# Aquaclear Carbon filter insert



## GiSWiG (Oct 1, 2012)

I got a new Aquaclear filter and now it is time to change the carbon. Out of the box, it came with a fine carbon powder in a fine bag. The only replacement carbon bags I'm finding are rocky and in a net bag. I cannot seem to find the carbon powder inserts, just these rocky inserts or the ammonia removers and the one with both. I've checked Hagen's website and there is only one type of carbon insert, probably the rocky. 

The water, although better this morning, has not cleared as fast as it did with the powder bag.

Is there fine powder media available or do I need to get a jar of it and some bags? Is is better to go either way?


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

If you need to, you can buy high grade carbon and put it in the bag. That being said, there is no reason to use carbon in a fishtank unless you are removing medications. Even if you use it to remove a smell, you are better to deal with the source of the smell rather than the symptom.
Hagen filters are so good that once you buy them, they will work fine with no purchase of new media for many years. You just have to regularly rinse out the big sponge in tank water. That's not very profitable, and is probably why the competition came up with those useless plastic inserts they make their money on. Hagen tries to sell the unnecessary carbon bags and the ammonia chips, as their filters don't generate the same 'every month spending' the competition's products do. All you need is the sponge (good for 3-10 years here) and some biological media (homemade or dollar store stuff), good pretty well forever.


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## GiSWiG (Oct 1, 2012)

Actually, the woman at Pet Smart said the same thing except maybe for the carbon but I cannot remember. (I do trust the ppl at my local PetSmart except this one kid...) She did say that she rinses out the sponge and lightly the stones in old tank water (as long there are no probs with the tank). I assume the bio-max stones are similar to the bio-wheels that never need replacing.


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

I am with nav on this one. Carbon isn't worth it unless removing meds.


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

I agree with the above, I run aqua clears on both my tanks and I put another bag of bio material in place of the carbon, I still have the new carbon bag that came with the both of them but only hung on to them if I ever need to remove medications, bio filtration is the best kind in my eyes, I love my AC's


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## GiSWiG (Oct 1, 2012)

So you're saying get another bio-max bag and be done with it? What about another sponge or even a more condensed sponge?


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Condensed sponges block really fast, and in an Aquaclear, the water just flows around them. I like using a material sold in my lfs - a Japanese manufactured filter mat made from recycled plastic - it is hard, endlessly twisted thin plastic fibre - perfect for bacterial colonization and indestructible, from what I can see. Another thing I use is dollar store plastic scrubber pads - soap free twisted up plastic, again for bacterial colonization. They work really well. 
I have used two of the AQ sponges in one filter, but when the bottom one blocks, they can cause the filter to overflow and drain the tank onto your floor - not cool. 
So IMHO, you are best with one sponge and one surface for rapid and effective bacterial colonization. 

You can modify marinelands too, but not as efficiently as the AQ models. Hagen has started using inferior ceramic impeller shafts, I think because the models with metal shafts lasted much too long and never needed replacement. You could run the early models endlessly - I had one run for 17 years, 24/7. They are now good for about 5 years - still a good deal.


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## GiSWiG (Oct 1, 2012)

I had gotten a Marineland 10Gal kit with filter and LED hod with night lighting. Everything is quite nice except the filter. It died in two weeks I got it at PetSmart and the same woman I mentioned earlier (manager I think) switched out the same filter from the shelf...a week and a half later it died. So went back and dealt with the same woman and she recommended the Aquaclear as she uses it in all her tanks (apparently has a good collection at home). I had to pay a $10 difference but well worth it. I'm not going back to Marineland. Nice to have staff at the local PetSmart that knows their stuff. There is a local pet store and the owner is very experienced and has a nice variety of fish and he runs all AquaClears. I'm setting up a 65 gallon tank my dad gave me that he has not used in 23years since I was a kid. Guess what kind of filter was in the box of parts with it...

I'll see what the LFS guy says but I might get another AC sponge and keep the rocks at the top. 

Is it worth getting the ammonia remover bags that can be used instead of the carbon?

Another question...is it best to put the filter on the side of the tank (hanging on the back) or the center?

I really appreciate all the help. Thanks!


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Where to put the filter is a matter of taste, and hood configuration.

I like rocks, media under, and sponge up top, since it really is only the sponge you clean.

Test the 65 somewhere a leak won't matter. A longtime dry tank will sometimes leak, as the silicone shrinks.


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## GiSWiG (Oct 1, 2012)

navigator black said:


> I like rocks, media under, and sponge up top, since it really is only the sponge you clean.


I don't follow you so are you talking like this:
| sponge 
| media (what media?)
| rocks (bio-max?)

I was thinking, from bottom up (flow direction) either
Sponge, Sponge, bio-max rocks
or
sponge, bio-max, bio-max (probably one big bag of biomax)
(I've seen this setup on you-tube)

Should the bio-max (or at least some) be above water?

Wondering if anyone reading this post, list their media order (bottom up)

Thanks!


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

On the bottom, plastic mesh, dollar store scrubbers or the Japanese filter media I mentioned. On top of that, an Aquaclear sponge. That's it.
In my molly tanks, some marble and limestone chips to harden the water, the plastic media and then the sponge.
Simplicity and cheapness themselves...


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

Bio max should be 100% submerged. The bacteria dies off, out of the water.

In my aquaclears, i have sponge on the bottom and bio max ontop. I only run those two medias.


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## GiSWiG (Oct 1, 2012)

I was thinking sponge, larger amount of bio-max, and sponge. The sponge at the top would take care of any water that flows through the grate on the side. The sponge would stay exposed to the air unless I cut it. Another thought is just bio-max (bottom) and the sponge above that (middle), which would cover that grate but stay submerged and nothing on top. Although, your setup of sponge bio-max (I'd use larger amount) with any water flowing through the grate goes through the bio-max has its pluses too.

Heh, and I've only finished cleaning the class! I'm setting up for the fishless cycle described in this forum.


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