aquaclear 500 question

[hockeydude15]

got my aquaclear 500 today and put it together. I realized that it doesnt come w/ the ammonia filter so i have to buy one. Can i still run the filter with only the sponge and carbon inserts? And my tank is till cloudy from my sand will this mess up the filter??

 

[malkore]

yes, you can run it without the amm-lock.

However, why do you think you need the ammonia filter? Sounds like a new tank, but you dont' really wanna remove ammonia, because you need it for cycling the tank.

And, a healthy tank doesn't need any ammonia removing filters/chemicals.

 

[snifflyfro]

Agree is malkore, ammo lock will actually work do the exact opposite of what you want to when cycling the tank. You want ammonia levels to rise in order to promote the growth of good bacteria which will turn the ammonia into nitrite so on and so on until you have a happy and healthy tank

 

[hockeydude15]

btw

so i dont actually need the amm lock even to get the cloudiness out of the water??

 

[Menagerie]

What does the cloudiness look like? White, green?
If you added a dechlor to the tank, it's time to let the tank cycle. I would not add any more chemicals.

 

[hockeydude15]

btw

i drained my tank and cleaned the sand as best i could put it back in and it is still cloudy not as much but enough to where i cant see the other side when looking from side to side. Its white(the water). I have the filter going which now has a nother problem the filter basket doesnt stay in place.( this is a brand new filter!!!!)It floats up so i rigged it. Geez

 

[Menagerie]

What do you mean it floats up? The intake tube should be in the water and the rest of the filter should be out of the water, hanging on the back of the tank.
Did you get sponge for the intake tube?

 

[Endgame319]

Ok, if you dont have any fish in there, then the only possible reason for it to be cloudy is the sand getting kicked up.

 

[AdamsZoological]

I wouldnt by the Amrid insert period, although Hagen's aquatic supplies are generally great, the Amrid is garbage, it does little, if anything, to help with ammonia. All the AquaClears I've had, I've actually preferred to use just foam, normally didnt even bother with carbon, just two foam inserts. They're a great filter, but the Amrid is just a needless extra.

 

[hockeydude15]

btw

What do you mean it floats up?

1st what i meant by the filter floating is that the media basket which is the thing that hols all the sponges and carbon iserts floats upward.

and the tank seems to be getting better very slowly although i never put any chemicals in. just fyi