Revamping An Aquaclear?

Dumb question, but I’m thinking of going a different route with my HOB filter. What type of filter media are y’all running? Right now I’ve got two sponge pads and a loose bag of biomax (almost the same as what an ac comes with off the shelf) shoved down in there but I’d like to find something with a little more surface area. Also the sponges that I’m using aren’t as course as I’d prefer. Where would I find a courser sponge? My lps doesn’t have much of a selection.
I’m also wanting to add a prefilter sponge to the intake tube but I can’t seem to find one that would work without having to either cram it up against the glass, or chop pieces off of it.

 

AC 70 can clearly be customized! Check here.

 

AC 70 can clearly be customized! Check here.

customize aquaclear 70 - YouTube

Thanks!

 

I have 4 AC's myself. Others here on the forum have dozens!

Pics of my AC30 media basket

AC30 media basket 1

• Islandvic
• Nov 18, 2018

AC30 media basket 2

• Islandvic
• Nov 18, 2018

Pics of my AC110 media basket

AC110 media

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

AC110 sponge, polyfil, 100 micron pad, poly media pad cut from bulk roll, 1 liter of assorted...

AC110 back view of reservoir stuffed with media

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

Pre-filter on my AC110 "ATI Filter-Max III"

ATI Filter Max III

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

ATI Filter Max III with Aquaclear 70/110 intake tube

ATI Filter Max III assembled

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

ATI Filter Max III pre-filter coarse sponge attached to Aquaclear 70/110 intake tube

 

I run two ac on my tank.
Great thing you can stuff anything you want in there and make it work.

I just use the regular ac foam and biomax with purigen.
A prefilter sponge can be found on eBay or Amazon as well as media/filter sponge.
I suppose you already looked at that ?

 

I have 4 AC's myself. Others here on the forum have dozens!

Pics of my AC30 media basket

AC30 media basket 1

• Islandvic
• Nov 18, 2018

AC30 media basket 2

• Islandvic
• Nov 18, 2018

Pics of my AC110 media basket

AC110 media

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

AC110 sponge, polyfil, 100 micron pad, poly media pad cut from bulk roll, 1 liter of assorted...

AC110 back view of reservoir stuffed with media

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

Pre-filter on my AC110 "ATI Filter-Max III"

ATI Filter Max III

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

ATI Filter Max III with Aquaclear 70/110 intake tube

ATI Filter Max III assembled

• Islandvic
• Nov 15, 2018

ATI Filter Max III pre-filter coarse sponge attached to Aquaclear 70/110 intake tube

YES! Thank you so much for your time!! This is exactly what I was looking to do. Especially with the prefilter on the intake tube.

 

I run two ac on my tank.
Great thing you can stuff anything you want in there and make it work.

I just use the regular ac foam and biomax with purigen.
A prefilter sponge can be found on eBay or Amazon as well as media/filter sponge.
I suppose you already looked at that ?

What size tank are you running two on? I have a thirty gallon with one AC 70 on it right now and it seems like it’s only sucking stuff up on one side of the tank

 

You may need a small powerhead on the opposite side of the tank, to help circulate the water around, especially if the AQ is pushed to one corner on the back rI'm of the tank.

 

What size tank are you running two on? I have a thirty gallon with one AC 70 on it right now and it seems like it’s only sucking stuff up on one side of the tank

I have a 75gal.

I use an ac 70 on one side and ac 110 on the opposite side of the tank.

That's a lot of filtration maybe downgrade to two on either end ?

 

I have a 75gal.

I use an ac 70 on one side and ac 110 on the opposite side of the tank.

That's a lot of filtration maybe downgrade to two on either end ?

You only need about 600 gph for a 75 gallon tank to be efficient.

 

You only need about 600 gph for a 75 gallon tank to be efficient.

TBH I'm not sure where I am at .. 1000 gph ?
I kept upgrading and this is what it has come to.

Over filtration is a good thing if it doesn't turn your tank into a wave pool right?

 

TBH I'm not sure where I am at .. 1000 gph ?
I kept upgrading and this is what it has come to.

Over filtration is a good thing if it doesn't turn your tank into a wave pool right?

Wave pool yeah, but then all the filters will never be utilized over 30% of their BB rating and you now have to clean more filters, just less often, maybe. I prefer to run at the correct gph so nothing is wasted. Works for me.

 

Wave pool yeah, but then all the filters will never be utilized over 30% of their BB rating and you now have to clean more filters, just less often, maybe. I prefer to run at the correct gph so nothing is wasted. Works for me.

Interesting.. I don't understand why they won't utilize or colonize more than 30% ?
Unless you are specifically referring to the available ammonia to be utilized ?

I always feel like there's never enough filtration !

 

Interesting.. I don't understand why they won't utilize or colonize more than 30% ?
Unless you are specifically referring to the available ammonia to be utilized ?

I always feel like there's never enough filtration !

What I mean is your BB only grows to the level it needs to support your tank. If we make it simple and say 25 fish only utilize 50% of the space in your filter for BB then you have room to grow another 25 fish before you are 'full'. If you have 2 filters then you have 25% in one and 25% in the other. This is a very simplistic analogy. That's all.