I love my new Aquaclear 110! Media basket loading Question?

[YuccaPatrol]

What an incredible filter!

I've been using Emperor filters for the past 2 years because I fell in love with the biowheel, but the romance has faded after the realization of how expensive the filter cartridges are. I clean and re-use the cartridges, remove the carbon, and fill the media baskets with a porous rock bio media, but I still have to replace the cartridges every few months.

Today, after numerous recommendations from others here, I bought my first Aquaclear. On top of the foam filter, I added about an inch of poyester filter floss, then I filled the biological media bag with the included ceramic tubes as well as about 50% more of the same rock bio media I have been using. I am impressed that I have been able to absoutely pack that filter with so much more good media than the emperor 400 could ever hold!

Does that sound like a good plan for my media basket?

I'll set the carbon insert aside for some future emergency when I need it, but that is unlikley.

So now my 75 gallon has 1 Emperor 400, 1 Emperor 280, and the new Aquaclear 110. My oscar will be very happy with it I am sure!

I moved the extra Emperor 400 over to my 29 gallon and have now retired an old Regent 300 that came with the second-hand 29 gallon setup.

Yay for my fish!

 

[Guest]

Doesn't your 75 look ridiculous with three different HOBs on it? The 110 in the name is not just a catchy number, its how many gallons a tank it can handle.

 

[YuccaPatrol]

It doesn't look ridiculous. . . . it just looks very clean!

I know I may be suffering from an obsessive desire to keep my water as clean as possible, but my fish love the clean water.

 

[StngStr]

i doubt your water is significatly cleaner with all those filters than it would be with just the 110, which is more than you need on a 75 to keep the water clean.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

As for my Emperor 400, I don't get the Marineland cartriges. I go on Ebay and buy these cheapy cartriges for much cheaper. I just recently got a shipment of 72 cartriges for 99.00. And 72 cartriges will last me a few years, so I won't be needing cartriges for a while. I also use them in my Emperor 280 as well. Will probably last me 3-4 years.

http://cgi.ebay.com/72-Filter-Cartr...ryZ46310QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Oh, also, if I rinse them, will last longer as well. I calculated up to possibly 7 years if rinsed a couple times before discarding. And I just ignore the carbon, as it's only good for a few days. It's the media I have in the other cartriges that give my my biological filtration, as well as the bio-wheels. It's the only way they are shipped.

 

[Guest]

i doubt your water is significatly cleaner with all those filters than it would be with just the 110, which is more than you need on a 75 to keep the water clean.

Agreed, plus you are wasting money with those other two filters, you should sell them on Ebay. I just got $30 for a Whisper 60, so there are people out there buying...

 

[degbowl]

If three filters make you happy then keep them. I use 2 on all my tanks. I probably over filter, but I have less maintenance and I can completely clean one filter and not worry about bacteria in filter. My biggest tank is a 46 gal. Maybe I would have 3 on a 75, too.

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Well, my goal is to cycle the water through the aquarium 10 times per hour. This current setup at maximum theoretical flow is 15x per hour. Knowing that filter efficiency declines between cleaning (and the likely fact that flow rates are determined for the pump, not for the entire filter full of media), I'm probably right at my goal flow rate.

However, I did look at the going price for a used Emperor 400 on ebay, and was pleased to find that I might be able to sell it to buy another Aquaclear!

 

[Bhunsucker]

I have a 110 AC on my 55gal and it keeps the water very clear. I do PWC (25%) about once a week. I keep the sponge, fliter floss and bio-rings in the 110. It works great for me and my tank is what you would call over stocked.

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Thanks Bhunsucker! Sounds like you do the same as I am with your aquaclear and have great success!

 

[toddnbecka]

I have 2 110's on one of my 55's, one for each UG filter plate. The intakes are in the UG lift tubes. The area under the plates stays clear, and whatever doesn't get siphoned during partials collects in the sponges. I use 2 sponges in each, and rinse them out when they become dirty. I've been using the same sponges for several years now. The rings serve the same purpose as the sponges, providing surface area for bacteria to colonize, but I don't use them, since I have an UG filter. Incidentally, the 110 pumps 500 gph, so I'm turning over the volume more than 20x/hour. Gravel and rocks take up significant volume, so the actual water volume is always less than the tank size.