AquaClear flow control

[Fishguy2727]

I know AquaClears are one of the best if not the best HOB, and am familiar with their design. But do they have any sort of flow control the way Whispers and many other filters do?

[SkarloeysMom]

I know AquaClears are one of the best if not the best HOB, and am familiar with their design. But do they have any sort of flow control the way Whispers and many other filters do?

My AC 50 has a flow control that goes from full flow at 200 gph to 66 gph. Its basically just pushing the intake tube over to block some of the water coming in.

[Fishguy2727]

That is usually how HOB have flow control, some sort of intake water blocker. I seem to remember someone somewhere saying that they do not have flow control, so I just wanted to double check.

[RobbieG]

Same with the 110's (different numbers but same idea)

[gm72]

The AC website states that by moving the flow control all the way "closed" you are allowing the filter to operate at about 1/3 its capacity. I slide mine over when I feed.

[jttt3]

Yeah, the intact on mine slides from right to left and controls flow by allowing less water to pass through pump.

I leave mine on Max all the time, but I keep the filter dropping water right at water level, so there is no heavy currents or reasons to turn mine down.

[crackatinny]

Slightly off topic but, I recently bought a submersable filter for a 2 foot tank, I had the option of 750lph or 1400lph for AU$8 difference, the guy told me that buying the bigger one and turning the flow down burns them out, I guess this would relate to any filter, so is it true?

[gm72]

Mechanically it might make sense. The filter was probably designed to operate at a certain flow rate, so turning it down might force the motor to a lower rpm than that to which it was designed to operate optimally.

Can't say for sure, but from what I know of mechanical things it does make sense. I'm comparing it to an RC motor or water cooling pump (for computers), both of which I have good experiences with.

[crackatinny]

Mechanically it might make sense. The filter was probably designed to operate at a certain flow rate, so turning it down might force the motor to a lower rpm than that to which it was designed to operate optimally.

Can't say for sure, but from what I know of mechanical things it does make sense. I'm comparing it to an RC motor or water cooling pump (for computers), both of which I have good experiences with.

I am a bit mechanically minded to, and what you say, makes a lot of sense, as it did when the guy said it, but why have these flow controlls if they are only going to burn the motor out?

[Fishguy2727]

Limiting water flow before the pump can contribute to it burning out faster. However, limiting flow before the pump is usually the easiest way to do it on most filters. It may also be much less damaging on most filters as opposed to larger pumps (which is where I heard about it).

[Drumachine09]

I am a bit mechanically minded to, and what you say, makes a lot of sense, as it did when the guy said it, but why have these flow controlls if they are only going to burn the motor out?



Yeah, youd think theyd piggyback some sort of variable selecter or somthing onto the motor itself, rather than using a method that could decrease the life of the filter.

[gm72]

Easier and cheaper to design a flow control that basically makes the opening smaller than to implement a flow control that actually changes the speed of the impeller.

[Drumachine09]

Easier and cheaper to design a flow control that basically makes the opening smaller than to implement a flow control that actually changes the speed of the impeller.

Yeah, good point.

[Fishguy2727]

There are also differences in where you live. For example: In the U.S. a wave maker runs two powerheads, alternating them on and off to make the waves (alternating current direction). In Europe, their wavemakers slow down and speed up the powerheads, not cutting them off, this helps the pumps last longer rather than burning them out by turning them on and off. These are different pumps, but this method works better.