorite HOB. I'm currently running sponge, matrix, and some purigen. You can add some sponge to the inside of the intake. Not sure if it would be 100% shrimp and fry safe. I did buy an aquaclear initially, but it was noisy out of the box. Returned it and bought the tidal.

[@MrOneWho]

best honest review of both filters.

[@Tasos_]

I am not sure if you have tryed this but you can add a little piece of filter sponge inside the skimmer so you will not have any problem of sucking baby fish or shrimps and also works nice as an extra mechanical filtration.

[@davidolsen3209]

Yeah I seen that on pond Guru. He shows you how to pimp out the 110. You get a coarse sponge that will fit. And it slides in between the outside of the basket and the skimmer holes and it keeps it from sucking up fry

[@MFTAQ]

I have used both but prefer the Tidal just because of the pump being inside the tank. I do agree with a lot of your points and hope in the future tidal just gets rid of the skimmer.

[@fredsgonefishing8802]

Seachem Tidal all day all night for me!!!! Sooooooooo quiet!!! Great video Bud 🫡

[@user-ev8lg3eu6m]

This is the best comparison of the Tidal and AquaClear that I've seen! I never even thought about the fry and water flow. This was great!

[@karattkensair9891]

I really enjoyed this thank you. I do need a hob very soon for a 60 gallon breeder. Think I'll go with Tidal for flow alone. Mbuna are filthy. Shouldn't be to difficult to plug skimmer and from my experience with fry Mbuna babies are quite big when released. Thanks again.

[@mariaz9538]

I have a 110, 2 55’s and a 35. I understand and agree with the issues regarding fry and shrimp but for my Pleco tanks and my rainbow tank it’s the way to go for me! Not to mention that because the motor is inside the tank, if the power goes out while I’m not home, it will restart with no problem 🙏

[@liquidrockaquatics3900]

My title 110 I zip tied a plastic potscrubber and use that as a pre-filter for the skimmer. I attach it with a zip tie and just bounce it up and down in the water to clean it. Yes it clouds the tank for 15 minutes, but it’s the best compromise short of setting this damn thing in a bucket of gasoline and turning it on. The uptake tube should be 1.25” ID and that would solve all the problems. I took mine apart and removed the gate from the uptake tube and blocked the lower grate to stop snails from getting inside.. or slowed them down rather. It’s a fantastic filter as long as you don’t have plants or anything that will float.

[@frhaber]

I used Aquaclear for many years. My only problem was it failing to restart all too often, when unplugged for servicing. Bought a Tidal 55 after seeing a review on KGTropicals. I love the fact it is self-priming, and very quiet. I didn't like the skimmer so covered 90% of it with a piece of plastic. The only issue now is that you can't open the tube intake fully, to maximize flow through the tube. I agree that the skimmer should have a method of closing it, and the tube flow control should also allow it to open fully. Other than those issues, I am pleased with the unit, especially the ease of service. As an aside, while cleaning the tank, I dropped the intake tube in the bucket of tank water with the media and foam. Forgot to remove the tube before pouring the water down the toilet, and away it went. I was unable to find a replacement so called Seachem to see if the part was available in Canada, and was advised the parts were not sold separately. That said, they were gracious enough to send me a replacement tube (after the stopped chuckling). Unbelievable service!!! Have since purchased 2 more Tidals. I do wish the 35 had an intake tube. I have also put foam prefilters on both my 55s.

[@luisrivas1618]

Tidal is always a go for me. I used aquaclear for many years and they always gave me trouble, especially on maintenance day. I dreaded having to check the impeller and prime it. Where I live I have power outages all the time. That's when I just switched to canisters and sponge filters. I swore never to touch a HOB again until I saw the tidal. I was hesitant but I was in need of a little more filteration on a grow out tank and I caved and grabbed one of these. And I haven't looked back since. The internal pump is game changer. I was skeptical about how narrow it is but I added another sponge some filter floss and still had room for extra bio media. I do agree with the maintenance though. I have to clean it weekly or about every 10 days before it starts pouring through the sides. But it's so easy especially with the media basket, I don't mind it. Price is obviously not pretty but I'll pick up a tidal over another HOB.

[@luvmywetpets]

I swithed to Tidal because of the ease of starting it up. No priming is required, easy maintenance, great flow. I have a 125 gallon Tetra tanks with about 75-100 fiash so I run 2 tidal 110's.

[@Szu-Ping]

Totally agree with you.

[@robertlucas4941]

Very nice and realistic review by Mr. Pascoe of this filter! Was thinking of getting a Tidal to replace a problematic aquaclear HOB (lid rattle, impeller chatter, failures to restart, etc), but it seems like although Sicce solved a couple of problems, they created another big annoyance with the surface skimmer. HOB filters seem like an expensive high-tech and problematic way to solve what is quite a simple problem. I now look at simple air driven sponge filters, especially the coarse ones by Aquarium Coop as effective and cheap alternatives. Need more mechanical filtration in a tank? Pair one with the Aquarium Coop power head, which is designed to fit, and your filter will still be cheaper, quieter and just as easy to maintain. Jehmco also makes various coarse-pored sponge filters, and they can be combined with small pumps as well for reasonable prices, but I haven't seen any myself. Plus they still sell the awesome, if ugly, plastic box filters which are excellent for mechanical filtration in any working fish room.

[@christianridley8865]

I run my hob filters with sponge pre-filters which made the seachem tidal filter pretty useless since it is primarily a surface skimmer without doing a lot of modification work. You can get it to work (block the grate filter intakes with silicon, run it at lower pump speed so the pump stays submerged and you don’t get a sucking noise) and I did do that like some others have done. I probably won’t buy another Tidal unless they sell a version with only tube water intake at some point to avoid the need to do all the modifications.

[@steveliang5838]

I had that same problem on the surface skimmer. I just use the tube intake w/ sponge and put silicone the grid

[@brianmizway9324]

Great review. I wish aquaclear had underwater motor like the tidal does. Still undecided. I like both.

[@BentleyPascoe]

Each certainly has its benefit. It just depends on where you draw your lines as to which benefit matters more over the other

[@GenRN]

The Aquaclear inability to restart after a power outage is a no go for me.

[@gregghorner9107]

Yep, and the Tidal is dead silent once broken in, while aquaclear can rattle at times.

[@frgggggdsedd6913]

My aquaclear reprimes itself everytime on its own

[@GenRN]

@@frgggggdsedd6913 how? It has to have water in the housing to prime the pump.

[@frgggggdsedd6913]

@@GenRN mine does have water in it if the power goes off the water only drops to the lip of the filter my water level is right at the lip to agitate the surface so water level inside the filter drops to the tip of where it flows out

[@rickjorstad6666]

I only have to prime my Aquaclears after a water change. If you keep your tanks close to full, they will restart fine after a power outage.

[@rickjorstad6666]

I have both and I prefer Aquaclear because the Seachem needs to be cleaned more often because the media gets clogged faster and creates a bypass situation. I couldn’t even go a whole week before it was bypassing the filter media. The sponge filter is very small compared to an Aquaclear sponge.

[@dalekopp3309]

I loved the skimmer on the Tidal, however I always have problems getting to the impeller to clean it. My hands are small and I can’t pull the pump section off after it’s been in use. That’s why Ino longer use the tidal. The aqua clear impeller is so easy to get to, I just wish it had an optional skimmer.

[@sardineRN]

That's the biggest drawback for me, as well.

[@legionaquatics]

I needed a filter for my new display and im gonna go with the tidal because the fish are expensive and I want to make sure it will come back on after the power goes out.

[@michellelink7996]

I used hot melt glue and a piece of cut netting to cover the top intake. Food sticks and fish get to snack.

[@leo2o915]

Awesome video like always! I love my tidal but I like my aqua clears way better just seems more reliable and doesn’t clog up as easy by using pre filter sponges on it. Lately been seeing a lot of those fluval hob what you do you think of those ?

[@dcphifer4307]

I have 3 sizes of Aqueon HOBs and surprisingly, they are all very quiet. They came with the used 5G, 10G, and 40G tanks. I am pleasantly surprised and appreciated. I am still looking at the AquaClear for this new setup of this newly attained 55G Tempered Glass Aquarium... and yet, still teetering on the edge for this Tidal75 because of the 2 flow adjustments, whereas the AquaClear only has 1 adjustment. Later today, I will be going to the LPS. I will be measuring both Tidal and AquaClear for this 55G's 12" narrow side where I intend to mount this Water Filter since this 55G Aquarium is going to be a room-divider with one of the narrow sides close to the wall to be close to the electric outlet and to keep my dog from going through that space and to keep her away from the wires. She is a Terrier and likewise is very very inquisitive and quite determined to get into the smallest of places... much liker her brother Taylor, my Betta. Now he scares me at how he can squeeze through a narrow opening and not surface for a while. The first time that I caught him doing that I started to take off the lid to start looking for him... out he came... No worries Mom. :-)

[@joesmith9103]

I have a 35 on my 10g,, great filter with the exception of the design. There are simply too many openings for small fish & shrimp to get into making it a death trap for the lil guys!

[@adkgaladkgal1799]

The one negative about the aquacler 110 is when it gets too full it will overflow on the floor. Happened to me once. I rinse it weekly, as I keep goldfish. The aqua 70 has a bubble on the in take tube I can't seem to get rid of so I think it under performs. I have acrylic aquariums so the water is an inch from the top, possible cause? I use diy Top of the aquarium filters. Wish I could send you a photo some how. I have been using diy top aquarium filter for years - so easy to clean,with the one 110 aquaclear too

[@stevecox8066]

You can buy every individual part for replacements (as needed) now. I thought they were a bit overpriced for what they are, but they are sold now.

[@pdiz]

Sorry for another post. Actually, don't mind the Tidal skimmer making noise when the water level gets low. It's kind of a reminder to either top off the tank or do a water change and fill the tank up. To temporarily silence it, just turn your water level to minimum and it will silence it for a few more days to buy time until you can do maintenance on the water level.

[@pas100657]

Bentley I use 2 brands of HOBs Tidal 55 & various Mainland Penguin Pros on my smaller tanks. While both brands do the job because of the design of the Tidal I'm able to stack more media types (coarse & medium sponge, polishing pad & bio-balls) in the tray horizontally. In the Penguins everything is vertical and I can only get some sponge & a polishing pad in the box. If anybody at Sachem wants my opinion loose the surface skimmer and you'll have a much better HOB filter.

[@tastyfishsauce4410]

Been tempted to try tidal but that skimmer is a big deal breaker for me. I wish they designed it where there is a cover for it so that you can only draw water from the intake tube. I'm sure somebody probably already came out with a 3D printed design but I have not seen it out in the market. I use a lot of aquaclear and the biggest problem with it is the non self priming issue after power outage - the AC50 is notorious for this out of all other models they have. Also the impeller not turning after power loss, nothing a chopstick won't fix. The other design flaw that drives me nuts of the aquaclear is the fit of the lid. Unless the tidal goes on sale for a really good deal like you said, I'll keep using my aquaclears, marinelands and whispers. Black friday is coming up. Thanks for the long term review Bentley.

[@olahoz]

Hi It annoys me having to turn it off when I go to feed the fish so that the skimmer does not suck the food before the fish eat.

[@10stripmusic]

i love the quality of life thought that went into the tidal 75 that i still use, but that skimmer needs to calm down! when the out-flow starts creating turbulence and bubbles, they're right at the vents, making the most horrible filter noise in recent memory.

[@Curtis.StMartin]

I have a Tidal 75 and half the time after servicing the filter even with water in the filter it doesn't self prime without the assistance of a small hammer hitting the side the motor housing.

[@nabokovfan87]

One of the BIGGEST THINGS most people who talk about this filter miss is that the giant "window cutout" on the basket that is on the side of the output flow section. Once you cover this, you increase that bypass Bentley mentioned in the video. You can also see a ton of debris on your media bag, which isn't great when the skimmer is allowing large chunks to basically flow directly back into the tank by using that cutout. I strongly encourage anyone who has one of these to cut a piece of sponge (or use filter floss against it) and to specifically cover those cutouts to keep your media and water a lot more clear. This also sheds light on how bad the bypass is because of how much of that gunk is on the sponge on the basket cutout compared to the bottom of the basket itself. This pump is strong, and it does churn water through the media.... IF you can get it actually go through the media. @bentley I would love for you to test the above if you haven't ever noticed it. It's something that a lot of people miss because that flow is under the surface of the water. I have a playlist on youtube and a thread on the Aquarium Co-op forums (experiments section) dedicated to trying to resolve that flow issue.

[@walterotiepka1460]

U can buy aftermarket filter baskets for aqua clear and especially the 110 u can really customize it, I will stick with the aquaclear

[@k9m42]

Bought the Tidal and returned it. My water was clean and clear to start and the Tidal bypassed on any flow over minimum. The bottom up through that narrow media is just a bad design. Went back to the noisy Fluval C4 because it’s large media just filters so much better.

[@tmargosian]

I have two tidal 35s. They’re excellent. No other hang on I’ve ever had has been so quiet. They’re very easy to clean, and the flow adjust is awesome. Recommend highly!

[@tmargosian]

Almost forgot the self priming is the cherry on top!

[@jayson9363]

@@tmargosian i also have the 35, Do tou turn off the filter when you do water change? Because the water level will be lower than minimum

[@WeiMingLiang-oc4sx]

IMO I choose Seachem. I watch my tanks more than TV. I dislike the 35 just get a larger one and adjust the flow rate. Filter floss is your friend😊

[@no-knickers-emma1112]

I have the 55 for 18 months now. Love the filter. Skimmer is useless so I fill water level above the skimmer. I use a pre filter sponge on the telescopic intake, it was a fluval one which I forced on so no need to tie it. I have to use an airstone to remove surface scum. It also said it was self cleaning propeller ahich isn't true. Mine clogged to a point of stopping. If you do fill over the skimmer level be careful of fish swimming into the media basket. That happened to me with Borneo loaches

[@BentleyPascoe]

Thanks for sharing you experience Emma!

[@marka9556]

To block the skimmer inputs, just fill the slots in with black Silicone Caulk

[@pdiz]

I'm over the AquaClear. Bought two AquaClear 50s (that brand specifically due to Internet hype). First time, the pump lasted five months. Got wise, added a pre-filter to the second purchase. It lasted under a year. Yes, this is a sand tank, but bought a SeaChem Tidal 55 and a Tidal 75 and been running over a year with no issues at all, no pre-filter, nothing. Also the build quality seems higher in the SeaChems (plus, no need to prime the filter if you shut it off for feeding). Yeah, over the AquaClear and their cheap pumps...

[@legionaquatics]

If I had the money and resources id make a filter that's like a mix of both the tidal and the aquaclear.

[@pattycbproper1080]

10:00 I tilt mine forward so any sudden excess flow runs back into the tank

[@John-Ebsen]

I have a aquaclear 110 and a tidal 110 running in different tanks, and I slightly prefer the tidal. I dislike the skimmer on the tidal, but the fact I can't trust the aquaclear to restart after a power outage is my main reason for preferring the tidal. The tidal is much easier to clean for sure.

[@onehitterquitter2130]

Same here. I have both just like you. That's the exact same thing I said about them 2 filters. But I did pick up one of the top fin pro 100s. This is a really good filter for the price I paid. $40 bucks for this filter. I take this for the price over the top 2 all day.

[@SusanMonk-nx2qv]

I bought the Tidal 75 and it has done a good job, but the surface skimmer feature is causing me to get rid of it. I have a community tank and while I am not interested in breeding per se, I still do not like that fry and shrimp get sucked up by that skimmer. I have tried blocking it off, but that’s not a solution. It’s too bad; I hope they reconsider that design.

[@Rick-xy4bt]

I put 2 Tidal 55's on my 75 gal for the sake of redundancy should 1 fail. Pretty disappointed with this decision. The intake tubes on the Tidal barely pull, anything can float right by it and not get taken up. I have the wheel adjustment set for max intake from the tube. As many have stated the bypass is bad. And all I have in the basket is the sponge and some filter floss. Even after servicing the filter, that pop up button indicating service required is up within a day of servicing. I regret not buying 1 Aquaclear and 1 Tidal at the time to run them side by side to compare.

[@space_ghost_z941]

I blocked my surface skimmer with some sponge and no issues so far for the year of having it. :0

[@yardburd2000]

Tidal needs to include a feature where you can disable the skimmer and have just one single intake and not split between the intake and then bottom housing

[@justinwalker4060]

I’ve got a tidal 110 and my tank has river sand which I suspect is somehow floating up when disturbed and is severely wearing my impeller. After 3 weeks my brand new pump was rattling ALOT. Has anyone else heard or experienced this with a tidal or different filter?

[@patricklaundra3286]

I have a Tidal 75 on a standard 20g tall. I have it mounted on the side of the tank & love the way it circulates the whole tank lengthwise. my fish love the natural flow too. I see them chillin - flying in formation as I call it. lol. just like I see groups minnows doing in the Grand River. I love the huge basket with endless media options. that's mainly why I bought it to begin with. & servicing is simple with the whole basket & drip tray top thing. I keep my water level toped off regularly. so it would have to get what I'd call extremely low before I'd hear it cavitating. the tube adjustability is another great idea. & while it does get most of its intake from the skimmer. it does have significant intake through the tube. I can se it sucking up particulates down there. I like it allot .. another reason I got the Tidal is because the pump is in the tank. yes the self starting without needing to be primed is great. the biggy for me though is it's super quiet .. Its guaranteed for a long time. so I feel pretty confident about its longevity. & if or when in does wear out. it was 69. bucks big deal .. I'll buy another one. & considering how they thought of almost everything, by the time I need a new one, they will probably have made all the minor changes people have talked about.

[@KumarMagar]

If you can, can you give information about madascar rainbowfish plz. I don’t see much information about madascar rainbow fish in KZbin or Google. Thank you

[@andystokes8702]

I'm not sure why Seachem thought it was good idea to include a skimmer as part of the filter body. Yes, skimmers are great under the right circumstances but the Tidal effectively forces you to use it whether you want it or not. They could so easily include a skimmer attachment on the intake tube to be used or not, as you wish.

[@toejah]

From what i remember of the launch it was aimed at the reef tank market. and surface skimming is a must in a reef tank IMO.

[@SG-Cichlids]

One more thing the tidal has three intakes. One in the front, one on the bottom, and then the extendable tube. The intake on front and bottom pull so much water the tube almost does nothing. It barely sucks any water at all.

[@BwizzleAquatics]

Hello. Liked and watching my friend

[@csh3p679]

Been fishkeeping for 35 years. Aquaclear is still king in my world. The Seachem piece of junk seems to quit running without being clogged at all. Also a pia to clean. Only good thing about the seachem is it's ability to start without priming. Other than that, the Aquaclear still rules. Aquaclear keeps tanks crystal clear with very little fuss.

[@droeksonfishkeeping]

Thanks Bentley. Very balanced review. Watched it with some reluctance since this topic has almost been beaten to death, but glad I did. There are the big KZbinrs that love this filter and the renegades that absolutely hate it, mainly for the basket bypass (big disagreement in one of the Facebook groups here in SA). I have had Aquaclears in the past and now have a Tidal 55 as one of a couple of filters on a tank. The thing in South Africa is the constant power outages and the smaller Aquaclears (or any HOB with the motor outside) often gets an airlock in the intake and drains a lot of the water out of the media housing (which can then dry out). Then it does not start flowing without help when the power comes back on. The Tidal does not do that. It starts right up and the water does not back siphon out of the media housing. I also do not like the somewhat over engineered intake options of the Tidal. I find this a thing with many types of aquarium equipment: none are perfect and I always wish you could get the best of both. Use the single tube inlet of the Aquaclear but put the pump in the tank. Use the closed basket of the Tidal and the black coloration (make those dials black as well) but make it more square without the funny dent that the Tidal has. One can only wish.

[@pwicketts]

@Bentley what are your thoughts on running a Tidal 55 and Fluval 407 on a 55 gallon? I like to use chemical filtration, but hate having the chemical in the canister filter just because it needs to be changed out or removed frequently. I feel like this is overkill for a 55 but what are your thoughts? Assume the HOB is in the center of the tank, where should I place the input/output of the HOB?

[@BentleyPascoe]

Should be just fine, you'll get some decent flow too

[@pwicketts]

Wow! Thanks for the response!

[@liquidlar]

IMHO the biggest reason the Tidal is better is because it can restart after a power outage. That is pretty mission critical to me.

[@dcphifer4307]

Hello Bentley. I have been thinking about the Tidal75 for my 55G over the AquaClear because it has 2 flow adjustments. Couldn't you stuff some Filter Floss into that hole to prevent the Fry from getting up into the motor? Or, if you were never going to use that hole for a tube, then, couldn't you glue a piece of fine mesh over that hole that could also keep the fry from entering that hole, as well? I am not planning on having babies... as in a breeding program, but should something happen i could remedy that potential problem quickly. Just thinking as I am listening to you now... as I am at this crossroads in my decision making process of which to buy for this 55G. I wish that there is a way to turn on and off the Skimmer. Right now, I have 3 types of Floaters in this 10G Quarantine Tank. It appears that it can gobble up the Floaters that I am trying to keep to dim the light. For me with an acquired Traumatic Brain Injury, becoming noisy when it needs attention sounds like a good idea right now. I am not crazy of putting my hands in tank water a lot, but being a retired Animal Health Technician/Technologist... pooh, does not bother me. Having a dog, I clean up after her 3 or more times a day. No biggie. Great Review. Thanks Bentley.

[@BentleyPascoe]

I think you might be better with some sponge over the floss. Otherwise yes you can, I've seen folks use some sponge to modify the skimmer section.

[@pdiz]

Okay, third post. Again, apologies. What's the point of "spare parts" being available when they're almost as much as buying the whole unit all over again? Example: AquaClear replacement pump is over $30 on Amazon, but the entire filter with media and all is like $43 (for the AquaClear 50). Might as well get the entire thing, but if the pumps just going to fail AGAIN, then no...

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

is there any solution to stopping an aggressive rainbowfish. my turquoise rainbowfish is being really aggressive to my 3 boesemanis [ especially in the morning and evening but calms down in the afternoon ]. would more boesemanis help or is removing him a better option [ i can't find any more turquoise big enough for their tank]

[@BentleyPascoe]

Just behavior is really common with a lot of rainbow fish. Usually when they're doing this they're not actually harming the other fish. They're just trying to hold territory in order to court females. It looks more aggressive than it usually is, but if you're starting to see your other fish, not eat or have some kind of injury because they're running away and running into things, then we might want to look at either splitting the turquoise away or trying to add some more line of sight blockers so that it's easier for the Boesemani to hide

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

@@BentleyPascoe thank you for the advice. I will try to find some tall plants and introduce a few more boesemanis so that the territorial behavior isn't being directed to one particular fish constantly

[@sardineRN]

Every time I clean the media in mine I have to use a container to catch all of the shrimp 🦐 who are happily living their best life inside the basket 😆

[@olahoz]

The famous problem that the aquaclear does not restart when the power fails, is the fault of the low water level. if they keep the water level in the aquarium high they have no problems.

[@gunnerneikoify]

Compared to the AC, wayyyyyyyyyy to much bypass unless their flow rate is turned way down even when they have clean media in them with the Tidals, wayyyyy less filter media capacity and looks like total crap inside the aquarium. I've got five Tidal 75's and eight Tidal 110's and they unbiastly don't come close to all the Aquaclears I have. When the Tidals first came out, I was excited about them and is why I went out and bought so many. After giving them a fair shake against the twenty or so Aquaclears of various sizes I have, it's was blatantly obvious that the Tidals don't compare when you're going apples to apples with the AC's. I mean, I don't HATE them, but when the ones I have eventually crap out, I'll replace them with more AC's for sure.

[@Tbug666]

What truly needs to be said is the intake tube on all of these models is virtually useless. I have two Tidal 110’s on my 75 gallon tank because I have 4 juvenile piranhas. I have noticed since the beginning the long intake tube does not seem to draw in even fish flakes that go past it. I’ve adjusted that wheel many times trying to get it to work and like I said it’s useless almost. The skimmer is great if that’s what you want to filter but for the price of these filters the intake tube should definitely work even more than the top skimmer. At least in my opinion. They need to change how that works I think. Outside of that I have no complaints. I take that back the blue adjustment wheels need to be black. It’s not a huge problem but it really doesn’t make sense. I also have an under gravel filter which I know is outdated technology but it works great along with at least one hang on back filter. It’s very cheap also compared to canister filters. I’m not saying and under gravel filter is the best but if you have a 75 gallon tank or less it will truly be worth every penny once everything is cycled and established. Back in 1986 I had an under gravel filter on a 55 gallon tank for over five years along with a hang on back filter and that’s all I ever needed. Don’t let anybody tell you and under gravel filter is a bad idea. They just want you to spend big money when it’s not needed. Of course there are other factors to figure in but I’m just saying for most people.

[@jojofarthington228]

Aquaclear is the best

[@stevensands33]

This filter just junked out after a month. Had nothing but issues with it.

[@TheeExecrationist]

Seachem please fix the sucking sounds! It's really bad if you have vallisneria planted in the tank!

[@SG-Cichlids]

I'd take a aquaclear over a tidal any day of the week. They restart just fine if you keep your tank full. Before anyone says "I keep my tank full but it doesn't restart". Your version of full is different than mine. I fill my tanks to the water is about a half inch from the rim. The tidal doesn't skim unless the water level is like three inches from the top and when it gets to this point it's horribly loud. The aquaclear holds far more media. That little sponge that comes with the tidal is a joke. The bypass in the tidal is ridiculous. Yes it's supposed to so it doesn't over flow over the sides but it bypasses so bad that once it starts to clog 50+ % of the water flow isn't being filtered. That means you're paying to pump water and that's it. It's not removing particles or getting the water to the bacteria. The only good thing about the tidal is the pump is in the tank. That's it. The sponge in an aquaclear 110 is pretty good size and still leaves more room for media than the entire box in the tidal 110. Personally I put two of aquaclear sponges stacked in a 110. No need for ceramics or floss. It will keep your water crystal clear. If you have to dial back your filter to keep it from dripping is all that needs to be said about the tidal.

[@LickyMy9]

Is that a big ole dojo loach?

[@BentleyPascoe]

Yes! My wife loves them

[@brianholdridge1860]

I agree with all of your pros and cons for each filter. I choose the Tidals primarily because of the self start feature and flow adjustments that actually work. The aquaclear I had before the Tidals were overall more annoying.

[@stevemacdonald2303]

Use hot glue to stop it

[@OneWhoWas]

I have a love/hate relationship with these filters. I really liked them off the hop, but no longer run them. Pros - incredible flow - huge media capacity for an HOB - really quiet. Like silent. Really like whatever they did to the discharge to get it that quiet. -great surface movement - standard maintenance (sponge and floss) is super quick Cons - no good way to prefilter the skimmer and the mid point intake without making it look like an eye sore - can't keep fry and shrimp out of it - too much draw from the surface - servicing the impeller is completely obnoxious. Like... Frustrating obnoxious - I never was able to get good clear water out of this thing, but that was an algae issue I had I think. But when I went to my old filter it disappeared within hours. - lack of bottom flow never really drew bottom sitting debris towards the intakes. - the assembly to get into the motor is just overall flimsy, and rather annoying to re-assemble. It's got a lot of improvements in the HOB lineup, but it was not quite for me. When I eventually have some non-shrimp tanks running I'll try it out again.

[@peadookie]

Having owned both, the tidal just seems so much higher quality of a design and execution. They both have their strengths, but the tidal just has more, imo.

[@plushpossum]

I litterally prefer ,y old Aquatech to the Tidal. That's how much I hate the Tidal! It's ugly, awkward, and difficult.

[@theblindfishkeeper]

Very comprehensive video! And your points are very valid, but, as a completely blind Aquarius, I have to go for simplicity, myself. Also, as a former troubleshooter in my professional, working career before going blind, I also follow the rules of fewer parts fewer chances for failure. I absolutely hate scammers on hang on back filters. For me, though, as I have said, before, I am, and will remain to be an aqua clear man, myself!🐠🦯

[@emberframe6994]

I've got the seachem tidal filter and it rattles terrible.

[@gregghorner9107]

Mine rattled at first but quieted down nicely after a few weeks and has been silent for the past year.

[@emberframe6994]

@@gregghorner9107 mine only started making a noise recently had it for almost 2 years

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@emberframe6994 possible something is near the pumps impeller

[@jeffspicoli6088]

Having run both in multiple tanks, it feels like you are anti-Tidal. My experiences, when it comes to actual filtering, is that the Tidal is incrementally better than the Aqua. The warranty and name behind the Tidal simply closes the deal.

[@BentleyPascoe]

Not anti- tidal. I ran more Tidals that aqua clears. I think it has room for improvement. The uptake tube is really doing almost nothing and without a skimmer block it turns a lot of potential customers off from it.

[@skittydaffDeFreitas]

How the fuck will you lose an intake tube for the tidal? What da fuck?

[@Dan-nr3om]

The aquaclear is better. Tidal your just paying for the name