Maintenance on AquaClear 70

**ZonkyTheDonkey** · 11-19-2012, 05:03 PM

The title pretty much sums it up. Do I need to add/replace any materials to this filter to keep it running my tank healthily? I've noticed on the inside of my intake tube there is a brownish substance (algae?) building up a good bit. I also have a Penguin 200 bio wheel on my 40g and understand that I need to rinse the pad in tank water during water changes.

Just asking because I plan on getting a really messy fish soon, the hairy puffer.

**Nephalem** · 11-19-2012, 05:39 PM

not really. Don't worry about the algae growth unless it starts to impede the flow. If it does rinse it off in old tank water just like everything else. If you are running any carbon carts in that filter they can eventually go bad after a long time and crash your PH, but it takes a good long while. If you are what would be better is to replace the carbon with some bio sponge or beads as they provide more room for BB. You never have to replace them either, just rinse em out same as everything. If you have a pre-filter on the intake you can swap it out every now and then if you want, but I rinse those too. Clean your impeller off every time you do a water change as well to keep it spinning efficiently. Those ACs are so great because they require very little in the way of maintenance and they are very simple to work on. If you get too much gunk in the unit after adding your dirty fish try adding a pre-filter or some filter floss in the intake tube.

**ijankrom** · 11-19-2012, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by Nephalem

You never have to replace them either, just rinse em out same as everything. If you have a pre-filter on the intake you can swap it out every now and then if you want, but I rinse those too.

I would recommend only cleaning half of the media in the filter unit, then after a month or so clean the other half. This will allow BB to grow on the rinsed media as you will likely loose some when you rinse it out.

**Nephalem** · 11-19-2012, 05:55 PM

aye good point ^

when you rinse something out you WILL loose some BB. There is no way to avoid that. The trick is to be very gentle. I just lightly squeeze out my sponges under water. Remember that you are dealing with a living organism. If you run the sponge under crazy hot water while ringing it out like crazy they are prob going to die for the most part. Thats why we recommend tank water during WCs, because its the same temp, same PH, same hardness, its already conditioned, and assuming the colony is working right its clean but holding some of the BBs food. All of that gives you the best chance to keep all the little critters alive, but always check your params a day or so after a cleaning to make sure you aren't getting hit by a mini-spike.

**Goes to 11!** · 11-19-2012, 06:38 PM

My routine is a bit different than the above for my AC filters.

I don't run the carbon, Instead I double the Biomax [The home of your BB colony] which as mentioned is rinsed in tank water gently as required.

The sponges I rinse out under hot water in the tub, It's really hard to get them clean otherwise. Yes this kills any BB on the sponges but it is a non-issue because as mentioned the BB live primarily on the Biomax, The sponges are your mechanical filtration and are a supplementary home to BB at best.

I give them a dunk in some dechlor water before I return them to the filter.

I know Hobbs does this too and possibly a few others, I have never had the slightest issue doing it this way.

**ijankrom** · 11-19-2012, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by 850R

Yes this kills any BB on the sponges but it is a non-issue because as mentioned the BB live primarily on the Biomax, The sponges are your mechanical filtration and are a supplementary home to BB at best.

I thought sponges were a good alternative to biomax or bio balls. That they were pores enough to fair just as well. Plus a lot cheaper too. Please someone confirm as I like to use sponges in my future sump tank vs bio media.