Tidal vs Aquaclear (yeah I’m going there)

BullyBee · Mar 28, 2020

Title says it all, Seachem Tidal vs AquaClear. I’ve used both and the Tidal is so refined. That’s just me.

MattR · Mar 28, 2020

Dont go there, AC110 all day. You can run those things forever, through power outages and all. I don't think the Tidal has been around that long to consider it a contender, maybe another 5 or 6 years.

BullyBee · Mar 28, 2020

Btw I f’ed up. It’s supposed to be Tidal, Not Matrix.

Awesome Dennis · Mar 29, 2020

To bad aqua clears do reprime automatically, or have surface skimming and an adjustable return/intake.
Seachem tidal all the way I tossed my junk aquaclears

Blue Spot Octopus · Mar 29, 2020

I have both, I had a tank crash after a power outage and I did not notice that the Aquaclear did not restart on its own. The Seachem restart every time.

Quality of filtration the Aqua Clear all day long, the Seachem water bypasses the filter media unless you put a lot over the top so if filters it just before it goes back in the tank. You can get In Tankfilter holders to make the Aqua Clear better but now it is getting expensive.

When I clean my Aqua Clear the filter on the bottom is the dirtiest and as it goes up a little less.
The Seachem the filter on top is the dirtiest. I am using Sera Green balls and Sera Wool Filter Floss, so not the cheap stuff.

BullyBee · Mar 29, 2020

Blue Spot Octopus said:
I have both, I had a tank crash after a power outage and I did not notice that the Aquaclear did not restart on its own. The Seachem restart every time.

Quality of filtration the Aqua Clear all day long, the Seachem water bypasses the filter media unless you put a lot over the top so if filters it just before it goes back in the tank. You can get In Tankfilter holders to make the Aqua Clear better but now it is getting expensive.

When I clean my Aqua Clear the filter on the bottom is the dirtiest and as it goes up a little less.
The Seachem the filter on top is the dirtiest. I am using Sera Green balls and Sera Wool Filter Floss, so not the cheap stuff.

I thought Water went from the bottom up in a Tidal making it impossible to bypass???

Blue Spot Octopus · Mar 29, 2020

No, it is not impossible to by-pass, the first thing a basket sits inside of the Seachem filter, this is weak link to this filter, faster the water moves it goes in between the basket and the housing causing a bypass. If this wasn't true the bottom filters would be most clogged like a Aqua Clear. I now fill the bottom half of my Tidal with Seachem Matrix, then https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...iFsZTX28DoAhVLqZ4KHaxaARkQ9aACegQICxBP&adurl= and lastly Sera Wool and Purgien.