# Differences between Aquaclears and Penguin/Emporer



## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

Hey there everyone. I just wanted to know which you guys like better. I know that alot of people use the emporers alot, but I wanted to get a little feed back about the two. I have also heard alot of people using the aquaclears as well. I personally have a few penguin mini's and i like them. If you have something to say about either one, please share.

~Dj


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## nitrofish (Jan 14, 2003)

an emp is like a pengin only it has 2 impellers instead of one and the flow over the biowheels are controled better via a spray bar.

the largest penguin (that I know of) flows only 330 gph, which is kind of lousy compaired to an aquaclear, which can flow 500 gph

aquaclears have no biowheel, but larger filter media. and aquaclears are kind of a pain getting the syphon started, you have to add a water to the filter almost everytime after doing water changes.

what do I use, both penguin and aquaclear







, whatever one lacks the other will make up for, well at least thats my theroy


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

Yeah, the biowheel seems to be the trademark of the penguin/emps. I just today took an aquaclear out of the box durring my break just to see what it looked like. They are made very differently. Is the aquaclear more a mechanical filter, as opposed to the bio-wheel's added biofiltration for the pens/emps? I know that pens/emps have a filter also, but the aquaclear dont seem to have a means of bio filtration.

~Dj


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## Fishman (Mar 1, 2003)

Ac 500's have alot of room for media in them! I just put the foam block in and the carbon under that. Then on top of the foam block right before it dumps into thew tank I have Bio-max media(ceramic porous tubes) scattered over the top of the foam!

Therefore I get the best of both worlds. Good mech/chem/bio/ filltering at 500 GPH.

The best thing about AC's they are very quit and produce great suface agitation to promote oxygen exchange!
And are the cheapest of all at high GPH's!


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

I use both and have no complaints with the ac500's. The emps are a good filter but a little loud and I have a much harder time getting them started when they loose the syphon durring a water change. with the ac500's I can do a 50% water change and they never loose the syphon. They are both great filters though.


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

i love any aquaclear easy to clean(its a must) and pumps water very well,i find the it very quiet at night too


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

HMm... sounds like popular opinion favors the aquaclear. I always thought that it was some sort of second rate filter. I duno why. I think that maybe I'll give one a try on my next tank.

~Dj


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

InSinUAsian said:


> HMm... sounds like popular opinion favors the aquaclear. I always thought that it was some sort of second rate filter. I duno why. I think that maybe I'll give one a try on my next tank.
> 
> ~Dj


 can't go wrong with an aquaclaer there very easy to maintain and you won't regret it...


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

i have a ac 300 and a 500 on my 55 gal i have no complaints so far.very easy to clean and can add a carbon and a amrid ammonia remover on top of the filter.and its extremly quiet.i havent tried emp/penquin many my next tank


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## nitrofish (Jan 14, 2003)

InSinUAsian said:


> Yeah, the biowheel seems to be the trademark of the penguin/emps. I just today took an aquaclear out of the box durring my break just to see what it looked like. They are made very differently. Is the aquaclear more a mechanical filter, as opposed to the bio-wheel's added biofiltration for the pens/emps? I know that pens/emps have a filter also, but the aquaclear dont seem to have a means of bio filtration.
> 
> ~Dj


 the big sponge is full of biological filtration and mechcanical filtration.

I used to think aquaclears where no good, but after everyone started talking about them I decided to get one, they work well.


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## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

Aquaclear is as good as the others but cheaper, you should try it for your new tanks...i highly recommend AC500 and AC300 for big/medium size aquaria!


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