Aquaclear filter maint schedule

[sharkeye]

Just purchased an Aquaclear 50, when do you need to clean the foam, and when do you need to replace the biobag? I know the carbon is supposed to get replaced monthly. Also I have 2 Aquaclear 50's on my 55 gal, is this sufficient? This is a live planted tank.

 

[BlackMagic]

Yes 2 ac50 is fine on a 55 plant tank. I usely replace the carbon n form every month

 

[Big Dog]

I would change the carbon every other month or so. It depends on how many fish you have in the aquarium and how much you feed them per week. I clean my filters every few months or so.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Are you adding any fertilizers for the plants? If so, I would just take the carbon out. It only lasts a few weeks anyways....and after that it acts more like bio media, which is fine if you aren't dosing fertilizers. If you are and the carbon is new it can filter out some of the nutrients you are adding.

 

[mgamer20o0]

the bio bag you never replace. the sponge you just clean out here and there in old tank water. carbon you replace every 2 weeks though if you were to do this i would get a 5 pound bag and just replace it your self vs buying their media. i dont run carbon in any of my tanks unless i am trying to remove meds anyways.

 

[sharkeye]

enough filtration

Are the 2 AC 50's sufficient for my 55 gal

 

[HN1]

Yes.

Good advice above too..

 

[mgamer20o0]

Are the 2 AC 50's sufficient for my 55 gal

they over rate the filters i tend to cut what they say in half. 2 ac 50s for a 55 is a good idea.

 

[supradupafast]

I run AC's in all my tanks. They are all planted and I simply squeeze the dirty sponges in my bucket with Old tank water. I do this every 2nd week. Have had the tanks over 2 years without any problems. Don't change the Bio media as it holds alot of the Good bacterias. You wouldnt want to lose those.

 

[BeavisMom62]

I would get rid of the carbon. As stated above, after a while it becomes ineffective and can actually start to leach the things that it has absorbed back into the water. Carbon isn't really necessary except to remove medications from the tank after treatment. Save yourself some money too!

I don't have AC's filters, but I have Aqua-Techs, which are similar. I do the same schedule as supradupafast, rinse out the media and filter in the old tank water, squeeze out the sponges, clean out the intake tubes and impeller(and hang on to the bio-media) about every two weeks.