# Using air pump to prime AC filters after blackouts



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

So while lookin at the AC20 I've got here and having seen some people put the air stone in the water intake area beside the media it I was thinking about making some kind of back up system using air pumps to pump the water up to say a sponge filter with a capped up with two holes in it.

Hole one has the air stone. Hole two has a air tube in it and the other end in the AC filter that when pressurised up will pump the water into the intake area of the AC filter while the water can flow out the other end of the of the AC filter out the media and still give bio filtration. IIRC the flow selector switch is large enough to stick a air line tube in.

That way when the power comes back on your AC filter is already primed up and will kick back to life. I know normally pending water levels the AC filters prime on the high waterflow setting but with this setup you should be able to prime on the low setting while still filtering the water when the power is out. This would work best with emergency backup air pumps that turn on when the power is off.

Also another modification to this design is to make an adaptor to seal off the AC filter intake area and stick a DIY sponge filter in there, drill a hole on the side to stick the air tube in there and IIRC the air pressure should move the water up into the AC filter motor intake area and thus back out the media side. When the power is back on and you have a battery backup air pump that turns off when the power is on it can just be a extended sponge filter pre-filter for the AC filter then.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Aquaclears will always hold their prime when there's a blackout unless your water level is too low


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

AquariAM said:


> Aquaclears will always hold their prime when there's a blackout unless your water level is too low


Well in my experience the high flow works most of the time with low water as well to a degree if the suction did not break. I know with the low flow most of the times it won't self start unless you prime it.

Handy if you're away for a week and the power cuts out for some reason.


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