Equipment Review and Discussion :: Aquaclear question..short.

[adam85491]

Hey, I got an unused aquaclear this time with all the pieces but I don't understand how the little red clips work for the biomax net...I'm lookin' at the diagram and am still clueless. A little help would be appreciated.

[marisa]

When you've got the biomax in the media bag/net, put the end of the net through the thin red shape and bring it to the notched end. Then take the red cap and slide it down the thin piece so that it covers the portion of the net that's been pulled through. The cap should lock into place. (I'm describing this from memory, but that's about what you do.

[adam85491]

Thanks..whatever I did it is working..except I didn't make it long enough so maybe next time I will get it right..it sounds like a waterfall but hopefully it stays a lot cleaner. Just put in the new decoration-fits good in the corner. With one plant as well it doesn't look bare but doesn't take up much swimming room. I got some anacharis yesterday too-they seem to like that! The last thing to do is a new basking area...this dock is about to sink and is covered in algae.

[marisa]

Once you get the shape of the bag/net how you want it, you shouldn't have to adjust it. When you clean the filter, swish the net with the biomax in some tank water to clean it, and keep it in the tank water until it's ready to go back into the filter (a separate container of tank water to put it in is good).

[adam85491]

Well it is sticking out of the water a little bit(in the filter)..the filter is in my room and is driving me crazy..I'll have to get used to it. Thanks..

[marisa]

Sorry, I've forgotten---which model is it? You should be able to add some plexiglass to the lip and have it extend to just below the water's surface. The water will travel down the plexiglass instead of just dropping into the tank, and it would be much more quiet.

[adam85491]

I got the 50 gallon one for my 20L tank..I was going to get the 70 but this should do since by the time I can afford an upgrade I'm gonna want a bigger filter anyway. I also picked up some anacharis and they seem to like it and such as well as the new ornament. The noise actually isn't so troublesome anymore so I don't know if I will silicone plexiglass or not. The noise will also reduce once the new basking area is put in. Thanks for the help.

[tlcthis]

I have the 70 for a tank with about 35 gallons of water. I find it quit noisy. I will admit that I am probably a bit sensitive to noise and I do like my piece and quiet. I have put in a piece of plexy and still need to work with it a bit.

My turtle is having a shedding issue and the skin is clogging the tubes. Please heaven forbid the electricity goes out all the water drains out of the filter and when the electric comes back on there your filter is trying to start up without any water in it. We also used a drill with a cup saw on it to cut the lip on the tank to accommodate the tube.

Hope this helps anyone looking to purchase one.

[marisa]

tlcthis, I responded to your post about shedding elsewhere...

For me, the Aquaclear 70 in 35 gallons of water is pushing it a bit. I used a 110 in a stock tank with 30-32 gallons of water.

Aquaclear filters have a number of positives, but one of the negatives is their losing their prime when the electricity goes out. For me, the larger models are a little better than the smaller models (I've got the 110, 70 and 50) when it comes to that. The winter before last the power did go out briefly while I was away and came back on before I returned. The 110 and 70 were both working normally, but the 50 was running dry.

Strangely, the 70 has a lip, but the 110 and 50 don't. By cutting the lip off (it sounds like that's what you did), you've made it like the others. All you need to do is silicone some plexiglass on to the lip. I have the plexiglass long enough so that it's just under the water level.

[tlcthis]

Marisa,

Thanks for the reply. In your 30-32 gallon tank what do you have?

I did not cut the lip off. I just have the plexiglass right under it.

The cut I made was on the tank itself to allow for the tube to make it down to the water. The other thing I did was to cut a hole in the plexi for the tube. This helps to keep it in place, then I just bowed it down to the water. Just to add a little "artistic" flare to the plexi.

[marisa]

In the stock tank I had (it's not in use now) two eastern painted turtles.

I've always siliconed the plexiglass on to the lip of the filter, beginning where it starts to slant. A portion of the plexiglass actually covered the lip. I did it that way because I thought the weight of the water would eventually loosen the plexiglass if it were underneath.

I'm having difficulty imagining what you did...why did you have to cut the tank for the tube (the intake?) to reach the water? It sounds like the piece of plexiglass is rather large if you had to cut a hole for the tube. The plexiglass I used was cut to fit exactly on the lip between the sides of the filter.

[tlcthis]

Now I can understand why you would suggest the larger filter. I am sure there is a big difference between two turtle verses one turtle.

I could silicone it, but I prefer not to introduce any unnecessary chemical agents. It working loose would also depend on the weight of the plexi.

Considering that you also use the same filter as I have I am not sure why you do not understand having to cut the plastic (that is on the top of most tanks to support a glass top). yes my piece of plexi is on the larger size. I did that on purpose so I could divert the water further away from the filter (in hopes it would most the water around more, verses just around the filter). I cute the hole in it so it could go directly underneath where the water comes out of the filter.

Hope this further explanation helps. Only other way to make it clearer would be to post a photo and I am not sure how to do that.

[steve]

Hi, here are some image posting directions:
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1811

You can also email them to me and I will post them for you.

[marisa]

My painteds were smaller at the time I used the filter. To me, there's a fair difference between the 70 and the 110.

I can understand perfectly about cutting the plastic rim of the tank once you explained it that way. I still don't know why you would need to do that, though. I used the filter in a 20-gallon long, but didn't cut any of the plastic rim. Perhaps using the 70 in 35 gallons needs better circulation and therefore a larger piece of plexiglass. The 110 in a 40-gallon stock tank circulated the water just fine.

[steve]