HOB and Sand?

[black hills tj]

Hey guys,

Setting up an AC30 on a 10-gallon tank with a sand substrate. Should I put a sponge pre-filter on the intake to keep sand from getting in the HOB and damaging the impeller or should everything be okay once that sand settles?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Hara]

I use one on mine and I really like the results. Filter stays much cleaner too.

 

[Taelen]

I am using a HOB on my 10g and noticed it has gotten progressivly noisier, I'm wondering if maybe sand is getting in there and clogging it up?

Where exactly would one put the sponge pre-filter, in the tube somewhere?

 

[dskidmore]

I am using a HOB on my 10g and noticed it has gotten progressivly noisier, I'm wondering if maybe sand is getting in there and clogging it up?

A) is the water level the same? Is it a water noise or a motor noise?
B) Most HOBs easily disassemble. Take out the motor, and extract the impeller. Brush out the impeller well and the impeller. If that doesn't make it run better, than it's not the sand that's the issue.

 

[Hara]

Where exactly would one put the sponge pre-filter, in the tube somewhere?

i put the sponge or blue filtration fabric over the intake, banded to the tube.

 

[theotheragentm]

Doesn't that prevent the filter from sucking in things like poo?

 

[black hills tj]

Doesn't that prevent the filter from sucking in things like poo?

I think the poo would be trapped in/against the sponge and you could remove the sponge and rinse it in a bucket of tank water.

 

[dskidmore]

If left long enough, or if you have snails, the poo will break down into smaller particles and get sucked into the filter.

 

[Taelen]

Yes, the noise is a motor type noise, not the noise of flowing water which I have no problem with.