Aqua Clear 500 Question

[Audrey]

I am running two AC500s (now the 110s) on my 125-gal tank.

Should I be using the extension tubes on the intakes? I currently don't have them on.

If I use them, will I still have to pour water in the back of the ACs to prime them at each water change??

I am giving water changing lessons to my volunteers tomorrow night, and want to make things as simple as possible.

THANKS!

Audrey

[Carol_Roberts]

I use the extensions, perform 50% water changes and do NOT have to prime the aqua clears. They run the full time I'm doing the water change. (If you turn them off they will lose their prime). I use a prefilter sponge on the water intake to keep uneaten food and feces from entering the filter.

[Audrey]

Thanks, Carol!

I think tonight I will add the extensions to them. I am in the habit of shutting off all filtration during a water change, though. Will I still have to prime the ACs?

I have a prefilter on one of my ACs, I am using a spongy piece to a pond pump that I bought, it fits perfectly on the AC intake basket. I still need to add a prefilter to my other AC. I bought an AC300 sponge insert, was planning to use that as a prefilter. Hope it works good.

Audrey

[Carol_Roberts]

IF you turn them off you will have to prime. Try leaving them on tonight and see how it works for you :)

[Audrey]

Will give it a try! Thanks!

[kaceyo]

Carol,
How often do you clean the prefilters? I've been
shutting off the AC every w/c just to clean the prefilter even though I could leave it running if I didn't clean the prfltr daily. Just curious, I know it's just a matter of preference but have wondered about the wear'n'tare on the AC turning it off and restarting every day. Or do you clean the prfltr with the AC running?

[Carol_Roberts]

I pull off the prefilter with the AC running - You get pretty good after awhile -hardly any gunk falls off, lol. I clean the prefilter under the faucet most every time I do a water change

[kaceyo]

I guess I'm not that good at it,lol. You must have something you put around it to hold the shtuff on the sponge while raising it out of the water, right?

[Audrey]

Well I tried leaving all filtration running last night, but the water level went below the sponge filter clear tube thingys, so I quick hit the switch that shuts off all filters. I have all my filtration plugged into a power strip.

Tonight I will try just unplugging the sponge filters (air pump), but leave all my HOBs running.

I use a plastic cup and slip it under the prefilters and slowly pull them off. Works great. Sometimes debris gets into the water, but usually not that much, esp if you are rinsing them daily. I used to turn off the ACs before doing this, but will try leaving them running. They can be a pain to prime and restart, and the covers are kind of a hassle to put back on.

Audrey

[kaceyo]

Hi Audrey,
I also put a plastic container under the prefilter sponge to remove it. I just don't leave the AC running like Carol does cuz if I do a bunch of the gunk allways gets sucked into the AC. I guess I need to refine my process beore I can leave the AC running. Why do you want to shut off the air driven sponges?

Kacey

[Audrey]

Hi, Kacey

I just figured it wasn't good to let them run when the water falls below the top of the clear tube and they are just blowing air. Maybe it's okay, though?

I guess the ACs sucking up a little debris is still way better than all the debris they would suck up w/o the prefilters.

Audrey

[ed8t]

I run my siphon over the prefilter during water changes and that removes most of the visible gunk. Just before the water reaches the halfway mark, I plop off the prefilter in a cup...very little debris floats around to be sucked up.

With the extensions the intake is just below the halfway mark so it never needs priming.

[JimmyL]

A and K. I think you are making things difficult for yourselves.Without doing anything. Just pull off the prefilter and rinse and re-insert. With the motor running. Water will stay in the container. As soon as water level hits the bottom of the tube. the current will flow again. If you have a weak motor that cannot hold the water in the container. Just add water into the container to re-start the circulation. simple and free of worries. It's fine if you have only a few tank to maintain. if you have to unplug and re-start many tanks. Just this chore alone will take away all the fun of keeping fish and in adventently become a slave of your fish.JMHO The fact is ... it is very hard to kill an Aquaclear. I have one has been going for over 20 years. only stop for changing the white plastic insert when it become too noise. You don't have them in the new mortor. A little bit of debris suck in is just fine. Don't worry.
Jimmy.

[Greg Richardson]

I run 4 extensions which brings me after prefilter still some room at the bottom.
This allows me with my heater below that to do at least a 75% wc without turning off AC.
I never turn off my air pumps. No need to do so.

[Howie_W]

With daily water changes, there is usually only a nominal amount of extraneous matter attached to the prefilter. I've found one of the easiest ways to remove the prefilters is by wrapping a clear plastic sandwich bag around them...much cleaner than using a cup. Sandwich bags cost fractions of a cent each...if you buy them in bulk you never run out.

The easiest way to run grow-out tanks is with sponge filters only...never any pumps to turn off and virtually no maintenance required other than regular rinsing.



Howie

[kaceyo]

Audry,
Yeah, no need to turn off the air pumps.
ed8t,
Good idea. My hose for debris cleanup from the drain pump doesn't quite reach the prefilter sponge so that idea never quite reached my brain.
JimmyL,
You are right. I tend to make x-tra work for myself somtimes unnescesarily. I'll start practicing doing w/c's with motor running and maybe use a sandwich bag as Howie suggested. I only have the one HOB filter on my adults tank. The rest are air/sponge only so it's not so much x-tra work. I just HATE seeing stuff getting sucked into the AC. I guess I should seek a balance and try to be "one" with my discus habitats rather than try for 100% control which can never be achieved. sigh...

[RyanH]

I turn off my AC's when I'm changing water. I keep one of those red Solo beer cups sitting on them and just dump one cup of water back into the filter to get it going again. I've never found it to be that big of a deal. Then I can remove the prefilter w/o the worry of tons of crap getting into my filter while I'm changing water.

It's interesting that you mentioned it Howie. I've been giving some serious consideration to removing the ac's from my growout tanks as well. I run at least three hydro V's on my 75 gallon tanks which really should be adequate for bio-filtration. I may try it on one tank and see how it goes.

-Ryan

[KD]

I just have the foam part if the prefilter placed on the aquaclear extensions. I take them off and clean them before I start to clean the tank. Sometimes the water level pulls them down but after they are clean during water changes not much gunk is getting into the filter itself. I clean the filter sponges once or twice a month. Works for me so far.
If you need more depth add another extension I would say. I feel if you keep priming it becomes alot of work on the aquaclears.
Makes things much easier.

[Audrey]

I use a red Solo beer cup to remove the prefilters. I use the same one over and over, so I am not worried about cost.

Well I left the HOBs running at last nights water change and they lost their prime, had to reprime all of them.

Maybe I am doing too large of a water change or something.
But I will start another thread about that.

Audrey

[wolfbane]

I use a brine shrimp (or catfish) net to catch and lift out the prefilters on my ACs. no big hassel, done em running, done em shut off.

Debbie

Love dem fishies!