# A Water Flow Question With Regard to my AquaClear 110...



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

We (my wife and I) were walking around a brand spanking new Petco that opened near us (so new you could still smell the paint on the walls; they were still stocking their shelves) and I happened to just take one of the AquaClear filters off the shelf to look at the box (I believe it was the 70 model). I was reading what Hagen printed on one side of the box regarding the water flow of this filter, which is adjustable on the AquaClears of course, and it got me thinking about my own 110 model...

It stated that by reducing the flow rate of the filter, this will actually give better and more filtration due to the media materials having much more flow through them, or something along those lines. The statement went on to summarize that by lowering -- not increasing -- the flow of the filter, the result will be much cleaner, clearer aquarium water...

I couldn't believe it; all this time, I have been running my 110 at its optimum, maximum output -- should these filters be running at lower flow rates for better filtration? Is this true? After reading this, I came home and lowered our tank's 110 to its midway position to lower the flow rate...

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Its because the water spends more time in the filter with lower flow


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

susankat said:


> Its because the water spends more time in the filter with lower flow


Thank you, as always, Susan; this is what I suspected based on what I have been reading about these HOBs...

So should I leave it at the minimum flow rate, midway or at full max output? What is the best setting?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I think an inbetween would probably be good. That way you would still have plenty of water movement.


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

susankat said:


> I think an inbetween would probably be good. That way you would still have plenty of water movement.


Thanks.

One would think the max output (i.e. running the filter "wide open") would be the "best" way to get the most filtration, but apparently this just causes more surface agitation and turbulence from the return flow. That's the way I have been running it since I got the filter (max output). 

I may email Hagen about this; please let me know if you have any other suggestions or input.


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## blue water (Nov 1, 2010)

ClinicaTerra said:


> Thanks.
> 
> One would think the max output (i.e. running the filter "wide open") would be the "best" way to get the most filtration, but apparently this just causes more surface agitation and turbulence from the return flow. That's the way I have been running it since I got the filter (max output).
> 
> I may email Hagen about this; please let me know if you have any other suggestions or input.


hi been using ac 110 for 3 years with full flow,just rinsing foam and bio mass also using charcoal.water is crystal clear.have assorted plants and 25 assorted fish and 5 shrimp in a 75 gal tank.


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

blue water said:


> hi been using ac 110 for 3 years with full flow,just rinsing foam and bio mass also using charcoal.water is crystal clear.have assorted plants and 25 assorted fish and 5 shrimp in a 75 gal tank.


Thanks for your reply, Blue Water.

Is there a reason you decided to run the filter on full versus the reduced flow? Just curious, as a fellow 110 owner...

I too just rinse the sponge/foam and the bio rings occasionally during an extensive water change, and instead of the charcoal I use Seachem's Purigen. 

I actually just got a response from Hagen about this via email; I will check it and post the message...


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

Okay. Here's what Hagen's customer support said:

_*On any filter, the slower the water flows through the media, the more effective it is. If the 110 currently appears to be filtering your tank properly, then I see no reason to slow down the flow rate. If you do decide to slow it down, just keep an eye on the fish to be sure they are getting enough oxygen from the surface aggitation from the water output.


Thank you*_

This says to me they're actually suggesting that I continue running the 110 at full output; however, I have a TON of oxygenation going on in this tank due to two HOBs and two bubble bars, so should I take what they mentioned about the fish getting enough oxygen into consideration?


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Meh, I have 2 filters and an air stone in each tank and I run them all at max. I figure the more oxygen the better, and, they are filtering the tank fine, so I don't feel the need to slow them down. Interesting idea though.... I've never thought about slowing the flow down to increase filtration.


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

Indeed, Holly; I too never really gave the slower-flow-for-better-filtration theory much thought, if at all...

You gotta wonder...

I think I may just go back to running the filter at full output, unless it gets so strong (the flow current) that the fish appear to be bouncing off the walls of the tank...*r2


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## blue water (Nov 1, 2010)

ClinicaTerra said:


> Indeed, Holly; I too never really gave the slower-flow-for-better-filtration theory much thought, if at all...
> 
> You gotta wonder...
> 
> I think I may just go back to running the filter at full output, unless it gets so strong (the flow current) that the fish appear to be bouncing off the walls of the tank...*r2


in my 75 gal tank beside the ac110 i also have ac 70 and an uv unit.they all run full open .the plants sway in the currents and the fish go with the flow.THEY ARE ALL DONNG FINE


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## Rohkey (Apr 25, 2011)

I never knew this, I've always had my filters on maximum flow rate as I assumed the more times the water cycled per hour the better. Never occurred to me that it would be more efficient the other way. Thanks for inquiring about this as I'm going to now adjust the flow rates on my filters, which is a win-win; more efficient and less splashing haha. I have 3 filters and two airstones so I'm not too worried about aeration.


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

blue water said:


> in my 75 gal tank beside the ac110 i also have ac 70 and an uv unit.they all run full open .the plants sway in the currents and the fish go with the flow.THEY ARE ALL DONNG FINE


So in your 75 gallon, you're running a 110 AND a 70? That's alot of filtration; but I guess that's normal -- in my 60, I'm running an Aqueon QuietFlow 55 and the 110, so...

I have since returned my flow to wide open, but I hope this was the right decision, as the marketing materials from Hagen on the boxes of the AquaClear line state that reduced flow is actually more efficient...


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

Rohkey said:


> I never knew this, I've always had my filters on maximum flow rate as I assumed the more times the water cycled per hour the better. Never occurred to me that it would be more efficient the other way. Thanks for inquiring about this as I'm going to now adjust the flow rates on my filters, which is a win-win; more efficient and less splashing haha. I have 3 filters and two airstones so I'm not too worried about aeration.


Hey, Rohkey.

Thanks for participating; indeed, I also didn't think that a reduced flow would make more sense and make for better filtration, but that's what the marketing materials on the AC70 stated, and you saw what Hagen themselves said to me via email about it. Still, the rep that replied to my email made it seem like if I'm not having any issues with the fish and their health, there's no reason to run the 110 on anything but max flow, so I don't know...

I have since brought my 110 back to full output, but now I'm not certain what the correct method is, to be honest...


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## blue water (Nov 1, 2010)

ClinicaTerra said:


> So in your 75 gallon, you're running a 110 AND a 70? That's alot of filtration; but I guess that's normal -- in my 60, I'm running an Aqueon QuietFlow 55 and the 110, so...
> 
> I have since returned my flow to wide open, but I hope this was the right decision, as the marketing materials from Hagen on the boxes of the AquaClear line state that reduced flow is actually more efficient...


your judgement on how your tank reacts to what you do ie water quality plant growth etc reguardless of what the pro say. it' yoyr call


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

blue water said:


> your judgement on how your tank reacts to what you do ie water quality plant growth etc reguardless of what the pro say. it' yoyr call


Well, I don't have any live plants in my tank, so I'm not sure if that's a factor; it seems Hagen themselves were suggesting that there's no reason NOT to run the filter wide open if there's nothing wrong with my water or fish, so...


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## boarder2k7 (May 13, 2011)

The manual says:


> Sometimes delicate fish and plants require a gentler water flow. The patented AquaClear®
> refiltration system allows you to control the flow rate without compromising filtration
> efficiency. When the flow rate is reduced, up to 50% of the water within the filter chamber is
> processed multiple times. More impurities are filtered out, creating a healthier tank with
> sparkling clean and clear water.


This does NOT mean that a lower flow rate will clean the water more. Basically, instead of slowing the pump down, which would require expensive electronics and add complications with impeller efficiency, the filtration system has a limited bypass ability. This bypass (appears to, although I don't own one so I can't verify for sure) shunts water in such a way that the pump keeps running at full speed, but recirculates part of the water from the output of the filter to the intake.

The reason this doesn't mean it cleans better is simple. The maximum cleanliness of the water is dictated by two things. Mainly it is driven by the type of filter media present in the filter. If you have a 10 micron filter, you're not going to catch particles any smaller than 10 microns, but you should catch all of them above 10. (I know that filters aren't perfect and as they get dirty the efficiencies change, but for arguments sake we'll assume that a 10 micron filter is only 10 microns) The second thing driving filter efficiency is much less important, and that is the speed of the water through a filter. The reason I say that this is much less important is simple, assuming you are not exceeding the flow rate of your filter media (because if you do, all bets are off, bypass and overpressure is not a good thing) it will always be only as effective as it was designed to be. IE: don't use filter floss to catch DTE, I use a micron cartridge for that if I want to really scrub the water out.

Real life example? A HEPA air cleaner removes 99.97% of contaminants in its rated range whether or not you run it on low, medium, or high.

Another reason that running at higher filtration rates will keep the tank cleaner is that you keep debris from settling out of the water column and landing on the bottom of the tank before the filter is able to clean them. This saves you on vacuuming as well as keeps the water cleaner. Plus the higher turnover rate means that all the water in the tank gets processed more often. The filter can’t clean water it doesn’t process!

What Hagen is trying to claim is that if you need to slow the filter down to be gentler on plants, it is still going to filter just as well. (It won’t)

An old car adage comes to mind here, “There ain’t no replacement for displacement!”


Hope this was helpful,
-B


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

boarder2k7 said:


> The manual says:
> 
> 
> This does NOT mean that a lower flow rate will clean the water more. Basically, instead of slowing the pump down, which would require expensive electronics and add complications with impeller efficiency, the filtration system has a limited bypass ability. This bypass (appears to, although I don't own one so I can't verify for sure) shunts water in such a way that the pump keeps running at full speed, but recirculates part of the water from the output of the filter to the intake.
> ...


Wow. Thanks for the information, boarder. I appreciate the time you took...

However, I'm still stumped; the marketing hoopla on the boxes of these AquaClears seem, to me, to be stating that running the filter at a slower pace will allow more water to be filtered at the media level -- you're saying that running it at full output will allow better filtration in the end? 

Either way, I have returned the flow to max output and will keep it there until I hear back from you...I was just confused, as the email direct from Hagen implied that lower rates means "cleaner water" as well. 

I don't have any live plants, and my media in the 110 is as follows:

-Stock Hagen sponge on bottom of basket
-Two 100ml bags of Seachem Purigen, side by side
-Sack of Seachem PhosGuard 
-Sack of stock Hagen ceramic bio rings


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