Does Decreasing The Aquaclear Flow Rate Make It Less Effective? Question

[Ioana Dog]

I have aquaclear filters on all my tanks and some of the fish seem to get blown around a bit so if I turn the flow rate down does that make it less effective? The guy at the aquarium store said it would still filter the same GPH but that doesn’t make sense. For filters and tanks I have:
20 g tall with an aquaclear 50 and double sided sponge filter
Two more 20 g tall each with aquaclear 30 and double sided sponge filter
Two 45 g with aquaclear 70 and two double sided sponge filters
55 g with 2 aquaclear 70s and 2 double sided sponge filters

 

[bizaliz3]

If the flow is lessened....its common sense that the gallons per hour would be lessened as well. I don't know why the guy at the aquarium store would say otherwise.

As for performance, the lower flow does not affect the biological filtration at all. But it does affect the mechanical filtration. It doesn't suck as hard, so not as much stuff gets sucked up by the filter.

So does it make it less effective? Mechanically yes, biologically no.

 

[Ioana Dog]

Thank you very much. I don’t know why he said that either and glad I wasn’t wrong when I thought it didn’t make sense.

 

[ASHLEY R COOK]

In aqua clear it supposedly recycles same water more than once on lower settings which means more GPH which make it filter almost the same amount full and half from what I've heard. Idk for sure tho

 

[Ioana Dog]

Thank you very much. I don’t know why he said that either and glad I wasn’t wrong when I thought it didn’t make sense.

 

[JohnTyrelWeston]

When the AC flow rate is turned all the down, the design of the box recirculates 2/3s of the water back through the media multiple times. The filtration is nearly as good as if the flow was all the way up.

 

[scarface]

Could this effect the life of the motor? I have read never to mess with the hose valves on a canister filter in order to decrease flow, just for that reason. Maybe the HOB being a different design, it doesn’t matter. I’m just throwing it out there. Maybe someone will have an answer.

 

[smee82]

Of your worried you can put a baffle on the output

 

[JohnTyrelWeston]

Could this effect the life of the motor? I have read never to mess with the hose valves on a canister filter in order to decrease flow, just for that reason. Maybe the HOB being a different design, it doesn’t matter. I’m just throwing it out there. Maybe someone will have an answer.

They are designed for that.

 

[Ioana Dog]

Of your worried you can put a baffle on the output

What kind of baffle?

 

[smee82]

Cut open a water bottle so that the water hits the base before coming out the side.

 

[Ioana Dog]

Cut open a water bottle so that the water hits the base before coming out the side.

Oh. Do you have a picture of what it looks like (I’m a visual learner). For my grow out tank I have a piece of cotton strip (large recrangle) from old media over the out flow to slow it down but it’s getting gross.

 

[Ioana Dog]

When the AC flow rate is turned all the down, the design of the box recirculates 2/3s of the water back through the media multiple times. The filtration is nearly as good as if the flow was all the way up.

So technically the GPH is still reduced but the water filtered and filtered more than a higher GPH?

 

[smee82]

Oh. Do you have a picture of what it looks like (I’m a visual learner). For my grow out tank I have a piece of cotton strip (large recrangle) from old media over the out flow to slow it down but it’s getting gross.

No i dont have one on my tank. You can google filter baffle fo a betta to give you some ideas

 

[JohnTyrelWeston]

So technically the GPH is still reduced but the water filtered and filtered more than a higher GPH?

That is my understanding. I was trying to find the range of gph for the AC70 when I ran across that little tidbit. Ill see if I can find a quote for ya.

 

[JohnTyrelWeston]

They provide excellent filtration, nearly silent operation, and legendary durability. People regularly run these things for years without any problems.

Although the AquaClear is an HOB aquarium filter, it uses a bottom-up design usually only found in canister filters. This means the water rises up from the bottom of the filter, rather than trickling from the top down.

It also has a huge filter container that is much larger than what you’ll find in other HOB filters, which allows you to customize your own mix of media and really pack it in for optimum filtration.

With this design, there’s nowhere for the water to go but through the filtration media.

This filter also has a patented refiltration system that increases contact time by cycling the water back through the filtration media. The highly efficient pump has a high flow rate and low energy consumption.https://www.tropicalfishcareguides.com/fish-tank-filters/aquaclear-70-power-filter-review/

 

[Ioana Dog]

I have aquaclears on all my tanks. I actually have two 110s on my 75 gallon and two 70s on my 60 and 55 gallon tanks.

 

[CindyVBPets]

The guy in the pet shop was right; it's explained in the brochure that came with the filters.

 

[Islandvic]

The gph flow at the impeller doesn't change. Only the flow diacharged out of the filter.

If the output flow is reduced by 20%, then 20% of the water is being re-circulated within the filter.

AC110 top view impeller assembly

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

Top view w/ intake tube ring shifted left for max flow

Here is the top view of the plate that sits above the impeller assembly.

The intake tube slides left and right.

When pushed fully to the left, it sits directly above the inlet and 100% of the water flows into the pump.

As it intake tube is slid to the right, a portion of it hangs off the side of the inlet, so it reduces suction on the intake tube.

The impeller assembly draws in water from the reservoir toward the right, that holds the media basket. This recycles a portion of the water through the entire filter.

So when you reduce the flow, you are only reducing the rate of discharge, but the water not being discharged is being recirculated.

I own 4 Aquaclears, and I rarely put them at 100%.