# Did i go TOO big on the filter?



## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

According to Pablo the 50 gallon aqua clear is too little for my 30 gallon tank, so I went and got the next biggest one at PetSmart. 110 GAL! OUCH! So, it's HUGE, eh. Will having this huge filter hurt the fishies in my 30 gallon tank? It SURE does create a lot of current underneath where the water goes back in. I have it set to the (-) setting which is running the pump at a lower setting. I hope this was a good idea. Or should I have bought some OTHER kind of 80-90 Gallon one? This was all there was in AquaClear, bigger than 50. At least at petsmart. Maybe I gotta go buy me an 80 gallon tank now to go with my filter?

W


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

The 110 will be ok. Take the media out of the 50 and put it in the 110 as both together is overkill.

If the 110 is making a lot of current just take a bunch of plastic plants or something and clump them in the output. You can also jam a sponge in the 'slide' where the water comes out so it doesnt make as much current. careful not to clog it thoguh


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

*the AC50 died.*

the AC50 died less than 2 weeks after I bought it so I exchanged it but PetSmart wouldn't give me a credit towards the AC110. So now I have a brand new AC110 and AC50. So I started up the AC110 and put the old media from my already established 20g tank which I put into the tank beside the AC110. That should help lots. Or should I cram it right into the filter somehow? It's one of those filter-media-with-active-carbon-inside-and-a-cotton-like-bit-on-the-outside.

W


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

*my 20gs filter media*

looks like this...

http://www.aquatichouse.com/FILTRATION MENU_files/tetrawhispercart.asp

(its not tetra whisper, but it's whatever 20g filter system comes with the 20g starter kit from big-als.)

W


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

Well more ways to reduce the water current while keeping the powerful filtration is to diffuse the water outflow.

What I did for my AC70 on my 20gallon long is direct the outflow current to a piece of acrylic sheet with drilled holes that runs along the top length of the aquarium.

The water drips through the holes and sides of the acrylic and makes a rainfall effect.

Tons of surface agitation and micro-air bubbles while maintaining good filtration capability.

--

You can also overfill the media basket and/or add a sponge to the intake to reduce the flow.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

*raindrops keep falling on my head.*

I like your drilled-sheet-of-rainforest-plastic idea. 

W


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

KhuliLoachFan said:


> I like your drilled-sheet-of-rainforest-plastic idea.
> 
> W


Haha that drilled sheet of acrylic is now covered in a thick coat of slim algae. I think of it the slim algae added filtration.


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

With the Aquaclear filters you can take a plastic water bottle and cut off the top and bottom. Sort of uncurl the center part of the plastic until you have a curled sqare. Now just fold over part of one end that will be wrapping around the edge of your tank. Lift up the edge of the Aquaclear, which can be running, and slide the plastic underneath the edge of the filter that rests on the tank. Now the water bottle piece splits the outflow in half and slows down the water hitting the tank. I use this method for most of my shrimp tanks that don't have sponges.


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