Aquaclear 50 Filter Intake Question/issue

[l_l_l]

Hi there!
I have recently installed a Aquaclear 50 filter on my aquarium, and I am really worried about having my fish go through the intake, it looks so large. From a fish perspective, it looks like the gates of hell.
I had put a piece of mesh from an old media bag over it but was trying to find a few other solutions. I saw a couple of people sticking sponge pre filter on them.. Can I use any type of sponge, or one designed specificaly for aquarium use?
 
What do you guys do with this?
I heard about the fluval edge, maybe I'll get this, but wouldn't it impede the way this filter works? (I'm worried it won't suck the large stuff out)
Maybe I'm just too much stressed for nothing, I do have plants that can eat the waste at the bottom of the tank...
 
Oh, and I'll be getting shrimp soon..

 

[fluttermoth]

It would be best to use aquarium sponge; the holes will be more evenly sized, so it won't clog quite so quickly. You will still need to clean it off at regular intervals (how regularly will depend on your set up). You want a coarse sponge, not a fine one.

It will trap the large bits of dirt, but you don't really want those in your filter anyway

 

[Ch4rlie]

I use a cut out to size bit of black coarse sponge to cover up the intake slots to stop my shrimps and little endlers being tempted into the 'gates of hell' as you put it 

 
I simply used fishing line to tie it on, simple really. Give it a bit of a clean every so often as flutter moth says, during a water change, just to stop sponge getting clogged up.
 
 

I heard about the fluval edge, maybe I'll get this, but wouldn't it impede the way this filter works? (I'm worried it won't suck the large stuff out)

 
Not sure what you meant by the Fluval Edge, its a nice tank, are you thinking of getting one of these tanks as well or do you mean a particular piece of fluvial edge equipment or something?
 
I have a 46l Fluval Edge in my garage awaiting the day I get some space and time to set it up.....

 

[l_l_l]

I use a cut out to size bit of black coarse sponge to cover up the intake slots to stop my shrimps and little endlers being tempted into the 'gates of hell' as you put it 

 
I simply used fishing line to tie it on, simple really. Give it a bit of a clean every so often as flutter moth says, during a water change, just to stop sponge getting clogged up.
 
 

I heard about the fluval edge, maybe I'll get this, but wouldn't it impede the way this filter works? (I'm worried it won't suck the large stuff out)

 
Not sure what you meant by the Fluval Edge, its a nice tank, are you thinking of getting one of these tanks as well or do you mean a particular piece of fluvial edge equipment or something?
 
I have a 46l Fluval Edge in my garage awaiting the day I get some space and time to set it up.....

Oh! I did not know that the Fluval Edge was a tank! What I was refering to was the sponge

Oh the tank is beautiful! I wish I could have a lidless aquarium but my cats would see this as a "endless-water-food-supply"..
Won't get this tank! (I do have a 55G I got for free a week ago, but I want to finish working on this 20G first as it's my first "major" aquarium! I am very patient and like when things are just about "perfect" !
 

It would be best to use aquarium sponge; the holes will be more evenly sized, so it won't clog quite so quickly. You will still need to clean it off at regular intervals (how regularly will depend on your set up). You want a coarse sponge, not a fine one.

It will trap the large bits of dirt, but you don't really want those in your filter anyway

The way you put it makes me feel stupid for not thinking about the large bits of dirt clogging the filter
I'll stop by my shop after work and go that way

 

[Ch4rlie]

Ah, now I understand your point, just googled a pic of your filter.
 
Was thinking of different filter intake slots.... anyway...
 
I had a similar dilemma with my filter intake nozzle on my main tank, what I did in my case was to get a cheap kid's beach net from LFS.
(a green one in my case to blend in with plants)
 
Cut a square piece of this netting to cover the nozzle, sort of neatly twisted it around the nozzle, and tied some fishing line around it to keep it in place, twisted netting at bottom and cut off the excess netting and tied with line. Sorry if my description is sorely lacking, hard to describe really. Am sure you can sort of figure out what am trying to convey......I hope!
 
Anyway, does the job perfectly fine for me, no shrimps or shrimplets lost through this, I do take it off to give it a bit of a clean every once in a while.
 
Your suggestion of that Fluval filter sponge may work just as well, I just did not think of that!
 
Here's a pic which will hopefully help....
 

 

[l_l_l]

Ah, now I understand your point, just googled a pic of your filter.
 
Was thinking of different filter intake slots.... anyway...
 
I had a similar dilemma with my filter intake nozzle on my main tank, what I did in my case was to get a cheap kid's beach net from LFS.
(a green one in my case to blend in with plants)
 
Cut a square piece of this netting to cover the nozzle, sort of neatly twisted it around the nozzle, and tied some fishing line around it to keep it in place, twisted netting at bottom and cut off the excess netting and tied with line. Sorry if my description is sorely lacking, hard to describe really. Am sure you can sort of figure out what am trying to convey......I hope!
 
Anyway, does the job perfectly fine for me, no shrimps or shrimplets lost through this, I do take it off to give it a bit of a clean every once in a while.
 
Your suggestion of that Fluval filter sponge may work just as well, I just did not think of that!
 
Here's a pic which will hopefully help....
 

I completely see what you mean and did, good idea!
 
I bought the fluval edge sponge, and oh it's making me happy!
I clean it every water change (had to do a bunch over the weekend)
Now I gotta figure out how to make my filter really silent.

 

[Meeresstille]

If it is the noise from the water splasing into the tank you can lessen that by increasing the water level in your tank! The filter itself should not be noisy, I have 2 Aquaclear 50 on one of my tanks and a 20 on the other, they all are very quiet!?

 

[l_l_l]

If it is the noise from the water splasing into the tank you can lessen that by increasing the water level in your tank! The filter itself should not be noisy, I have 2 Aquaclear 50 on one of my tanks and a 20 on the other, they all are very quiet!?

It's actually the noise comming out of the filter itself. It's making a rattling sound which is starting to mess with my patience.
I have found a few ideas, one of them saying to change the impeller assembly with another one (will be getting it tonight.)
I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Rattling noises from a filter tend to be usually either air trapped inside the filter or loose/dirty impeller.
 
Your filter being a HOB type one, so doubtful if its trapped air (unless you can see trapped air inside the intake pipe) so am hopeful its just as simple as replacing the impeller.
 
Do let us know how you get on.

 

[fluttermoth]

I wish I could have a lidless aquarium but my cats would see this as a "endless-water-food-supply"..

I just wanted to say the Edge isn't lidless; there is a pane of glass over the top, with an opening under the lid/lighting unit.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Thats true, I have an Edge myself, still in garage awaiting setting up, the only thing that truly bothers me about the edge, is the access is going be annoying for these corners as won't be able to reach properly for cleaning/maintenance.
 
Am only planning this to be a well planted tank with C02 and Shrimps only.
 
Will wait and see what happens. 

 

[fluttermoth]

The access is a bit of a problem, yes!

I kept forgetting I couldn't just stick my arm in and tweak something without it overflowing!

 

[l_l_l]

Haha you guys are funny!
I might be getting one as a hospital tank..
Not sure tho,  Maybe my cherry red shrimp breeding area?
 
Update on the noise:
I have changed the impeller to the 20G aquaclear and the noise is still present, and I'm not sure if I'm crazy but it seems worse.
Some people are saying I have to let it settle for a few days and the slime would coat the motor making it silent.
I'll try another fix I've seen tonight and see if the noise is less.

 

[l_l_l]

Other update: Changed the impeller shaft as other suggested, still noisy. It's starting to piss me off.
I'll wait two weeks and see if it is any better.

 

[Ch4rlie]

From reading other articles and websites, seem that the Aquaclear is usually pretty good for quite running.
 
Now, I know you have already got a new impeller, have you checked the impeller blades to be sure all ok and no damage also put this impeller ALL the way down and the impeller is full of water?
 
Also a couple of sites says to be sure your intake tube is pushed down as far as it goes, and the plastic housing that sits above the impeller is placed correctly.
 
Since I do not use a Aquaclear filter myself I do not know much about these and hopefully one of these tips above may help, you've probably already done all of these.