Aqua Clear Filter Maintenance Schedule

I just got a new AquaClear 70 Filter. The instructions say to replace the foam sponge every 2 months, the BioMax every three months, and the carbon every month. What is the real replacement schedule? It also say to thoroughly clean the filter by removing all the water and taking apart the impeller every 3 months. Is that a good idea?

 

The problem with changing out the filter media is you lose the bacteria in it. I would just gently rinse the media off with tank water. The carbon becomes saturated and stops absorbing but you can rinse it and get another month or two out of it. Same with biomax. You should check the impeller and clean if necessary. If not it can get worn down faster and start to jam.

 

I stopped using the carbon after a month so it's up to you if you want to keep replacing it. I still have the same sponge and biomax from over a year ago and they're still holding up very well. Just rinse them in the tank water that's removed during each water change. The filter unit, motor housing and impeller I clean once a month to ensure it keeps running well.

 

Never replace the biomax until it literally starts falling apart. However, swishing it around in a bucket of tank water during a water change every few weeks or so is a good idea. The sponge can be cleaned a few times and reused before it needs replacing. I don't use carbon. I like to us purigen so that I know when its done (turns brown) and can be regenerated with bleach, so no money spent on replacements.

I like to check and clean the impeller approx once every 1 or 2 months. I also slap on a little petroleum jelly to aide in noise levels and prolong its life.

 

Petroleum jelly like Vaseline? It doesn't hurt the fish?

 

nope....google vaseline and aquaclears...a ton of people do it to make the motor not as loud

 

just make sure you get that standard kind that doesn't have any scents added

 

I just got a new AquaClear 70 Filter. The instructions say to replace the foam sponge every 2 months, the BioMax every three months, and the carbon every month. What is the real replacement schedule? It also say to thoroughly clean the filter by removing all the water and taking apart the impeller every 3 months. Is that a good idea?

So in reality it's ditch the carbon, add some filter floss and never ditch anything but filter floss. Oh and buy and extra biomax pack.

Only rinse in tank water the sponge and the biomax.

 

I stopped using the carbon after a month so it's up to you if you want to keep replacing it. I still have the same sponge and biomax from over a year ago and they're still holding up very well. Just rinse them in the tank water that's removed during each water change. The filter unit, motor housing and impeller I clean once a month to ensure it keeps running well.

Do you put something else in to take up the space originally used by the carbon?

 

Currently on my AC70, I have the coarse sponge, the bonded filter pad and two bags of biomax. On my AC50, I have the coarse sponge, bonded filter pad, cuttlebone (for my low GH) and one bag of biomax.

 

I rinse the coarse sponge under the tap, its more for mechanical filtration then biological and it gets cleaner under the tap. Biomax rinse in tank water. I also add a bag of purigen instead of charcoal but its your choice what to add.

 

I would hesitate to use tap water on the sponge. Because while I agree, a lot of the BB resides biomax/bio balls.....there is still a lot of it in that sponge. And I feel like it could still cause an interruption of sorts to remove that much of the BB at one time.

I find that with the marineland bio-wheel filters for instance.....the bio-wheel is supposed to carry all your BB, allowing you to replace the cartridges without losing your cycle. But I have found that replacing the cartridge takes away a lot of additional BB that the tank was using. Sometimes causing a temporary mini-cycle.

(I have both kinds of filters for the record)

With that being said, as long as the biological media doesn't get rinsed in tapwater, you won't lose your cycle completely. But removing a lot of BB at once by rinsing the sponge in tap water can still potentially cause an issue.

edit: I am also a fan of replacing the carbon with purigen

 

I actually rinse both sponges from my AquaClears under the faucet as well because it gets it a lot cleaner. As the previous poster mentioned, the sponge is mainly for mechanical filtration. The biomax I swoosh in a bucket of tank water. I've done this for over a year now with no effects on my cycle (I've tested parameters periodically to check). Now, I would NOT recommend this for someone that's cycling or has a newly cycled tank.

 

I actually rinse both sponges from my AquaClears under the faucet as well because it gets it a lot cleaner. As the previous poster mentioned, the sponge is mainly for mechanical filtration. The biomax I swoosh in a bucket of tank water. I've done this for over a year now with no effects on my cycle (I've tested parameters periodically to check). Now, I would NOT recommend this for someone that's cycling or has a newly cycled tank.

Oh I know. I don't disagree. I am sure tons of people do it that way! I am just always paranoid about that sort of thing so I have never done it. lol But if you have tested it on more than one occasion and seen no ill effects, then maybe I should stop being so paranoid about it and give it a try.

But you are right, it would definitely be best avoided with newer tanks, because that would typically be when issues arise from that sort of thing.

 

Oh I know. I don't disagree. I am sure tons of people do it that way! I am just always paranoid about that sort of thing so I have never done it. lol But if you have tested it on more than one occasion and seen no ill effects, then maybe I should stop being so paranoid about it and give it a try.

But you are right, it would definitely be best avoided with newer tanks, because that would typically be when issues arise from that sort of thing.

Yes, I was a little skeptical and paranoid too when I read a few others on the forum having done the same! Some people were even taking them out on their decks and blasting their garden hoses on them! I decided to try it because I always felt the sponge was just absorbing the dirty tank water and not really getting clean at all. Maybe I'm just really OCD about my sponges. haha... I wring them and wring them under the faucet til the water runs clear.

 

Wow guys! All this info is great, plus way cheaper then replacing all those pieces regularly. I think I will try the purigen and save the carbon for if I need to remove medicines. I'll rinse everything out in the old tank water for the first month. I'm seeding with material from another tank but I still want to be careful. I'll see how dirty the sponge gets after that. I like the idea of it get cleaner by rinsing in the sink but I hate to walk a wet sponge all the way across the house over the wood floors, plus I'm so new I'm totally paranoid about the cycle. Thanks!

 

I like the idea of it get cleaner by rinsing in the sink but I hate to walk a wet sponge all the way across the house over the wood floors, plus I'm so new I'm totally paranoid about the cycle. Thanks!

I just put my sponges and filter pads (which I also clean in tap) in a small container and take it to the bathroom sink. But again, do this when you've been cycled for a few months if you do decide to clean it this way.

Purigen is a great alternative to carbon. I used it for a few months before I needed the space for some crushed coral.

 

Currently on my AC70, I have the coarse sponge, the bonded filter pad and two bags of biomax. On my AC50, I have the coarse sponge, bonded filter pad, cuttlebone (for my low GH) and one bag of biomax.

I really like this idea. I currently run two coarse sponges and biomax in my AC 50 and stacks of bonded pads and a random carbon bag in my AC 70. But I really like the coarse then bonded concept. I also run pre filters on the intakes. I recommend that on any and every HOB!!!!