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My filter is going to the big aquarium in the sky (and after only 4 months!) ...
So... What filter should I get?
I have read and reread all the old filter posts, but I just thought I'd throw this question out yet again.
I'll be moving Petri into a 60 gallon tank soon and I plan to have it almost entirely full of water (as soon as I have a stand. I'm not setting up a cat jacuzzi). I currently have an Aquaclear 50 on a 10 gallon tank and I love it, although it makes water spots on the walls and is fairly unattractive. The new tank will have a glass lid, but I will probably only have half of it closed.
Filters I'm considering:
XP2 or 3
Aquaclear 110
Questions: How much of a difference is there going to be between a 2 and a 3? It's only 50 gph, is that worth the extra money? And why not just get the Aquaclear with 500 gph? The Aquaclear has a higher gph, so what makes the XP3 better?

I use the xp3 on a 75 gallon tank. I love it! If the debate is between the 2 or the 3 I'd say go with the three because you can use it when you upgrade.

I went with the xp3 over something like the aquaclear because it is a canister filter. I'd had enough of the waterfall filters. With the xp3, at no point is my output above the water, and it is just so quiet.

I guess your choice is going to have to be based on what you are looking for in a filter. Are you looking for something that picks up every last speck on crud, or something that is extremely quiet? For me the noise was a bigger issue, but that doesn't mean the xp3 doesn't do it's job. It really moves the water around in my tank.

I'd go with the XP3 vs the XP2 so when you need to upgrade your tank later to at least a 90-100 gallon you won't have to upgrade the filter again.

The XP3 is a canister filter, and the Aquaclear is a power filter. Two very different types of filters, each having their own pros and cons. I'd go with the XP3, since it has much more room for biomedia and can be used when you get a larger tank.

In my 60 gallon tank is using the XP3 instead of the XP2 going to make a significant difference?

In terms of keeping it clean probably not, but the reason for recommending the xp3 is so that you can save yourself a filter upgrade later. Plus, you just have that much more umpf to keep it clean now.

The main benefit would be an extra compartment to add more filter media.