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Our Review
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
This hang-on-back filter is one of the best we’ve ever used! It has a beautiful balance of features that have been well-designed. In our opinion, one of the best features is the completely removable basket that holds the filter media. The filter comes out of the box with a sponge for mechanical filtration and a filter bag with ceramic bio balls. This gets you started immediately with nothing more to buy. There are also no replacement filters needed for this setup. The bio balls will keep your tank cycled and keep your fish healthy and happy while maintaining a generous flow rate and filtration level.
Filtration
While not required, we added some “chemical filtration” using activated carbon in a filter bag. When using multiple levels of filtration in this filter, you need to take note of the most efficient order. (see photo at left).
Maintenance
When performing maintenance, you can clean the pump and intake without affecting the filter media, so you don’t risk damaging the nitrogen cycle in your tank. We pull apart the filter media basket, rinse out the mechanical filter (sponge at the bottom), and leave the biological media untouched. We clean up the intake tubes and generally clean up the outside of the filter and the outflow area with warm tap water. At where the intake tube connects to the filter, you can remove the cartridge to expose the intake pump. You can unhook this from the case and clean it out to optimize the flow. This is where it loses half a star. The cartridge can be quite difficult to remove, which takes some patience to accomplish. Thankfully, this filter isn’t subject to clogging easily, and once-a-month maintenance should be more than sufficient.
Conclusion
This is one of the best filters on the market. It balances price with some great features that allow for worry-free operations.
From The Manufacturer
Tidal™ Power Filters are designed from the ground up to provide your aquarium with high-quality, comprehensive filtration. They are easy to use and adaptable to a variety of aquarium conditions. With a host of features including a self-priming pump, dual water intake with surface skimmer, adjustable flow, maintenance monitor, self-cleaning impeller, and a filter basket that holds any kind of filtration media – and more of it – Tidal™ Power Filters are designed to deliver the highest water quality possible with maximum versatility and ease of use.