DIY Supreme Aquamaster?

[reefman]

I just actually found one of those filters 2 yrs. ago here in the SF bay area. There used to be a lfs here in Brisbane that used to sell them. The owners swore by them. I am still on the hunt to find these. Who was the manufacturer of these filters? If anybody has any info on where to find these filters it would greatly be appreciated. Thanks.

i don't think they are made anymore i've had this one for about ten years the thing is great i just took it off my 180 a month ago as much that the filter ran i'm suprized the moter did not die i ran it prob 8 out of the 10 years i've owned it with no probs

 

[terrypowerz]

Maybe you can make one out of a specimen container, powerhead, and PVC pipes??
I don't know what you could use as media. Maybe AC media???

That is what I am thinking of toying around with... the suction plate across the bottom would be the hardest part I would think..
As far as media... that was the beauty of it... anything that you could throw in the box would work with it!
Years ago I used filter floss (polyester) fluffed so it was real loose and a bag of Chemi-pure.
Talk about sparkling clear water.........!!!

 

[reefman]

That is what I am thinking of toying around with... the suction plate across the bottom would be the hardest part I would think..
As far as media... that was the beauty of it... anything that you could throw in the box would work with it!
Years ago I used filter floss (polyester) fluffed so it was real loose and a bag of Chemi-pure.
Talk about sparkling clear water.........!!!

you could use a piece of plexi with some holes drilled in it and have a small bulkhead that u can sit the pump in

 

[Ducati996]

Im definitely old school myself and busted out laughing when you mentioned Supreme Aqua Super King

Not sure if you guys can tell by the tubes and filter exhaust but I had 2 on a 180 and it moved a lot of water, and keep the tank clear. I had these things going for 10 years or more, then I got smart and went with AquaClear 500's when they first came out.
The reason why? the freakin electric bill was out of control with those bad boys - even way before the "energy crunch". I saw immediate relief going with the AC's

 

[fishieperson321]

Maybe if you keep an eye out, you can find one on eBay. I am still looking for the perfect Willinger Bros. Whisper filter for my tank on there. I hope to find one some day.

Daniel

 

[terrypowerz]

I am curious...
Just so i don't re-invent the wheel so to speak...

Does anyone have any thoughts on the whole "siphon-in, pump-out" design used on these original filters verses the almost exclusive use of "pump-in, overflow-out" design that is used on almost all HOB filters today??

I Know the modern ones are self priming, no air trapped in the J tubes problems, etc.
But is "idiot proofing" the main advantage today, or are there performance issues to be taken into consideration here also?

(aside from electrical efficiency....LOL!)

 

[gomezladdams]

I have a supreme running right now,other than a 6 year break its been going nonstop since the late 70s,I had an even older one that got too noisy to continue using,never stopped going though

I think the biggest drawback to those filters compared to modern ones is you have to get your hand wet to start it.I like that the water goes through the media before it goes through the impeller on the old type filters,keeps things like small fish and snails from a trip through the cuisinart.
If you manage to build or buy the filter boxes,a modern powerhead could be used to return the water to the tank,I did just that with an old supreme box and bottom plate worked really well.

 

[QuestionAuthority2]

I came across one of these while Freecycling. I've been in the hobby since the 1960's, but I had never run across one of these before.
I wanted to use it for a 55 gallon Arowana tank, rather than buy a new power filter. I have all the parts except for the original lift tubes and whatever might have connected to them. It looks very much like the one in the photos posted, except it's somewhat smaller.

When I set it up to see if it worked, the pump sucked the filter box dry in mere seconds. I've tried hanging a few standard-sized lift tubes in the box, but they seem to just siphon out water, too. So I'm either missing parts or I'm missing something about how it works. It looks like the lift tubes in the picture are pretty big and maybe they plug into a part(s) I'm missing.

Can anyone here clue me in? I can't find anything about it online. My guess from the condition is that it's at least 25 years old...just under half my age! Would that modern equipment would last that long!

Thanks for any info or direction you can provide - Gregg

 

[margaret621]

I have a supreme running right now,other than a 6 year break its been going nonstop since the late 70s,I had an even older one that got too noisy to continue using,never stopped going though

I think the biggest drawback to those filters compared to modern ones is you have to get your hand wet to start it.I like that the water goes through the media before it goes through the impeller on the old type filters,keeps things like small fish and snails from a trip through the cuisinart.
If you manage to build or buy the filter boxes,a modern powerhead could be used to return the water to the tank,I did just that with an old supreme box and bottom plate worked really well.

i still have one running but i need the protectors for the 3 tubes. any idea on where i can find them?

 

[VAX]

Im definitely old school myself and busted out laughing when you mentioned Supreme Aqua Super King

Not sure if you guys can tell by the tubes and filter exhaust but I had 2 on a 180 and it moved a lot of water, and keep the tank clear. I had these things going for 10 years or more, then I got smart and went with AquaClear 500's when they first came out.
The reason why? the freakin electric bill was out of control with those bad boys - even way before the "energy crunch". I saw immediate relief going with the AC's

I used to have two 1000 gallon an hour rated that we're just like the old Supreme Aqua Kings, but we're a different brand, or maybe they were made by Aqua King or Supreme, but were bigger, and cheaper made, along with a 500 gallon per hour Aqua King on a 55 gallon with extra tubes for siphoning. Normally I would only run them about 15 to 20 minutes a day sometimes twice a day and then keep the small Aqua King running most of the time. I never noticed that I had real high electric bills but I didn't pay much attention to it. If you left it running all the time, I would imagine it would get a little expensive, but if you're moving enough water you don't have to run them that often. Of course I only had a freshwater tank with just gravel in the bottom, no undergravel filter or plants, just big rocks, and big fish with big ?, so I needed considerable filtration. But if you can get them, or make them it's the best way to keep a tank clean, at least for freshwater. With all of them running, it moved everything around except the rocks! Gave the fish some good exercise too. I'm not real sure how they'd work on Marine, but I never tried it, so I wouldn't know. All I know, is I sure wish that I'd kept mine!