AquaClear filters...

[Vinh]

" have been keeping freshwater and marine fish for 32 years and I find that cleaning this filter is not as easy and clean as others say it is. Since the filter works by forcing water up through the fiter media rather than down, it is necessary to remove the entire filter basket, then remove all of the upper layers of carbon and ammonia absorption bags in order to get to the dirty sponge. Since Carbon and ammonia removing media do not need to be changed as often as the particulate media, I find it too messy when changing just the sponge.

The AquaClear sponges are a dissappointment because they do not filter out small particles - the tank always looked cloudy. I replaced the sponge with polyesther floss and the water is always crystal clear. The ads say that the refiltration grid ensures that water passes through all media - this is not the case since there are plenty of holes on the side of the basket which allow unfiltered water to return to the tank.

The dirty water passes through the impeller prior to filtration - on more than one occasion I have had to clean debris from the impeller chamber.

I would not buy this filter again since changing media is very messy, media does not keep water crystal clear and replacement media is realtively expensive. "

That was on the product review for it.. I have AC200 and I notice my tank has small debris always floating around :/

How do other users go about it besides using polyesther floss as frank does (guy who posted the comment).

If frank is about these forums, where do you buy polyesther floss from and do you have to make your own bag for polyesther floss or what?

 

[SomethingFishy]

I have used AquaClear filters and have found them to work just fine. Of course they are not as nice as some of the more expensive filters but for the pirce they are a good low to medium cost HOB filter. I currently have a Mini on my 29 gal (in addition to a Penguin 125) and I decided to place 2 sponges in there and there is still room for one other media choice.

Overall it is a quiet and effective filter. I have never had any problem with them. I agree they are a pain to clean and tend to mess the tank when you do but I still like them.

 

[Vinh]

You dont find heaps of small debris / particles floating around in your tank?

 

[black_bullet]

I like ACs....but they do lack fine mechanical filtration with the standard media that comes in them. Try adding some floss and see if that helps to remove the debris. Probably just some micro organisims tho...not that they hurt the tank health or anything.

 

[SomethingFishy]

Only when I pull out the basket (for cleaning) and some of the collected debris falls off do I get small particles in the tank. I think the 125 also traps the smaller particles that the Mini may be missing.

As far as cleaning the impeller I do not find that to be a problem either. I clean the impeller about once every 2 months with an old toothbrush of filter cleaner brush.

 

[Dr. Fishkill]

i got the 500 and i just use it as a supplement to my 2 802 powerheads and my fluval 403.

it does suck, but a lot less then some of the other stuff out there (read TERATEC)


i wish someone would make a oldschool type aquamaster style filter again.

 

[madhippoz]

I use one on my 10gal and it works fine. Like mentioned its not bad for the price of it. I've never had a problem with the impellor. Every couple months I MIGHT take it out and swish it off. But I wonder what he has got in his tank that's making it clog so badly all the time. I don't use carbon, or ammonia trapping media in the Aquaclears. I just put in 2 of their sponges. The first is for mechanical (does a decent if not excellent job) and the second sponge is my biological filter as it where. Hold your hand under the pull-out insert thing when your cleaning it and hardly anything drips into the tank, swish off the bottom sponge in some old tank water and toss it back in. I use Eheim canisters on my larger tanks, but I've never had any major complaint with my AC.

 

[chompchompdie]

aquaclears can dump accumulated waste into your tank when you clean them but there is a simple way around the problem...unplug the filter before you clean it...then just rinse the sponges and filter body in a bucket of tank water. Done correctly there should be no waste released into your tank. IMO aquaclears are well built filters that perform very well....especially considering the price.

 

[Jawz]

What i do is, unplug, remove from back and thoroughly clean the thing every other week. It takes 5 mins, rinse the sponge and clean the impeller, small debris, put back on the tank put some water in there and turn on.

 

[catfishmike]

this will happen with any filter if your not careful when cleaning media.i have NEVER had any problem with my ac's at all.no cloudyness,no particles and no bypass,buy then again i never use anything but sponge in my filters.

 

[Dr. Fishkill]

What i do:

put bucket on to of tank, turn off filter ..

remove stuff and let it drain in filter not to make a mess. put the stuff in bucket.

put bucket on floor, take piece of python hose and suck the goo out of the filter into the bucket until its pretty clean.

then when i finish cleaning & restart no junk flies into the tank

 

[cholula]

never owned an AC, only Whisper and emperor HOBs