AQUACLEAR CLEANING QUESTION??????

[dean9922]

If anyone is using aquaclear filters, I'm just wondering how often people take apart and clean there units....I know you just rinse the foam in drained water from the tank so as not to destroy the bio.....I've been doing this about every 2-3 weeks or so and my ATI sponge filters get a squeeze in drained water once a week. I am currently running the aqaclear 110's on both my big tanks and 2 sponge filters in each tank....
Is this to much or not enough....just wondering what others do.....
Thank you in advance.

[Eddie]

If anyone is using aquaclear filters, I'm just wondering how often people take apart and clean there units....I know you just rinse the foam in drained water from the tank so as not to destroy the bio.....I've been doing this about every 2-3 weeks or so and my ATI sponge filters get a squeeze in drained water once a week. I am currently running the aqaclear 110's on both my big tanks and 2 sponge filters in each tank....
Is this to much or not enough....just wondering what others do.....
Thank you in advance.

Honestly, I'd say you are cleaning it a little too much but that would depend on how much debris is going into the filter. I'd recommend you get a filtermax prefilter for the AC intake, they will help you immensely. You can simply pull it off and rinse every few days and this really cuts down on contaminating the box sponge and media.

That ATI Hydro Sponges, I'd not even squeeze those but every few months. I like to alternate monthly with the filter cleaning. Clean the AC at the end of one month, just pulling the internal sponge and squeezing it in used tank water and then at the end of the next month, squeeze the hydro sponge in some used tank water.

This will keep everything pretty constant in the tank and you'll always have a good working biofilter in operation. ;)

Eddie

[Bgroovy2]

I am runnig two AC 50's on my tank. I run them using the AC biomax for the bio filter. I clean each filter every-other week. I rinse out the foam in tap water and rinse the biomax in tank water to knock off any crud, and yes, I use carbon in my filters. I replace this with every maintenence as well. This has worked good for me. I had one disease issue that was easily taken care of.

[poconogal]

When I was running an AC500 (now AC110) which I used for 13 years, I cleaned it every 2 weeks, which was the recommended cleaning schedule. I tried putting a prefilter sponge on the intake but it affected the filter flow too much, and almost made the filter stop working, so from personal experience with my filter, I would not recommend putting a prefilter on it.

[Eddie]

Good info Dean

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?p=76911#post76911

Eddie

[poconogal]

I used a very fine pore prefilter on the AC500 intake and it almost stopped the filter, it restricted the flow into the filter a great deal. So, to edit what I posted above, I don't recommend a very fine pore prefilter on the AC110 (formerly AC500), from personal experience. Maybe a larger pore prefilter would work better, or a fine pore prefilter would work better on a HOB other than the AC110.

Edit: Like Bob mentioned below, I always used to shut the filter off when feeding so that no food went up the intake into the filter. Even now, while running 2 canisters, I still shut the filters off when feeding for the same reason, to eliminate food being sucked up and rotting inside the filters.

[BOBT00LS]

I agree with Connie on using no prefilter on the AC 110. I use to use prefilters on them and just as she mentioned they restrict the flow very quickly and have to be removed often to regain a good flow. Removing the prefilters for cleaning can make a very big mess of your clean tank as all the debris attached to it pollutes your tank during removal. I now use no prefilters on the several 110's that I have. The filter is shut down during feeding to eliminate food from being sucked up the intake. As far as a cleaning schedule goes for them, the filter lets me know when it needs to be cleaned. You will notice that the basket inside the filter will rise up from its position. Thats when I clean them which takes all of about 5 minutes or less to do. I rinse off the foam block with tank water during a water change and add a layer of new floss over the top of the foam block for polishing. The floss is discarded and replaced with new at every cleaning. On top of the floss I keep a bag of ceramic noodles which is also rinsed during cleaning. I hope this helps.

Bob

[Eddie]

Bob, you do this with your growout tanks? That would be alot of turning off and turning on everyday. Don't you have a ton of tanks too? :o

Eddie

[DiscusOnly]

I used to run pre-filter on my AC filter as well. It does help a lot in keeping food out and I agree that they do require weekly maintainence or it will clog. For the past 3 months, I use a sponge tank divider to separate the intake side.

Instead of using the pvc and air line, my AC110 intake is on the left side. I also have my heater in there as well. When it comes to clean the tank, I basically vaccum the bottom and filter foam. I use the 4" foam but I am sure the 2" will work as well. The best part about this setup is that I have a huge sponge filter.

I have not clean the AC filter since. I found this setup to work good for eliminating a lot of the bubbles if you fill you tank from tap. Instead of filling the tank main area, I fill the tank up from the partition side.

[BOBT00LS]

Yes Eddie, I do it with my growouts. I work out of my house so I have the luxury to be here for the feedings. I only have to turn the filters off for 5 minutes or less because they eat so quickly. As far as having alot of tanks, I only have three large tanks and several breeders. Just an efficient clean setup here which is very manageable.

Bob

[Eddie]

Yes Eddie, I do it with my growouts. I work out of my house so I have the luxury to be here for the feedings. I only have to turn the filters off for 5 minutes or less because they eat so quickly. As far as having alot of tanks, I only have three large tanks and several breeders. Just an efficient clean setup here which is very manageable.

Bob

Cool, sounds like an interesting set-up. You should throw up some pictures of the fish room sometime. I'd love to see it!

Take care,

Eddie

[Eddie]

I used to run pre-filter on my AC filter as well. It does help a lot in keeping food out and I agree that they do require weekly maintainence or it will clog. For the past 3 months, I use a sponge tank divider to separate the intake side.

Instead of using the pvc and air line, my AC110 intake is on the left side. I also have my heater in there as well. When it comes to clean the tank, I basically vaccum the bottom and filter foam. I use the 4" foam but I am sure the 2" will work as well. The best part about this setup is that I have a huge sponge filter.

I have not clean the AC filter since. I found this setup to work good for eliminating a lot of the bubbles if you fill you tank from tap. Instead of filling the tank main area, I fill the tank up from the partition side.

Wicked idea Van! Really cool!

Thanks for sharing and take care,

Eddie

[BOBT00LS]

Cool, sounds like an interesting set-up. You should throw up some pictures of the fish room sometime. I'd love to see it!

Take care,

Eddie

Hey Eddie. I wouldnt even call it a fishroom. I have a finished basement with the three large tanks and a laundry room with the breeder tanks. I like to call it a finished basement with some fish :)


Bob

[Eddie]

Hey Eddie. I wouldnt even call it a fishroom. I have a finished basement with the three large tanks and a laundry room with the breeder tanks. I like to call it a finished basement with some fish :)


Bob

Okay okay......so a room with some nice fish tanks. ;)

Eddie

[fishorama]

I just started using an AC filter sponge covered with a piece of panty hose as a prefilter. It allows good flow & the panty hose keeps out the big bits. I can even gently syphon off pieces so I don't have to take it off every day to rinse. Seems to work but it's only been a couple days.

I first tried just panty hose over the intake but a lot of food & poo got stuck on. It was a PITA to clean & reattach.

[Eddie]

I just started using an AC filter sponge covered with a piece of panty hose as a prefilter. It allows good flow & the panty hose keeps out the big bits. I can even gently syphon off pieces so I don't have to take it off every day to rinse. Seems to work but it's only been a couple days.

I first tried just panty hose over the intake but a lot of food & poo got stuck on. It was a PITA to clean & reattach.

Yeah.....the wife isn't all goo goo ga ga over my fish already, so if she sees some of her panty hose attached the filter, I have feeling we'll be having fish tacos for dinner. :o LOL


Eddie

[dean9922]

Thanks for all the input from everyone...I should have mentioned I do use a prefilter foam on the intake......great info everyone.....