It is undeniable that there a lot of filters for mid-size tanks nowadays. However, it is quite evident that the AquaClear 110 is a favorite of many. Find out the reasons by reading this AquaClear 110 review.
Getting a good filter for your aquarium and water tank is both beneficial and practical. Aside from preserving the marine life dwelling there, you are also saving a lot of money as well. Just imagine the waste of cash when those expensive fish just dies out instantly because of dirtiness.
As we mentioned, there are a plethora of water tank filters that you can see on the market today. Each of them varies in design, performance, and price. The selection seems to be limitless. However, we can guarantee that only a handful of them can serve you well.
Among them is the AquaClear 110. This particular brand of aquarium accessories is known for their quality. Many hobbyists like to use their tools because of they are highly durable. The way they ship their products is pretty impressive as well. So far, we haven’t received any reports of broken packages coming from them.
Before we elaborate the features of AquaClear 110, we will detour first on the key considerations for choosing an aquarium filter. What are the things that you should look for this device? Read on to find out!
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Things to Consider Before Buying an Aquarium Filter
The Size of Your Aquarium
Filtration
Flow Rate of the Filter
Ease of Operation
Media Selection
Brand
AquaClear 110 Review
Features and Benefits of AquaClear 110
Re-Filtration System
Power Filters
Easy Maintenance
Media Filter Replacement Period
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Verdict
Things to Consider Before Buying an Aquarium Filter
The Size of Your Aquarium
Before you shop for a filter, you must know the exact size of your aquarium. Of course, it is logical that all filtration systems have different cleaning capacity. Some of them could cater large tanks, while some are just meant for small aquariums.
Fortunately, the manufacturers of these filters always indicate these details in the product description.
Once you already know the dimensions of your water tank, finding a filter would be a lot easy.
Filtration
Each of the filters on the market today comes with unique filtration mechanism. Moreover, the technology used in these filters vary from one brand to another.
In fact, some of them are using patented designs, which makes their filter unique and outstanding. You should be keen with this particular feature so that your money doesn’t go to the drain.
We also need to highlight that some filters are using filtration systems that are not suitable for some types of aquarium. For example, biological filters work best on saltwater aquariums. Meanwhile, under gravel filters are ideal for tanks that have a layer of water gravel.
Flow Rate of the Filter
Specifically, the flow rate of the filter is gauged in gallons-per-hour. The higher the flow rate, the faster the filter can clean your aquarium. In short, filters that have high water flow rate are premium products.
They are ideal for large tanks because of their fast and powerful performance. Moreover, they are energy efficient because they can filter your water tanks quickly!
If you have a small setup, you can just settle with moderate water filters. Just be a wise consumer. It would save you a hefty amount of money.
Ease of Operation
You should never pick a filter that would take you time to install. Even if you are new to this device, setting up a filter should be relatively easy. Specifically, the filter should come with a comprehensive manual or instructions. In this way, you can operate and maintain the filter by your own.
Media Selection
A quality filter should be able to cater various filter media. But it is your responsibility to learn how a particular media operates. Moreover, you should also be able to distinguish the amount of maintenance that a media requires.
Brand
It will be easier for your part if you buy a filter from a reputable brand. We are not discriminating those unpopular and independent manufacturers. But if you are particularly new to these devices, then you should go for those trusted brands already.
The reason for this is because they offer more product reliability than their competitors. After all, they won’t reach such status if their filters don’t satisfy the industry’s standards.
Brands like Fluval, AquaClear, and Penn Pax are among the top rated filter manufacturers today. Moreover, they also provide a variety of options to cater different water tanks and setup.
AquaClear 110 Review
We got all the key considerations covered. Therefore, we can now go to our beloved AquaClear 110 filter. Honestly, we are a big fan of this filter, especially if we are talking about mid-sized water tanks. This device can operate daily and continuously without encountering any issues. That’s how strong and sustainable this filter is.
However, we cannot say that the AquaClear is the cream of the crop. Of course, there are better filters than this, specifically those that came from the brands Fluval and Penn Pax. But at the same time, it is not flimsy filter either. In short, the AquaClear is a flexible choice for those who wants a value-oriented filtration system.
Specifically, the AquaClear Power Filter is a variety of hang-on filter. It comes with multiple versions as well to accommodate various water tank sizes. The AquaClear 110 has a flow rate of 500 gallons per hour, which is very impressive indeed!
Features and Benefits of AquaClear 110
Re-Filtration System
This is the biggest selling point of the AquaClear 110. Its re-filtration system enables the water to flow gently so that sensitive marine life would survive.
Specifically, this patented system adjusts the flow rate of the device. But it doesn’t mean that the efficiency of the filtration was compromised.
The AquaClear 110 can reduce the water flow by 50%. During that time, it conducts numerous processing on the water inside the filter chamber.
Such mechanism allows the AquaClear to compensate for the low flow rate. Therefore, you can still guarantee that it can expel any impurities all the time.
Power Filters
The AquaClear 110 is using both mechanical and biological filtration to ensure that your aquarium is habitable for all marine life.
It also uses a Cycle Guard System that includes various filter media. Among these media is the BioMax Ceramic Media. The latter ensures the quality and continuity of the biological filtration.
Meanwhile, the rest of the media prevents the proliferation of harmful algae and organism. At the same time, they effectively preserve all those “healthy” bacteria as well.
As a result, your aquarium becomes a conducive living environment for any water-based creatures!
It is also important to note that the AquaClear 110 Power Filter can cater all types of media. Moreover, you can modify their arrangement to create a more comprehensive filtration system.
After all, the AquaClear 110 has seven times more filtration volume than its competitors.
Easy Maintenance
Convenience is one of the things that the AquaClear 110 can offer you. Most of its parts, even the interiors, are removable. Therefore, cleaning and maintaining it should not become a problem for you. If you want to preserve its efficiency and power, we recommend that you should clean its filters and other components every two weeks.
When cleaning, make sure that you have to discard all the water inside the filter chamber. Moreover, you have to use a lukewarm water in rising all debris in the impeller and case.
Meanwhile, you need a filter stem brush to clean the “U-tube” and other extension tubes. You have to follow these cleaning recommendations correctly to prevent any damages during the maintenance.
Media Filter Replacement Period
- Foam Filter – Every two months
- Carbon Filter – Every month
- Biomax Filter – Every three months
Pros:
- High flow rate filter (500 gallons per hour)
- Uses both mechanical and biological filtration
- Flow-rate is reducible down to 50% (beneficial for sensitive marine life)
- Can cater every filter media available
- Large filter media capacity (7 times larger than its competitors)
- Effectively preserves all essential organisms and bacteria
- Can operate continuously without encountering any issues
- Smooth operation (doesn’t produce any vibrations)
- Durable construction (combination high-quality plastic and metal parts)
- Easy to clean, thanks to its removable parts
- Ideal for large water tanks
Cons:
- It doesn’t work well with aquariums with sand substrate
- It produces audible sounds while running
- Issues of overflowing (you have to check its moderate its settings first before using it)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Would it fit on a 70-gallon tank with 1 1/4 inch edge?
A: Yes. The gap for this device is 1.5 inch, so the allowance is just minimal.
Q: Can you use it on small water tanks?
A: There should be no problem with that. However, it would risk any sensitive marine life because of the overflow.
Q: Does it work with aquarium gravel?
A: We don’t recommend any hobbyists to use it on aquariums that have water gravel. There is a good chance that it will suck them due to its strong water-flow capacity.
Q: Would this filter work on freshwater or saltwater?
A: It can work on both. However, the ideal setup would be freshwater aquariums. Q: Does it come with a sponge?
A: No. You have to buy it separately.
Final Verdict
Overall, the quality of the AquaClear 110 is above the industry’s standards. We can say that this is a well-built filtration machine because of its durable components.
Despite being a hang-on filter, it is surprising that it can cater a lot of filter media. Moreover, its flow-rate is helpful, especially for those who have large water tanks.
Meanwhile, the price for this filter should be acceptable to everyone. Considering the quality of its performance, buying this product will certainly give value for your money!
Did you learn from this AquaClear 110 review? What are your thoughts about this filter? Share us your thoughts in the comment section below!
