Seachem Tidal HOB Filters

In a new tank it always needs more TLC in the beginning. That would include cleaning filters. If I touch a tank these days - I do not event start without hanging an aquaclear with just batting on the side ... leave a few days to just pick-up and clean the extra load.

Later Ferdie

 

Hi,

Hi Ferdie thanks for the reply to be honest this is day 43 using the tidal, in my opinion there are better filters out there but you are right after a power issue you dont have to worry about it starting up.

I think this filter is great for someone using a bare bottom tank, medium to large size gravel stone substrate, medium to low stocked tanks and definitely not for a planted tank.

I have done hours of research and my own tricks and tips but I honestly thinks the below is the only mods that should be done

*Seal bottom hole on intake tube
*Intake tube filter sponge
*Coarse Sponge by the pump
*Foam Piece by the level adjuster at the back of the filter

These below mods should not be done

*Do not replace the blue coarse sponge with something less dense that came with the filter or add another behind it, it will create bypass
*Do not add additional sponges to inside the media bucket or in the filter other than the above that I mentioned
*Do not get additional Seachem Matrix the media becomes to compact, restricting flow causing bypass, get bio rings or bio balls must have good flow
*Do not over feed, overstock or get too many fish that like to poop sponge gets clogged up quick
*I would suggest if you have a 30 gallon tank (3ft) do not go for the tidal 35. You should double your tank size have and get the filter, for instance a Tidal 55 would be a minimum for a 30 Gallon tank

Below is my final finding and final mod that I have done to improve this filter efficiency, but unfortunately I have been unsuccessful as if I want to reduce bypass I will need to get a coarse sponge, and remove some of my Seachem Matrix Media

This is how I found it after 2 weeks after my initial mods, going forth I wont be adding the additional sponges





Now for the additional sponges I installed









Media Basket Dirt




These are the sponges I will be keeping

Media Basket Sponge


Had to clean in in tank water close to 6 times to get it clean





Pump Sponge - Keeping it coarse as I dont want to clean it at every water change



Pump Housing with sponge




Here is the water that was in the housing



Grime stuck in the housing



Mods to follow below

 

Couldnt add this due to maximum picture count

But here is the water and what it looked like took 4 attempts to get my media clean and it was constantly submerged in tank water to avoid backteria dying




In an order to improve usage of the sponge and to provide more flow I added extra holes in the media basket, but this has not fixed the bypass issue. I might get some hate here but I wanted to try do everything possible to fix this issue and it is also great to put on a thread and help others

So here are the holes drilled into the media basket keep in mind that this basket is slightly elevated in the housing.





This is where the sponge is sitting and it is oversized so it seals well and hopefully will be better used and wont clog up as quick



Here is the pump on less than half flow with its bypass, I removed the media slowly to see the results, look at the area around the white bucket

With all media



Bio Rings removed (from my old filter)



With Seachem Matrix removed (still had by pass due to sponge - this sponge is the same coarseness as any sponge filter) - didnt drop by much



Here is my media bag that came with the filter very nice actually



When I bought the filter I bought an additional 250g of Seachem Matrix and put it into the same bag as it was half the amount of what you see in the bag



So after typing this I think my last and final mod will be to get a coarse sponge next and cut it over sized, I wont but the Seachem one as now that the holes have been drilled there will be an issue of bypass in the media bucket.

I eventually want to get a flower horn and I will probably end up using this filter in that tank

Thanks for viewing

 

Interesting.

 

Hi sorry fogot to add this but I think it will be beneficial to the thread

This is the comparison of the sponges cut at the same thickness, bot where cut thinner for a more accurate representation

The Tidal filters come with the blue coarse sponge and I have fitted a custom cut black sponge




Please note that these sponges are actually thicker I had just cut them thinner for the project but it give you an idea how coarse the blue sponge is

The black sponge is much thicker than the blue sponge as per the pic below



This is an uncut comparison of the sponges density



Update to follow in 2 weeks time on the outcome of the media basket and the change to to a less coarse sponge

 

Does anyone know where I can get this type of coarse uncut sponge (looking for a sheet of sponge) as I am struggling to find it

Thanks

 

Seachem hob is still cheaper than a canister. Canister is double the price at least. Anyone tried the SOBO canister? R1500 for 1500l/hr

 

Not that cheap the tidal 75 is between R1200-1400


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I tried the SOBO, pain in the backside! You have to prime by opening a cap ontop and add water till full so no pump action like Dolphin or Plax Cascade, fittings break to easy where pipes go onto cannister.

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I thought it's too good to be true.

 

that list of mods reminds me of the 90's - 2000's fast n furious cars with the mod parts list on the front wheel arch.
never owned a tidal, bought an aquaclear 70, popped some extra media in and topped the sponge with batting, added an intake sponge...job done. only ever had issue after power failure before adding intake sponge, now, flawless every time. dont even have it on ups anymore

 

REVENGE OF THE TIDAL!!!

So I had a 3ft aka 30 Gal aka 115l and it was one of those cheapo tanks

The tidal was in the center of the tank at the back, I moved it there about 2 weeks ago and today I walk into this



You can see the fish on the bottom, so I filled up a 5l treated it with prime, made sure the water was warmish and put them in. I lost as few fish really sad but learnt a lesson



If it wasnt for florite black sand and I had the normal gravel my fish would have all died, currently they are at Wild on Pets who could keep them for me, so big thanks to them

Below is the crack from the back corners joining in a curved shape



To save the plants and bacteria I put the sand, sponges and media in the tank and put in my old power head filter, I removed the sponge and added a bag of bacteria to get water flowing and to save as much as I could

Here is a pic of my dying plants which were previously going amazing



So I treated new water with lots of prime and connected my CO2 and a light.

I also added Flouite fertilizer and seachem stability




So final thoughts on the Tidal

*The drilled bucket really works sponge doesn't clog up as easily, really impressed
*The motor of the pump was running dry for an unknown time and it still works
*The bacteria is still of as there was water in the bucket where the media is kept
*I have decided to keep the current sponge with its density and if bypass happens we so be it, eventually it will get it
*Mods to do is pump sponge, seal bottom of intake tube, Intake sponge, Extra holes in media bucket and a higher density and thicker foam that fits snug, no floss and media that water can pass through easily
*Not for tanks with thin glass
*Double the filter size for your tank dont listen to the manufacturer, if you have a 30 Gal dont get a tidal 35 rather get a 55 or 75

Hopefully most of my fish survive that I took to the petshop so far I have 11 deaths

As a side note my tank

*Was on a surface with absolute no movement
*Flat and level
*No interference from my cats
*No fluctuations with heat it was constant
*Surface was on wood
*Tank was far away from a breeze or a window
*No heavy ornaments on glass or rock touching glass
*Tank had foam on the bottom
*Never moved

A 3ft tank is too long to have thin glass

Want a 3ft spend a little extra to save lives !

RIP to the little fishies gone but hopefully the rest will survive, holding thumbs for the other 7 that might live

 

Ouch.
I had the Tidal 55 on a 3ft tank as well.

I lost my very first tank due the base cracking.
There was a thin polistyrene sheet under the base, and the tank was on a wooden desk.
The desk showed no signs of warping, moving or shifting, and my son uses the desk for his PC to this day.
Since then I have run many tanks, and have only had one other tank (a small 1ft) crack due to me over-tightening the retaining screws of a Zetlight Aqua 1200.

 

Hmmm interesting so could the tidal have caused the crack ?


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Anything is possible.
I was running my Tidal 55 on the tank for about a year, and had no issues at all.
My suspicion in my case was that the wooden desk was somehow responsible for the tank cracking.

 

Oh ok but a tidal 55 is smaller than the 75 which I have and if it’s smaller it will also be lighter


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So out of the fish I am left with the 1 Gourami and 2 snails and find myself to soon upgrading to a 4ft. I have lost 16 fish

Came really close to throwing in the towel last week

As a side note to 3ft tank owners with 5mm glass add a center glass brace to protect your tank

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I would not hang any HOB on a 3ft long panel - well not the stock plate glass 3ft that does not have support. You can kinda see why if you look a the bowing of the long panels.

Have HOB on the short panel - no issues.

Later Ferdie

 

Just a thought - if your main concern with this filter is the amount of bypass, why not just ditch the media basket? It frees up a bit of space and removes all of the channels that the bypass went through. All you'd need is a bit of egg crate or some cheap ceramic rings at the bottom of the filter to lift your mechanical media up a bit, keep your biological media in bags and off you go.