Osage_Winter
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2010
- Messages
- 807
Okay all. Here we are. I finally bit the bullet and took the majority of people's advice here and purchased the 110 tonight from my local PetSmart -- let me explain why I purchased it from the store instead of from Jenn's eBay retailer or another online source, and then get into some questions I have...
I didn't really want to take a loss on the Aqueon QuietFlow 20 which I bought with the intentions of "supplementing" the filtration of the QuietFlow 55 which is also running in my tank, so I decided to return the 20 to the PetSmart I bought it at, and they allowed me to put the return price of the 20 towards the new AquaClear -- after also buying a new bottle of Stability (because my old bottle became deformed to the point that I couldn't squeeze any more out of it; don't know what happened there), the total price came to 80 something bucks, so this was probably going to be in and around the same thing I was gonna pay online when tax and shipping was done...and plus, I feel better knowing that I returned the Aqueon 20 because it wasn't doing anything for my tank, and I was able to put its value towards the AquaClear at least...
Now, that said -- I set everything up according to the directions and some help from some of you members, and the filter is running just fine. However, there are some things I am concerned with, and would like some feedback on because I need to get the most optimum filtration for these goldfish at this point...my water is still ridiculously hazy and smoky/cloudy.
First of all, I know everyone recommended I don't use the carbon bag when loading the media basket of the 110 -- but I rinsed it (along with the bio max and sponge) and put it in anyway as the middle layer of the media load. Is this okay? Will I be doing any sufficient damage to the filter/fish with the carbon bag in there?
With regard to the "flow regulator knob" on top of the basket...the instructions said to keep it at maximum flow upon first startup, which I did, but the current seems ridiculously strong even in my 60-gallon...I have been playing with that "knob" that controls the flow, but I am afraid that not leaving it on maximum output will stop the filter from making my water cleaner right now. What should I leave this flow regulator on?
Furthermore, when I move that control knob from left to right, the entire intake pipe moves in a weird fashion within the basket; is this supposed to happen?
I have the media layed out like this: The sponge block on bottom, the carbon bag horizontally on top of it and then the bio max mesh net bag on top of the carbon -- and the plastic lid for the filter covering all of that. Is that setup correct? Does anything else need to get done?
And, unfortunately, I filled up the 110's basket with tap water to begin priming the pump and begin flow -- will this do any kind of serious damage at this point?
Finally -- after checking the water after a few hours of the filter running now, the quality doesn't seem to have improved...it's still cloudy and hazy; I realize it's not a miracle machine, but will I start to see improved water quality with the 110? Do I need to do water changes right now or just let the 110 do its thing along with my Aqueon 55?
Thank you, everyone, for all your guidance leading me up to this purchase...I just hope this filter helps in solving some of my water problems with this tank, and I hope this added filtration is what my goldfish needed, as so many of you have suggested.
Looking forward to all your comments and insight.[/QUOTE]
I didn't really want to take a loss on the Aqueon QuietFlow 20 which I bought with the intentions of "supplementing" the filtration of the QuietFlow 55 which is also running in my tank, so I decided to return the 20 to the PetSmart I bought it at, and they allowed me to put the return price of the 20 towards the new AquaClear -- after also buying a new bottle of Stability (because my old bottle became deformed to the point that I couldn't squeeze any more out of it; don't know what happened there), the total price came to 80 something bucks, so this was probably going to be in and around the same thing I was gonna pay online when tax and shipping was done...and plus, I feel better knowing that I returned the Aqueon 20 because it wasn't doing anything for my tank, and I was able to put its value towards the AquaClear at least...
Now, that said -- I set everything up according to the directions and some help from some of you members, and the filter is running just fine. However, there are some things I am concerned with, and would like some feedback on because I need to get the most optimum filtration for these goldfish at this point...my water is still ridiculously hazy and smoky/cloudy.
First of all, I know everyone recommended I don't use the carbon bag when loading the media basket of the 110 -- but I rinsed it (along with the bio max and sponge) and put it in anyway as the middle layer of the media load. Is this okay? Will I be doing any sufficient damage to the filter/fish with the carbon bag in there?
With regard to the "flow regulator knob" on top of the basket...the instructions said to keep it at maximum flow upon first startup, which I did, but the current seems ridiculously strong even in my 60-gallon...I have been playing with that "knob" that controls the flow, but I am afraid that not leaving it on maximum output will stop the filter from making my water cleaner right now. What should I leave this flow regulator on?
Furthermore, when I move that control knob from left to right, the entire intake pipe moves in a weird fashion within the basket; is this supposed to happen?
I have the media layed out like this: The sponge block on bottom, the carbon bag horizontally on top of it and then the bio max mesh net bag on top of the carbon -- and the plastic lid for the filter covering all of that. Is that setup correct? Does anything else need to get done?
And, unfortunately, I filled up the 110's basket with tap water to begin priming the pump and begin flow -- will this do any kind of serious damage at this point?
Finally -- after checking the water after a few hours of the filter running now, the quality doesn't seem to have improved...it's still cloudy and hazy; I realize it's not a miracle machine, but will I start to see improved water quality with the 110? Do I need to do water changes right now or just let the 110 do its thing along with my Aqueon 55?
Thank you, everyone, for all your guidance leading me up to this purchase...I just hope this filter helps in solving some of my water problems with this tank, and I hope this added filtration is what my goldfish needed, as so many of you have suggested.
Looking forward to all your comments and insight.[/QUOTE]