Habitat - Indoor :: Finally had to get rid of my filter....Long rant....

[butterfly]

Well the day finally came when I just had to get rid of the AquaClear 110. For some reason this filter has just never worked for me correctly. Ive been spending money on new media routinely and its all been a waste.

Ive been having to clean out my tank completely every week and clean the filter media every three days practically. I might as well clean out the tank every week without a filter. It will be easier. I can get the tank to sparkling clean in about twenty minutes without that filter.

Today when I cleaned out my tank and dumped the filter, the water had foam on the surface and it was cloudy. It hasnt even been two weeks since I had cleaned the tank. The media had lifted from the canister as always making the water pour out in a weird way and the water inside the filter itself didnt smell right. There was so much slime in that filter, I could have scooped it out to make a cup worth. I had just cleaned it three days before and it takes me about 30 minutes to clean that filter because I have to completely take it apart to get to all the slime and gunk.

I talked to Hagen about my problem and they told me it could be a defective sponge because they couldnt think of what it can be. Im doing everything correctly. So they sent me a new one for free, same thing keeps happening. The water is just not clean, it doesnt even last a week clean.

I just couldnt keep the tank like that anymore. When I upgrade her tank and Im able to get a good under cabinet filter, that I dont have to remove slime from every three days, I will put it for my turtle. Isnt the purpose of the filter so I dont have to keep draining the tank every three days? I mean, at the very least a week it should last completely clean with a filter.
Ive read posts on here of people that dont have to change their water for a month.

In the mean time I have to just clean her tank out every week and use a turkey baster to pick up solids daily. The water warmer seems to be working fine even though there is no cycling water because my tank is really not that large. So temp wise everything is good. Just my bad luck with that filter.......

[daredevilgirl013]

I hear yah there, I've bought two filters already and I've only had Michelangel for four months!

The first one just wasn't cutting it, about every five days I was having to change the water. It was horrible.

So I upgraded and got a bigger one, well then I had to add more water since it's an in-tank filter, so then I had to get hardware cloth, then I needed some bigger plants cause the others were too little.

Well now that filter is giving me problems. The suction cups won't suction, the water is getting a layer of slime on it faster than anything I've ever seen (I just did a partial water change two days ago and the top is already covered again..............) And so now I have to do water changes constantly and it is getting to the point to where I want to scream. Plus now I have enough shrimp and fish and snails in there that hopefully it'll reverse what this filter thinks it is doing and I just changed all the filter stuff two weeks ago!!!

Soon though I'll be getting a new filter when I put Michelangelo in the 20 gallon tank I have waiting to be used (but it won't be until March when I go on spring break and I can give the tank a really good week long cleaning as I bought it used and who knows what all was in it..they told me a frog, a turtle and something else was in there..so I really need to wash it good) But the filters I priced today were 40 bucks for the one I thought I would like (20-50 gallon tank filter was what it said) Cause I didn't see any sixty gallon filters for some reason only 50 and then it went to 70.

But I hear you and feel your pain! Plus I think it stresses Michelangelo out when I keep doing these water changes and I don't like it. I wish I could do the once a month deal with a few water adds and partial changes here and there..that would save me loads of money!!! (Since I buy water for the turtle ((since our water no matter what treatment we give it will kill him))) So don't feel bad you're not the only one. And I would go for the no filter option too but with everything in the tank now I don't think I could get away with it.

[cam722]

I can't believe you're still having problems with that filter. I've been using that same one in my 75 gallon tank with absolutely no problems. I have aquaclears in all my fish tanks too and haven't had a problem with those either. I've used a bunch of others and always had problems.. sorry that you haven't had as good of luck with yours as I have had with mine.

[butterfly]

It stresses Maturin also when I have to be struggling every three days with all that media and that clunky filter over his tank.

The whole reason I bought the Aquaclear was because it had such good reviews. They also have great customer service. Hagen tried their best to figure out what was wrong promptly so I have no compaints about that company. They were willing to send me free parts and everything but nothing worked.

It could be something about my water, because I just cant think of anything else. When I first bought it, the very first time I used it, it stayed clean for about two weeks, the longest it ever did, but I had put in spring water instead of tap. I just cant afford spring water all of the time for a 20 gallon tank. That adds up, plus I have to buy special water for the betta too, its just not worth it, not for a two week last only. If it would last 5 weeks, fine, but not two weeks.

[cam722]

I'll be curious to see how another filter works if you think it's your water. Keep us posted

[daredevilgirl013]

Hey if you need an idea on how to keep that water clean get some ghost shrimp a handfull of snails and some guppies.

I have 6 shrimp in my tank, 3 small/medium sized snails, and four guppies in my tank and that water looks great! The layer of slime is going away! So it's just an idea but the tank water looks wonderful! I might not need to change the water this week it's looking that good!

[butterfly]

Wow I didnt know snails and shrimp could do that! Ive always wanted to add those types of things into my tank but been scared that the turtle would eat them. I cant stand to see something like that.

Right now the water is of course cloudy since there is no filter running. I went to the Petco and looked around at the filters. They are mostly Aquaclears. I did see a filter thats turtle rated though. The Zoo Med 501 Turtle Fitler for tanks up to 30 gallons. Im tempted to get it this weekend but Im not sure how it will work. Does anyone in here own that filter or do they have any review for it?

[BROOKLYN]

I currently own 3 AquaClears 110 and I have no problem whatsoever. Two were recently bought around Christmas time last year. I use 2 Aquaclears 110 in my 75G for fish. The 3rd Aquaclear was bought for my male RES Survivor in a 55G. I also use the Aquaclear 50 for my 29G and they all work great. However, I'm planning to buy some extension tubes for the filters because I do see a lot of waste at the bottom of my 55G. But what I usually do is use a fish net and scoop it up. As for the Zoo Med 501 Turtle Filter, I think it's a waste of money since it can only go up to 30 gallons. Since you're suppose to buy a filter that doubles the size of your tank (because turtles are messy), that filter would only be fit for something along a 10-15 gallon tank. It'll just be a waste of money if you ever need to upgrade. Do you feed your turtle(s) in the same tank? If you are, what exactly are you feeding them? That might be a factor in the slime build-up.

[marisa]

Butterfly (your timing is prefect!)---I now think I understand why you're having a problem with the AquaClear 110. The media was lifiting before, right? Yesterday, I put an AquaClear 70 in a 20-gallon tank and after leaving it for about 10 minutes, returned to find that the media had lifted! I pushed it down and stood there, watching the media rise slightly. I went back and read the info that came with the filter, and it does say that the media will lift if the filter needs to be cleaned because of pressure that's created (if you have the pamplet, look at it). And I do believe, that pressure is created if you put a filter of that size into a tank that's too small for it (the pressure of the water circulating, particularly where the water drops into the tank, pushes the media upward). If my AquaClear70 lifts the media in a 20-gallon,, I can only imagine what a 110 would do.

I don't think the problem is with the filter, just the fit of the filter with that size tank---look at the size tanks the people who like the filter have---most seem to have tanks around 75 gallons (I think I'm the one who has it in the smallest tank, a 40-gallon stock tank).

You could just get a bigger tank (I think around a 50-gallon would be good), or a less powerful filter, which I gather you've already done. If you have, I'd clean up the 110 and put it away for when you do get a bigger tank. (And just order a new sponge when/if you do).

FYI, the media hasn't risen since I pushed it down last. And I'm going to try to "tame" it a bit by making a prefilter.

The Zoo-Med 501, as BROOKYN said, is basically a waste of money...

[reptilegrrl]

I love the Hydor Thermofilters. They are a filter and heater in one, which means the turtle cannot get to the heater and hurt themselves. The media is enclosed and cannot lift.

But, I think Marisa is probably right, and all you need is a bigger tank to make the Aquaclear filter work for you.

[BROOKLYN]

I love the Hydor Thermofilters. They are a filter and heater in one, which means the turtle cannot get to the heater and hurt themselves. The media is enclosed and cannot lift.

But, I think Marisa is probably right, and all you need is a bigger tank to make the Aquaclear filter work for you.

How efficient is the filter when it comes to cleaning? I, for one, am not a big fan for all in one products. Although it's more convenient, it tends to break down a lot faster. I own a Hydor shatterproof heater and it works good. I'm not quite impress with the accuracy of the temperature readings though but it sure does seem to be shatterproof. I use to use an Acura 1000 and Survivor crack it within two weeks of using it. I needed to replace it quickly so I couldn't buy it online and wait for a few days which I should have done. I was charged $30 for the heater that was suitable for 29G (really overpriced since I could have gotten a VisiTherm for only $20). In order for her to convince me about it's durability, she wind up hitting the heater at the counter numerous times with a decent amount of power. I was stunned but not by it's durability. I was stunned that she tried to sell me the very same one .

[cam722]

marisa... odd you should say that about the Aquaclear 110 being too large for butterfly's tank.. I think I mentioned that when she first got it .. I know it creates a lot of movement in my 75 gallon tank I can only imagine what it would do is something significantly smaller. I had a problem once with the media lifting but I think that was just because I'd not "clicked" the basket in place correctly. I've not had the problem since then. I clean my filter maybe once or twice a month on days I don't do a water change. I try to do them at different times. Even if I do a full tank cleaning I don't change the media or clean it at the same time.

[butterfly]

Butterfly (your timing is prefect!)---I now think I understand why you're having a problem with the AquaClear 110. The media was lifiting before, right? Yesterday, I put an AquaClear 70 in a 20-gallon tank and after leaving it for about 10 minutes, returned to find that the media had lifted! I pushed it down and stood there, watching the media rise slightly. I went back and read the info that came with the filter, and it does say that the media will lift if the filter needs to be cleaned because of pressure that's created (if you have the pamplet, look at it). And I do believe, that pressure is created if you put a filter of that size into a tank that's too small for it (the pressure of the water circulating, particularly where the water drops into the tank, pushes the media upward). If my AquaClear70 lifts the media in a 20-gallon,, I can only imagine what a 110 would do.

I don't think the problem is with the filter, just the fit of the filter with that size tank---look at the size tanks the people who like the filter have---most seem to have tanks around 75 gallons (I think I'm the one who has it in the smallest tank, a 40-gallon stock tank).

You could just get a bigger tank (I think around a 50-gallon would be good), or a less powerful filter, which I gather you've already done. If you have, I'd clean up the 110 and put it away for when you do get a bigger tank. (And just order a new sponge when/if you do).

FYI, the media hasn't risen since I pushed it down last. And I'm going to try to "tame" it a bit by making a prefilter.

The Zoo-Med 501, as BROOKYN said, is basically a waste of money...

Marisa I think you really have found out what my problem is. In fact, yesterday when I was looking at the filter I had taken out and the tank, I started kind of getting that same idea, that it could be that. It does exactly as you described. The media will lift and because of that lifting, the filter then does not filter the water correctly anymore and it makes it cloudy and dirty plus the waterfall starts shooting out in weird directions. That makes the filter very noisy and the current even stronger.

There is no way I can upgrade to a bigger tank right now (soon but not now) so what Im going to do is go back to the petstore and buy another AquaClear but not such a powerful one as the 110 or 70. Actually your experiment saved me from buying the 70! Im going to try and find a lower number one to put on the tank.

My turtle has been so sad since she doesnt have her waterfall (she really liked that) and let me tell you, a filter is a must because her tank is dirty and not even two days have gone by without a filter. Anyone out there thinking of going without one...DONT. Ever. Believe me, you cant get away without having one. The 110 made my life miserable but Ive been tempted to put it back on there because now my life is more miserable since I took it off. Plus my turtle is currently shedding so you can imagine what her tank looks like. I had to drain it this morning even though tomorrow Im going to get the filter. I cant wait till tomorrow!!!!

Thankfully I did not buy the ZooMed one because I was waiting on you guys opinions of it. I really like the AquaClears, I just bought one that is too big and powerful but Im going to keep it. Its already been cleaned out and when I upgrade the tank, Ill use it again.

[reptilegrrl]

How efficient is the filter when it comes to cleaning? I, for one, am not a big fan for all in one products.

I have been using this type of filter since 2002. I have found it to be pretty efficient. I did change the media- the branded type of media is a sponge-type and I wanted something finer. I initially changed to a polyfiber type of media, made for another similar filter, then I went to the fabric store and bought a bunch of quilt batting, which I have been using since then. I just bought a new filter and have been using the branded media that came with it, but I think I'm going to switch back to the quilt batting.

Both the water flow rate and the temp are adjustable. Also, this is a very versatile filter- you can use it for mech and bio filtration on its own, or you can hook it up to a spray bar, to a larger biofilter, whatever you want to do with it.

As for breaking down, this filter has a 2-year warranty. My first one lasted three and a half years. First the heater died, and then I was still using it as a pump/filter and one day I had my hands in the water and it gave me a mild shock.

[reptilegrrl]

Also: after posting my last response, I went outside to do some maintenance and decided to test Al's water for ammonia. It measured at less than 0.25 parts per million. I consider that very efficient when keeping up with a turtle. I really don't expect 0 ppm with a turtle, that's why I do water changes.