Cleaning Aquaclear 50

Next month I am supposed to change the biomax on my aquaclear 50. In the instructions it says to change the biomax every 3 months along with cleaning the entire filter not including the sponge and carbon. By removing the biomax and cleaning the filter it seems like that might take to much BB out. My tank has been set up since 11/23/19. The intake stem could really use some cleaning too.

Should the filter be cleaned at a different time then changing the biomax?

 

Well for starters, ceramic media like biomax doesn't actually need to be replaced until it's literally falling apart
The only thing you really have to do is replace the carbon with either more carbon or more regular media, and rinse out the sponges

 

NEVER, I repeat NEVER, change the bio max until it is falling apart. Same with the filter sponge. Carbon needs to be replaced every 2-3 weeks. I clean my AC70 every 2-4 weeks.

 

When you rinse the sponges use tank water from a water change, put a sponge on the intake, when the carbon is done personally I would fill all remaining space with sponge and leave the carbon out, go watch a youtube video on hot rodding hangon backs filters or something to that effect, cannot remember the exact title

 

If the biomax is in a little mesh baggie, it can get a bit gunky in there over time. Just swish the bag around in some old tank water to get the gunk out. Never toss your ceramic media, there's no need to.

 

Fluval recommends this because of marketing, not because of science.

Since the Aquaclear is not cartridge based, they needed a way for the consumer to keep on buying replacement media from them to generate revenue.

That's why they suggest to stagger replacing the different media every 3 months.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I have already changed the sponge and carbon once but in different months.

 

When you rinse the sponges use tank water from a water change, put a sponge on the intake, when the carbon is done personally I would fill all remaining space with sponge and leave the carbon out, go watch a youtube video on hot rodding hangon backs filters or something to that effect, cannot remember the exact title

Just watched the video. Thanks for the suggestion.

Why shouldn't you use carbon for planted tanks? I did buy the ammonia remover by mistake that goes in place of the carbon. Here is what I bought:

Would this be good to add in there? I don't seem to have a problem with ammonia. Seems to always test around .25 which I have read on here is normal for the API master test kit.

 

Carbon can adsorb some of the fertilizers if they are added since you have plants. That's one reason why some recommend not to use it in planted tanks.

Just save the little bag of ammonia absorber for future use. If your tank is cycled, then the bag of Zeolite won't do much.

The included foam sponge block will last for years. It will colonize a ton of beneficial bacteria, more than the little bag of Bio-Max pellets. Adding a 2nd foam sponge block will give you the benefit of catching more muck and providing extra surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize on.

A member here on the forum that breeds Rams has dozens and dozens of AC filters on all his tanks. He advises to double stack the foam sponge blocks.

 

Carbon can adsorb some of the fertilizers if they are added since you have plants. That's one reason why some recommend not to use it in planted tanks.

Just save the little bag of ammonia absorber for future use. If your tank is cycled, then the bag of Zeolite won't do much.

The included foam sponge block will last for years. It will colonize a ton of beneficial bacteria, more than the little bag of Bio-Max pellets. Adding a 2nd foam sponge block will give you the benefit of catching more muck and providing extra surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize on.

A member here on the forum that breeds Rams has dozens and dozens of AC filters on all his tanks. He advises to double stack the foam sponge blocks.

I'll try double stacking the sponges. Then if I ever start up a new tank I'll have a sponge to help get it started. Should I completely clean my filter still every 3 months or so like they suggest?

 

On my Aquaclears, it depends. I just clean them as needed.

Usually just the media, but sometimes I pull the whole filter and give it all a good wipe down.

The sponges get swished around in a bucket of water and smacked against the side of bucket a couple of times.

 

Just when needed as mentioned but remember always use tank water if you have chlorine in your tap water. Then use the dirty water for outside plants and waterchange water on your houseplants rather than throw away, the nitrates and other things in the water is excelent for housplants