Help With Aquaclear 50 Filter

[macphyter]

   I've been trying to do a fishless cycle with a new 20 gal tank, but I'm having a little trouble with it.  I won't dive into those details here, its been discussed on other threads, but while I was thinking about what I can do to help, I started looking more closely at my filter.  Its a brand new AquaClear 50.  I skimmed the instructions when I set it up, and I figured I had it all set up right, but there's this lever which changes the flow level. According to the instructions, you push it to the left to increase flow, and to the right to decrease flow.  The info for this filter also talks about how it recycles water through the filter more when its set at a low flow level.  Anyway, I realized that I don't totally understand how this works.
   The water comes through the U tube into the first chambe where the impeller is.  Then, I assume that the water flows down to the bottom of the filter and comes up through the media, and spills back out into the tank.  What I don't understand is that when I move the lever all the way to the left for full flow, it appears that the first chamber of water fills up too fast, and some water spills across into the top of the media chamber and out to the tank.  Is this normal?  It seems like there's a bunch of water that's bypassing the filter completely.  This might explain my problems getting the tank to cycle. 
   Also, if some of the water is supposed to get recycled when it's set to low flow, I would expect it to overflow in the other direction, from the media chamber to the intake chamber.  This isn't happening.
 
Am I missing something?  Does this sound normal?  I've set it up according to the instructions:  The foam pad is at the bottom, the charcoal is in the middle, and the biomedia is at the top. 

 

[fredpb]

I have the Aquaclear 20.  At full setting, it does overflow from take in chamber over into the release chamber.  The whole water cycle is based upon gravity and water levels in different chambers.  When I set the flow lever to less flow, it does not overflow, but gets completely filtered.
 
If you look at the filter, there is a "barrier" between input and output chambers.  It has a notch in it.  When the input flow is too high, it spills directly into the output section, above the filter media.  I think in this case you get a "mix" of water out of the filter, filtered water and unfiltered bypassed water.
 
The filter media can create enough resistance to flow so you really can't use it at "max capacity".
 
If you want a LOT of flow, I guess you would need a larger filter/filter surface area.  The Aquaclear 20 is far superior the the cruddy filter I had before, that used "vertical" media inserts.
 
I don't know enough about filters to know which one is most efficient.   If I had a "bigger tank", I might consider a "canister" type filter, or an internal filter that passes 100% of water through media.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

The part about slow vs rapid flow and why slower can be better has to do with dwell time (a term most commonly associated with UV sterilizers. The bacteria need their ammonia/nitrite but they also need inorganic carbon and oxygen and a bit of iron. The only wat they get this is fromthe water passing around them. The bacteria do not go out for dinner, they need it delivered. The faster the water moves through the filter (or across/through anywhere they colonize, the less time they have to extract what they need.
 
There is a second factor about most folks are unaware. The bacteria lives in a bio-film they create. It is how they stay attached to hard surfaces. Other bacteria live in the same bio-film as well. Without going into more detail about how it all works, one should be aware of what is called shear force. If the current is too strong it can cause pieces of the bio-film to detach and go floating off. So maximum flow rates are not necessarily so good. Normally filter design takes this into account.
 
I run a lot of AquaClears. That back/up overflow you describe is caused by a failure to keep the media clean. Sponges need regular rinsing and floss must be changed as well. If you allow the flow to be impeded enough the result is a back up and spillage from the intake chamber. if you let things get really dirty, the media basket will actually lift in its chamber and push up the lid. rinse your media weekly for best results with any power filter, sponge filter, internal filter and all pre-filter/intake sponges. Sumps and canisters are a different story.
 
Just an FYI- in all my 25 running AC filters I use the same media- floss and sponges. When they first started to include the BioMax media, I used to throw it away and just stuck with my two sponge and floss loads. I now save if for a friend who wants it. All it did, imo, was allow Hagen to charge more for their product.

 

[macphyter]

I run a lot of AquaClears. That back/up overflow you describe is caused by a failure to keep the media clean. Sponges need regular rinsing and floss must be changed as well. If you allow the flow to be impeded enough the result is a back up and spillage from the intake chamber. if you let things get really dirty, the media basket will actually lift in its chamber and push up the lid. rinse your media weekly for best results with any power filter, sponge filter, internal filter and all pre-filter/intake sponges. Sumps and canisters are a different story.
 
Just an FYI- in all my 25 running AC filters I use the same media- floss and sponges. When they first started to include the BioMax media, I used to throw it away and just stuck with my two sponge and floss loads. I now save if for a friend who wants it. All it did, imo, was allow Hagen to charge more for their product.

 
So, it sounds like the lower flow setting is a better choice, because I'll get more dwell time, and no overflow from the intake chamber.  So you don't use the Bio media at all?  Your bacteria lives in the sponge and floss? 

 

[Meeresstille]

I also use Aquaclear filters and have removed the carbon filters on both of them! Not sure if that helps the flow, but carbon filters are usually used for removing medications from the water once they're no longer necessary. Also, carbon filters become less active over time, I believe it is something like 3 months, after that they are no longer able to remove anything.

 

[macphyter]

 

Just an FYI- in all my 25 running AC filters I use the same media- floss and sponges. When they first started to include the BioMax media, I used to throw it away and just stuck with my two sponge and floss loads. I now save if for a friend who wants it. All it did, imo, was allow Hagen to charge more for their product.

 
So, it sounds like the lower flow setting is a better choice, because I'll get more dwell time, and no overflow from the intake chamber.  So you don't use the Bio media at all?  Your bacteria lives in the sponge and floss? 
 

 
TTA-  I read in another of your posts that you change the floss weekly.  So, am I understanding correctly that you just run your Aquaclear with floss and two sponges?  Your bacteria are all in the sponges?