# Finally got my AC 50



## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

Ok I got my filter today, and its all set up along with the other filter. Couple questions.

1. Can I remove the other filter on the tank and some how put the filter media in the AC 50? How?
2. It seems something is making a rattling noise when I put the lid on, its not too terribly bad but is noticeable when you get close to the tank.is this normal? Or did I put it together wrong?

TIA


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

danilykins said:


> 1. Can I remove the other filter on the tank and some how put the filter media in the AC 50? How?
> 2. It seems something is making a rattling noise when I put the lid on, its not too terribly bad but is noticeable when you get close to the tank.is this normal? Or did I put it together wrong?


1. If the media from the other filter will fit in the AC50's media chamber, stuff it in. Otherwise, you'll need to leave it in the tank. One thing you could do is fit the filter foam over the inlet of your AC50 and use it as a prefilter until your AC50 media is sufficiently dirty.
2. The lid does buzz. Often times, if it's making too much noise on my tank (which is about three feet from my bed), I'll just remove the lid. Make sure there's no air in the inlet tube by moving the flow limiter all the way to the left, and often times the buzzing will reduce as the impeller and motor unit gum up a bit with slime (which is odd, but nonetheless I've noticed it).


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

yeah after fiddling with it I came to the conclusion that it was the impeller that was rattling in there. I will try and figure out a way to put the old filter media in there.. THX

I ended up taking some plastic wrap and putting over the top. Its not the lid that is rattling, its the impeller and when you put the lid on it echo's and that is the noise you hear *sigh*


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

danilykins said:


> I ended up taking some plastic wrap and putting over the top.


That's an awesome idea! I'm gonna run right home and do that after work tonight 

Oh, and don't waste your money on those pre-fabricated filter inserts. Buy a nice big pad of filter floss to cut your own, some bulk activated carbon, some bulk bio media, and about 4 smaller media bags. It'll cost you a bit in the beginning, but you can end up doing a media change for less than $3.00 each time off that stuff, plus I've noticed the carbon lasts a lot longer.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

Ha, glad I could help.

Yeah I'll have to learn how to do that. Hubby is always complaining about the cost of fish stuff.

I couldn't get the whole filter media from the other filter in, I ended up cutting the floss off and stuck it in there between two layers.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Easiest way to do filter inserts yourself:

Cut filter floss to fit your filter media chamber. I usually cut two pads for the heck of it.

Fill 2 media bags with 1 carbon and 1 bio media. Don't overfill or worry about packing tightly. Only downside to this method is they take some time to wash all the carbon dust and bio media particulates out of the bags.

Stuff everything in the media housing and off you go!


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

Yup, my AC50 buzzes too til it gets gunked up. This is one of the reasons it annoys me. I put the light cord over the lid and it usually takes care of it, but that plastic wrap idea is a good one!

Thanks for explaining how to cut the filter floss. I just got some the other day and hadn't tried it yet. Would it make sense to use two at once and replace the outside one first each time, so the bacteria stick around? Mine is pretty thin so I could def fit two in at once...


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Niki7 said:


> Would it make sense to use two at once and replace the outside one first each time, so the bacteria stick around?


I end up not changing my media inserts but once a month, and I would highly suggest to anyone keeping smaller critters like RCS in their tank to invest in some blocky porous foam and fashion a prefilter to stick over the inlet. The shrimp love scavenging for sucked up goodies and it protects them from getting sucked up themselves. I've heard the yellow kitchen sponges available at grocery stores work great for this application as well.

When priming an AC50, make sure the media chamber and impeller area are flooded with water, turn the limiter all the way to the right, and turn it on. The filter will drain most of the air out this way, and to finish it off, open the limiter by going all the way left and the filter will be running at 100%.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I never thought the filter media for the AC line of filters was very expensive, especially the 30/50. The sponge media I have had in one of my filters I've had the same one in there for over 7 months. The bio max just as long. I wouldn't waste my money on activated carbon.....not needed.


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> I never thought the filter media for the AC line of filters was very expensive, especially the 30/50. The sponge media I have had in one of my filters I've had the same one in there for over 7 months. The bio max just as long. I wouldn't waste my money on activated carbon.....not needed.


How do you get the sponge to last 7 months?? I try to get two out of mine and even when rinsing them really well, they clog up and either start pouring water over the filtering system (goes over the top of the media instead of under it) or slows to a trickle. Maybe the high gh/kh in my water clogs it up faster?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Niki7 said:


> How do you get the sponge to last 7 months?? I try to get two out of mine and even when rinsing them really well, they clog up and either start pouring water over the filtering system (goes over the top of the media instead of under it) or slows to a trickle. Maybe the high gh/kh in my water clogs it up faster?


I dunno. I just rinse it out really well.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I think it depends on the sponge material you use. If you're using filter floss, that stuff isn't good for more than a month, while a good pre-filter sponge can go forever.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Talking about the Hagen brand that comes with the filter.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Talking about the Hagen brand that comes with the filter.


Yeah, that stuff is porous enough that it lasts forever.


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## swampcat874 (Dec 12, 2010)

You can clean the sponges and reuse for long time, forget carbon, it serves no purpose unless your removing medication or have a specific problem. Use extra room for more Bio Max or any brand ceramic rings, lava rock ,for more surface area for bacteria to live. This never needs replacing (bio material). Filter Co. recommendations are just to sell you more stuff.

I also use a blue material I think is called Cut Rite ,not sure . Comes in a large pad I cut to width of filter and roll it to the size of the sponge and use, this also can be cleaned many times and reused.


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