Best Power Filters?

[sdesi2005]

I am looking to add a small power filter to my little tank to help adding carbon and even add a little bio filtration to aid in the cycling of the tank. Which Power filter is best?

Emporer Bio-Wheel
Whisper Power Filter
Penguin Bio-Wheel

 

[nunofs]

I used an Emperor 400 on my 40g freshwater tank, has the advantage of using refillable filter cartridges (you can fill then with floss, carbon, etc)... also used a smaller Penguin 125 on the hospital tank and it's fine too, but you must get the special filter cartridges, and their cost adds up. Never used Whisper filters...

Btw I have the Emperor 400 for sale, great condition, $25 with 4 refillable cartridges... PM me if you're interested.

Nuno

 

[Triggerfish]

have used them all...emp probably like the best,,
penguin's i do not believe you can control the flow rate like the other 2.

 

[dz6t]

I like AquaClear 500

 

[nitrofish]

I like emps for freshwater, but for a reef I think the added space aquaclear has may be very usefull, you can even convert those to mini refugium's

 

[stevenp]

FWIW, you can get the Aqua Clear filters at Pet Smart. They're really overpriced in the store, but if you bring in a printed page from their website, they'll honor the online price. I paid $36 for the AC 500 and it works great. However, I converted it into a refugium so I'm not sure of the filtering capability but it looks like it would work great.

Steve

 

[Rays]

My vote goes with the Aquaclear 500 also. I've had the original on my 55 for as long as I can remember, at least 7 years.

 

[dz6t]

FWIW, you can get the Aqua Clear filters at Pet Smart. They're really overpriced in the store, but if you bring in a printed page from their website, they'll honor the online price. I paid $36 for the AC 500 and it works great. However, I converted it into a refugium so I'm not sure of the filtering capability but it looks like it would work great.

Steve

The managers in Petsmarts are going to hate you giving out this big secret...

 

[dz6t]

My vote goes with the Aquaclear 500 also. I've had the original on my 55 for as long as I can remember, at least 7 years.

They don't change a thing on the AquaClear 500 for more than 10 years. Talk about a design that lasts.

 

[tucc185]

Talk about a design that lasts.

No kidding, I have an AquaClear 500 that is about 23 years old running on my 10 gallon macro tank. My parents bought it for their fresh tank when they bought the house. The original impeller is still going strong!

 

[nitrofish]

only thing I hate about the aquaclears is the brittle plastic. as long as you don't drop it your all set.