AquaClear 30 Power Filter, Fish Tank Filter for 10- to 30-Gallon Aquariums

This is my second purchase of the AquaClear 30 Hagen Power Filter (AKA: "Fluval 30"), the 10-30 gallon adjustable flow OTB filter. I have a 10G standard tank and a 20G high tank. This filter is ideal for both. It is dead quiet (I have both tanks in my living room) and I cannot tolerate motor noise or a constant hum (I have a really quiet air pump in the room as well!). It would drive me up the wall. So... quiet. Very quiet. This thing can run 150gph through itself. That's turning over all the water in a 30G tank five times every hour. But, best of all, if you turn it down (and for a 10 or 20 you need to!), it recirculates water inside itself and refilters it many times before the waterfall. This is what they claim, and I think it's true. Can't prove it. So... plenty of suction. The part that holds the filter material in place (a sort of removable U-shaped shelf) can be easily removed while the filter is running if you take it slow, otherwise it gets a little sloppy. Same thing when you put it back. They provide you with filter stuff. My advice... keeping the big sponge is a must, that's an integral part of the system, and then get yourself whatever filter media you like in bulk blankets. I don't use charcoal other than when I need to clear some medication or something, so I use a dual-density very fine polyester mechanical filter (comes in mats, cut to size, good for years) as the "polishing" stage, then I have a bag of bio-rock matrix sitting on top just before the waterfall. Works for me. I cut what I need, and it's lots cheaper than cartridges and all that. (This filter runs water from the bottom up through the various media and out the top for the waterfall. Bear that in mind when you stack things up.) Disassembly is easy-peasy. CAUTION!!!!!! When you take the pump assembly off (a quarter-turn, and it comes right off), do it over a towel away from anything where you can lose a small part. The impeller is right there, magnetically bound to it's shaft. You need to remove it (tweezers, like that) and rinse out that chamber as well as clean off the impeller. It's not THAT small, but you really don't want to lose it down the sink! And, like all OTB filters, the U-channel that carries water over the back is hard to get clean. Get REALLY flexible tube brushes... 3/4" and 1" will to nicely. You have to get around a 90 degree bend. Other than that... nothing to complain about, and that's a necessary design they all have. And last, it's low profile. The entire unit sticks up about one inch (2.6 cm) above the tank. The little flow adjusting handle thingy protrudes another little bit above that, but the whole thing is very unobtrusive. Perfect for a display tank. The one thing I wish OTB filters had is an in-line ON/OFF switch and a disconnect so you don't have to dig around and unplug it when you want to service it or just turn it off for feeding time. I can do that stuff myself, but if *I* want something like that, I bet lots of folks do. ::hint hint:: Anyway, I love this filter.

Works exactly as expected. It's very quiet, pumps efficiently, and filters extremely well. One thing to note- when I first bought this and started using it, it was pretty noisy. After about a week it became whisper quiet, to the point where it's hard to tell if it's even on sometimes. I think this is due to the fact that the impeller doesn't sit very tight in its housing. However, this is a good thing because it allows for a small amount of algae/ gunk buildup on the impeller's parts and that's inevitable. Once that builds up, the impeller functions much better and silences itself. I've tried cleaning the impeller for maintenance and it becomes loud again until the gunk builds back up, so now I just leave it alone with no issues at all. Another good thing- The filter process on this is extremely efficient. The water flows up from the bottom of the filter housing through 3 separate levels of filtration (sponge, charcoal, bio-blocks). This works soooo much better than the bio-wheel filters I've used before. Additionally, this filter has a bypass system, where if the filters get too clogged the water is still free to flow. My filter has become extremely full before with hardly any need for the water to go through the bypass, this filter is awesome at what it does. Once the sponge filter is dirty and clogged, there's no need to buy a new one to replace it. I've been rinsing/ wringing it out every water change for months and it still works like it's brand new (rinse out in the water you just removed, not tap water. Tap water can cause chemical shock and start a re-cycle of your tank). I also gently swish around the charcoal filter but mostly leave it alone. Try not to touch the bio-blocks, you don't want to disturb the bacteria that grows on them. Rinsing or cleaning that is a BIG no-no. You'll be surprised how much gunk comes out of the sponge when you clean it, you can really tell this thing does its job well. Bottom line- excellent product. Will definitely buy again if needed, would definitely recommend. Tip- buy one just slightly bigger than needed for your tank, I've always found this to be more efficient. I use this in my 20 gallon tank, even though it's rated for up to 30 gallons. If the current is too much for your fish, use the built-in flow adjuster to tone it down a little (think about it this way- if you buy one rated for up to 20 gallons, and use it in a 20 gallon tank, you're using it at maximum capacity and won't get as good results. Using one designed for up to 30 gallons will give you a "buffer zone" and will work better overall)

Product worked well, until it didn't. 1. On December 8, the filter failed for the second time, sending three gallons of fish water into my kitchen drawers. 2. The warrantee on the Amazon page and the filter box says 2-year warrantee. 3. On December 30, the filter failed for the third time, losing a quart of water in less than three minutes, 4. On January 4, they offered to send me a new o-ring. 5. Their policies do not allow them to meet requirements of their stated warrantee. 6. In my many communications with the company, never once has anyone expressed disappointment, no less regret, that their product (and their company) had a distressing result.

I ended up purchasing the Aquaclear Power Filter 30 for my 10 gallon freshwater tank based on the high reviews on Youtube videos (I got the 30 because the 20 was so small and after watching reviews and reading posts people recommended getting the 30 for a 10 gallon tank. I originally ordered the 20 but it was too small so I exchanged it for the 30 and I am very pleased with having the extra space to put more media). I previously had the TopFin filter that came with my aquarium that just had a filter with carbon inside. That filter pails in comparison to this filter. To me this filter is like the creme de la creme of filters and at a good price. It also has a lifetime warrantee. I love the options of different filter media that you can use. Not to mention it is so quiet, you can barely hear it. It's very tranquil sounding and I love that you can adjust the flow, too. My previous filter was black and this one is relatively clear in comparison which I like because you can see how things look and makes it easier to clean. It also comes with a leveler that I use and it works perfectly. I do wish that it was permanently attached and adjustable because every time I take filter media out and move the filter it pops off. That's my only issue I have with it and it's not even worth docking a star because I love this product so much. After viewing YouTube videos I opted to add filter fiber/floss to help keep my aquarium clean and it has worked wonders. I highly recommend this product and adding filter fiber/floss to your filter media holder. Purchase this filter! You'll be very pleased if you do. Note: I ordered the Aquaclear Power Filter 30 to replace the 20 because I thought it was too small. When I opened the packaging the product had a white grime on it as if it had been previously used. I simply did an exchange and the new one they sent me was clean. I didn't deduct a star because this was about quality control not the quality of the product. The quality of the product is hands down the best.

I am running an AquaClear 30 on a 29 gallon heavily planted tank. The filter is very, very quiet. It does not give the kind of water cleaning and "polishing" that a canister filter would give, but for the price its a nice choice. I have used this line of Aquaclear filters on nearly a dozen different freshwater tanks for the last decade... they are my favorite hang on back filters. This is the first time I have not upgraded a filter - in other words, normally I would have gotten an Aquaclear 50 or 70 for a 29 gallon aquarium, but for this tank I just wanted some water circulation. The tank is very lightly stocked, and the plants do most of the filtering. If you are setting up a standard tank, I would recommend upgrading the filter so you have nearly double the filter capacity on your tank. Ie, so you have a filter for a 50 gallon tank on a 25 gallon tank, a filter for a 100 gallon tank on a 50 gallon tank, etc. It makes for healthier fish and less maintenance. I have a prefilter ( Pre-Filter Sponge 3 Pack for Fluval Edge Aquarium ) on the AquaClear 30 to keep the cherry shrimp and fry from getting sucked up into the filter. The prefilter fits on the uptake tube perfectly and is working as it should. I recently ran an Aquaclear 70 and an AquaClear 110 on a 55 gallon tank. Both of those filters were much louder than this little AquaClear 30. I'm guessing that the more powerful the motor is, the louder the filter is. I did try the trick of swabbing silicon grease on the impeller shaft, and both of those two larger filters were still too loud for me. I am now running a canister filter on that tank, and am very happy with it. I've also tried the "updated" version of the AquaClear line, the Fluval C4 Power Filter . I did not like that filter as much as the old AquaClears. The Fluval was not any quieter, and there was so much hardware in the filter box that it really forced you to use only their filter media. One of the great things about the Aquaclears is that you can put in just about anything you want in the filter box, like peat moss, or ammorocks, or whatever your heart desires. I like that flexibility. As much as I like the Aquaclears, though, I leave them behind for canister filters when the tank is any more than 50 gallons. Hang on back filters are OK, but for a big tank or for any tank that needs top-notch water quality, give me a canister filter.

I bought my AquaClear 30 in early July. It was definitely quieter than the previous filter and seemed to do a better job keeping the tank clear. I've had it long enough to have cleaned it and, as filter cleaning goes, I find this design very user friendly. Then, yesterday, we had a power bounce and the filter didn't come back. After eliminating the outlet as a problem, I noticed the bottom of the unit was very warm. I unplugged it, let it cool, plugged it back in. Nothing. Today, I went to my nearest PetCo for a new filter. The filter is under warranty but I needed something for the fish today. Upon learning which filter I had, then gentleman helping me said that these filters almost never die and his is about 14 years old. He showed me how to remove the propeller box and clean it out. He told me that sometimes debris settles during a power failure and the propeller can't turn when the power comes back. He was right. I got home, took 2 minutes to clean the propeller, and we're back in business. No need for a new filter after all! I'm feeling really good about my choice of filter. Easy to maintain (once you know what you're doing) and works well!

The best HOB I've used. I put a 30 power on an unfortunately overstocked 10 gallon and it cleared it up in no time. A world of difference. The filters are a pretty loud the first week but they mellow out a little bit. Still too much sound for my liking, but I keep the top off the one in my room. I also have to 70 powers on a 75 gallon community tank and they keep the tank clear up until my weekly or biweekly water change. I've found removing the carbon, which isn't necessary and adding another sponge made the water even clearer. This is a great filter because it's powerful and versatile, you can to the canister anything your tank might need. There is a pretty loud waterfall on my 75 gallon but it's not unpleasant and only starts becoming noticeable a few days after a water change. I have had sand get in the 30 power one and it is caused the filter made a cranking sound and shut off completely. If that happens just take the motor off and wash off the impeller and clean the inside of the motor. It's really easy to take apart and clean. Overall still the best HOB, my only complaint being it's a little too loud. If you have a small tank that's very understocked in your bedroom you might want to try a Tetra Whisper, I've seen them literally not make a sound but other ones make an unbearable buzzing, so it might be a crap shoot. But this is a better option for almost every other tank. Still have my original sponges, which get quite dirty but I just wash them out (but not all of them at the same time), and the original bio max too.

Ok, So I was a little worried since so many people were talking about how noisy it was. I got the 30 and it is fantastic. It's a little pricier than some of the others but it doesn't use proprietary cartridges which means It has more room for custom materials and more room in general and I can save some money and plastic by refilling with bulk ceramic rings and stuff. It fits just fine in my 10 gallon and the noise died down, even with the lid on, after the first couple days. If the small amount of sound it DOES make bugs you it's way less without the cap but the little splashes of the water are louder than the actual filter in my opinion. The one thing I'm not a fan of is that the plastic is clear. It's nice so I can see if there are clogs, but my tank sits in a place where natural light is unavoidable and I've been fighting algae lately. I have a small growth of algae in my rings because it is easy for light to get into the filter and spur growth but Only a small amount and it's been kept under control with diligent maintenance any fishkeeper should be doing anyway. The plastic does feel a little flimsy but it's not like I'm keeping a great white in a 10 gallon and the impeller and motor seem way better than the brand I had before so I'm not really worried.