A little tip for AC110 owners

[Oscar Mike]

Double sponge=double waste collectors=double maintenance

It isn't any harder cleaning 2 sponges instead of 1. Fill a bucket with tank water, lift out the plastic housing, and gently squeeze the sponge(s)... the 110 actually takes less time than my 70 because I don't have to put media bags in the tank or cut a new sheet of poly. Besides, there's nothing better to do while refilling the tank anyways

 

[jechrz]

You could add a sponge to the intake to help reduce the flow...

Good idea on adding some sponge on intake (will add and test that on next maintenance). Just did some cleaning today and I applied the dual sponge, then cramped my bio media on the area by the impeller, and added some filter floss (from walmart) around the sponge basket that covered most of the outflow area, which actually slowed down the flow.

you can adjust the flow rate of the 110 or any AC filter by adjusting the intake pipe to the right or left. left more, to the right less.

Yeah, even with the intake pipe set all the way to the right, the flow was still too strong for the tank and inhabitants. I even thought about modifying the impeller but the above solution did solve some of my outflow issue and yes, my intake pipe is still set max to the right

 

[jechrz]

It isn't any harder cleaning 2 sponges .....

+1, plus it makes you maintain your filter less as you have more time to wait to get some pile of waste

 

[Redearsunfish]

Double sponge=double waste collectors=double maintenance

Ah, then we must clean clean clean!

 

[Redearsunfish]

By the way, I clean the sponges and re-use them until they begin to disintegrate into sponge dust... I haven't replaced the double sponges in my AC110 (which is actually and AC500 for you old timers) in 10 years.

 

[bbortko]

I like single sponge, 10 micron sheet, purigen, then bio. Bio is mainly for use in the hospital/quarantine tank when needed.

 

[pcfriedrich]

Double sponge=double waste collectors=double maintenance

= half the waste in your aquarium.

 

[Redearsunfish]

= half the waste in your aquarium.

i didn't want to say it but... yup.

 

[Armand]

i didn't want to say it but... yup.

RESF:

What about some tips to make the Emperor 400 more efficient?.

 

[pcfriedrich]

RESF:

What about some tips to make the Emperor 400 more efficient?.

don't know about making it more efficient. I use mine with a total of four of the manufacturer's filter cartridges. That's a reasonable amount of mechanical and biological filtration. I just posted in the "longest equipment" sticky thread about my Emperor 400. Been running almost non stop for 16 years now. Impressive.