[ecrumpler]

Hello,

I am needing to add an extra filter to my 46g bow front. Now that I have 7 juv. Cyno White Tops and 5 yellow labs I foresee needing lots of filtration as they grow. I have a magnum 280 and a small penguin bio-wheel on there now and I don't think they are going to cut it in the long run. My plan was to remove the penguin and replace it with either the HOB AC110 or the 360 canister. What do ya'll think will be better?

I can see the obvious advantages to the canister but it's big and will take up lots of space, the 110 gets great reviews. Anyone who runs either of these have any comments?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Cich of it all]

Both will work fine, but the C-360 is awesome. It will be quieter, easier to service, and more versatile than a HOB. Plus, your tank can be much closer to the wall. It really comes down to whether you want to spend $160 or $60.

 

[hollyfish2000]

Have the 360. Like the 360. It's on my 58 gallon without any additional filter and the water is excellent . . .

 

[mmd]

love the 360, just bought a 3rd for my 125......owned an ac110 now its at my daughters daycare

 

[MPC]

I have both the c-360 and the ac110 plus an emperor 400 on my 75G. I like them all. I guess it is like someone else mentioned how much money you're willing to pay, and how much room you have. The c-360 was easy to set up and works like a charm, plus really easy to service. It's quiet and fits nicely under the tank in the stand. the ac110 has been running good, too. It's relatively quiet, and doesn't take much to setup or maintain. I would think the c-360 has a lot more surface area for the purposes of beneficial bacteria.

I found the c-360 on ebay for $125. The ac 110 came with my aquarium as a package deal, so not sure how much it is individually.

 

[co-photo]

If you do end up going with a HOB and not the c-360, you shouldn't limit your choice to the AC110. Acceptable filter when everything is working perfectly, but they're flimsy. The body cracks too easily, and ALL 4 of my ac110's have developed impeller problems after a few months of use. I'll never buy another. The E400 may hold less filter media, but there's no bypass, and they're very durable.

 

[Cich of it all]

If you do end up going with a HOB and not the c-360, you shouldn't limit your choice to the AC110. Acceptable filter when everything is working perfectly, but they're flimsy. The body cracks too easily, and ALL 4 of my ac110's have developed impeller problems after a few months of use. I'll never buy another. The E400 may hold less filter media, but there's no bypass, and they're very durable.

This person is in the minority. I've had nothing but good luck with my AC110's and they are a year old. No other HOB moves as much water or hold as much media.

 

[ecrumpler]

Man, this is a tough choice. The 400 is on sale now for $40, that is less than I paid for my 280 from Petsmart. Just from a pure economic standpoint the 400 is starting to look good.

I'd be running a 400 and a 280 on my 46g, that would be nice.

 

[Cich of it all]

Sounds like a good setup to me! Can't beat the price.

 

[ecrumpler]

I ended up going with the ac 110. I figured it was a good match to the emperor 280 that I already have. So far seems like it's going to be a great filter. Build quality isn't stellar, but really it just has to sit there. We'll see. The canister would have been great I'm sure, but at a lot more money.

I love the amount of water it moves and the fact that you can fit so much in it as far as media.

 

[dwschacht]

If you do end up going with a HOB and not the c-360, you shouldn't limit your choice to the AC110. Acceptable filter when everything is working perfectly, but they're flimsy. The body cracks too easily, and ALL 4 of my ac110's have developed impeller problems after a few months of use. I'll never buy another. The E400 may hold less filter media, but there's no bypass, and they're very durable.

This person is in the minority. I've had nothing but good luck with my AC110's and they are a year old. No other HOB moves as much water or hold as much media.

I will pipe in also about the AC110 vs Emperor 400.

I have 7 Emp 400's and 3 AC110's in my fish room. I have never had a problem with the Emperor 400's ever (minus snales getting in the impeller). I have also had them longer. I did get a used AC110 and I was so impressed that I picked up 2 more of them. Both of the new ones (2 months old) have randomly quit working on me at one point or another. (both I just moved the impeller and they started working again). I have to say, I like the AC filters, but they are not as reliable as the Emperor filters. I did have one emperor filter quit once on me, I opened it up and found about 15 snales in the impeller, cleand them out and it resumed working with no problems. The AC 110's did not have snales, they just quit.

I am leary of the AC's again.

Now, anything is better than a penguin filter, but I am not convinced that the AC is better than the Emperor.

I say get a Hydro IV sponge and an air pump big enough to drive it well and you are good. I am now a sponge filter person with HOB's and canisters used as backups to the sponges. (This is cheaper too!)

 

[co-photo]

Cich of it All....

As far as the E400 over the AC110, I'm in the minority? Really?

I know quite a few people who won't use the AC110. Add to that the AC110 is significantly more expensive and it's just not worth it.

 

[Cich of it all]

As far as the E400 over the AC110, I'm in the minority? Really?

Yes, I believe more people have had good luck with AC filters than bad. Most people I have talked to that have AC filters have had very good results with them. I'm not going to participate in yet another :roll: AC vs. Emp debate; I'm just stating that for you to have 4 bad ones in a row seems like a fluke to me, since everyone I've had has been fine.
Really though, compared to canisters, HOB's are all pretty much crapola in my opinion. I will soon have (2) AC70's and an Emp400 for sale (watch the ads section ) because I'm much happier with canisters and sumps. I will however be keeping my AC110's because they work quite well for water polishing on bigger tanks.

 

[narhay]

I've had an AC500 for 6 years and it has never quit on me. A couple weeks ago one of my M. baliodigmas spat a mouthful of sand into the intake while I was watching. Needless to say it started to rattle. I replaced the impeller and it's back to its quiet old self.

I've also owned many ACminis, 30s, 50s, 70s...whatever they call them now over the years. Had very few issues with them. A couple times they didn't start on their own so I nudge the impeller and it starts again. The quietest HOB I've ever used.

Sometimes the lid will rattle. Press it down or tape it down and problem is solved.

Everyone carries AC parts since they're so widespread if you ever need them.

 

[Cobotis]

... I've had AC's running for 7 years straight.. no problems.. However...the smaller ones, 300 and down sometimes quit after a power outage... I generally check everything over after an outage anyway...

HOB filters are simple things really... both brands are good..

 

[4Runner]

I have had both. Both work great but I will take my Ac any day. I have 1 on each of my 6 tanks and have 3 AC 110's on my 220g. None have ever stopped for any reason other then me tanking them down to clean them and none have ever cracked I have one. the oldest one is 5 years and does not miss a beat.

If you want a deal on the AC 110 go here. Print it out and take it to petsmart.
Scroll down the page. Ac 110's for $42.99 I spent 4 hours going through pages of ac 110 and found this deal. Every other place is running $63 to $98. If you know of a cheaper place let me know.
http://www.aquaticmart.com/cat35_1.htm

 

[redfish]

Hagen has made the price way overprice, I run two of them on my 125 filled with cotton
and seachem matrix on top to clean the water, I have two new ones in storage, got 4 when they were on sale for I think 25 dollar each so Im set up also have a new Ehiem 2250 in
there for extra got it new for 60 dollars on ebay! 60 dollar is two much get a Xp3 canister
I have a eheim 2280, and two otto pg450 canister they are good canister hard to find.
good luck,Brent

 

[Cich of it all]

I must admit, over $60 for an AC110 is too high of a price. Less than a year ago they were $40. The 150% price hike was uncalled for.

 

[redfish]

I like this filter the most out of every kind, type, etc, moves tons of water never had one
problem runing now for 8 year never changed anything. Easy to lift cover and change cotton
I get at waltmart by 10 pound bags and I have a full load of seachem on top of the cotton.
To me its the easys fastest way to take care of a aquarium loaded with fish, the price I see
has gone up so High in the last couple years, I bought 4 new ones at 30 each at the time and
never changed a empellor or anything, I have recieved on cracked I know the plastic is cheap
but bigals made it good and sent me a replacement. I have 3 canister filter under the stand
good ones, pain to clean, useing now as only biofilters. Run sand into any filter will eat up the empellor!

 

[rancherlee]

I must admit, over $60 for an AC110 is too high of a price. Less than a year ago they were $40. The 150% price hike was uncalled for.

I agree, under 50$ they are an awesome filter. I have 2 AC110's on my 125g that I'm cycling right now. I got mine for 33$ each at Foster & Smith a few months back. I have a AC300 and AC500 running on my 55 gallon right now and the AC300 is going on 10 years old with NO parts changes and the AC500 is around 5 years old with no issues. I'm wondering if the quality dropped with the part number changes when the AC500 became the AC110? I hoping that the 110's I bought work just as well as my other 2.