Aquaclear 70?

[Jlombard80]

I just set up a 65 gallon tall tank for my African. Cichlids and I’m using an aqua clear 70 and it is having a tough time keeping the water clear. I bought an extension for the intake tube since it’s a tall tank but I can’t even make out how this filters current runs. It only sucks up debris if it is right on the intake, some stuff floats by within millimeters and just keeps floating. I’ve tried it on the high and low setting, no results. I’ve even added water clarifier and still no results. I cycled the tank before adding fish and everything was good until about 3-4 days after I added fish then water got really cloudy. I read that it is the bio filter eating particles in the water and that it would clear up after 1-2 days and it’s been almost 2 weeks. Help LOL!

 

[Brookster123]

Add another filter or get some power heads that can direct flow towards the filter intake. I'd double up and get another ac 70 though.

 

[Jlombard80]

I’m just thinking of returning and it going canister like my other tanks. I heard really good things about this HOB tho so I wanted to try.

 

[Brookster123]

I’m just thinking of returning and it going canister like my other tanks. I heard really good things about this HOB tho so I wanted to try.

It's not the filter, it's the water chemistry.

 

[Ktownmatt]

I’ve always thought of the filters as cleaning the water biologically, rather than cleaning up debris. If the filter is strong enough to suck up debris, you might suck your fish against the intake too.
For debris, I’d suck it up when vacuuming for a water change. I doubt a canister filter would help.
I’m looking at upgrading my 36G to a 75G. If I didn’t already have a HOB filter, I’d splurge for a canister instead. But having an HOB already, I’ll probably just add a second HOB. You might want to consider that too.

 

[Jlombard80]

It's not the filter, it's the water chemistry.

Yea, I cycled the same way as my other tanks with the same chemicals, all my other tanks have canisters and the water parameters are perfect. I just did a test and all came back just as the other tanks, this is weird

 

[Jlombard80]

I have a penn plax cascade 1000 on my 75, $120 Canadian and I’m probably gonna buy one for this 65 too, it is phenomenal, highly recommended for the price if u do decide to get one. I have big fish in my 75 too and the water stays crystal clear and hardly any debris on the substrate as the current it creates is great.

 

[Jlombard80]

Yea, I cycled the same way as my other tanks with the same chemicals, all my other tanks have canisters and the water parameters are perfect. I just did a test and all came back just as the other tanks, this is weird

Also, no matter what level setting I have it on the side the intake goes into the filter leaks out back into the water and my water smells bad

 

[Ktownmatt]

I have a penn plax cascade 1000 on my 75, $120 Canadian and I’m probably gonna buy one for this 65 too, it is phenomenal, highly recommended for the price if u do decide to get one. I have big fish in my 75 too and the water stays crystal clear and hardly any debris on the substrate as the current it creates is great.

That does look like a good filter

 

[Jlombard80]

For $127 it does the same thing if not better than my $400 fluval, and each model has a 3 basket setup and a 5 basket. I have the three basket and I added a Purigen bag and matrix

 

[charliebankston]

I just set up a 65 gallon tall tank for my African. Cichlids and I’m using an aqua clear 70 and it is having a tough time keeping the water clear. I bought an extension for the intake tube since it’s a tall tank but I can’t even make out how this filters current runs. It only sucks up debris if it is right on the intake, some stuff floats by within millimeters and just keeps floating. I’ve tried it on the high and low setting, no results. I’ve even added water clarifier and still no results. I cycled the tank before adding fish and everything was good until about 3-4 days after I added fish then water got really cloudy. I read that it is the bio filter eating particles in the water and that it would clear up after 1-2 days and it’s been almost 2 weeks. Help LOL!

I have a pretty heavily stocked African cichlid 100g. They are so messy. I have a sponge, an internal canister of 297gph, a fluval 406 and a sun sun 525gph on it. Before I added the internal I had 2 aq100's, but the sand killed them. Sand also killed a power head i had in there. But it's staying clean now. I think your aquaclear 70 is just not enough if they are like my fish. I do have a 70 on 45g with 6 female convicts and it's always pristine

 

[Jlombard80]

I have 9 juveniles in a 36x18x24, I looked at powerheads and they were like $150 each, I can get another penn plax cascade 1000 like I have on my 75 for $125, leaning that way. The water was crystal clear when the fish went in, I even put in two at a time per day, and like 3 days later it went cloudy. All the poop is just sitting on the bottom there is no circulation, but the parameters are all fine lol

 

[charliebankston]

Yeah, mine are so messy. But I have 31 in there, so it's to be expected. But it's a weekly water change and vacuum to keep it clear

 

[Jlombard80]

Yea I’m hoping it clears up soon I just dosed it a second time with clarifier and no change

 

[fishwonder]

This will help you with your cloudy water. Getting and keeping clear water information is here.