# Aquaclear 20 Intake Modification



## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

So, I found this post: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/107257-aquaclear-intake-redone.html about someone moding their AC20 intake so that the sponge is easier to remove. 


>


I would assume there would be some decrease in filter intake strength, but I'd be using this 20g rated filter for a 10g tank.

Had a few questions about this modification:
1. Has anyone else attempted this? Was there a huge issue with decreased filter strength?

2. Is the 5/8" OD of the tubing he used the correct measurement? I'm hoping to buy all the parts before the AC20 filters I ordered arrive, so I won't have the intake on me.

3. Lastly, if I were to further mod the intake so instead of just the *|_* seen in the link, but instead have a *|_| *so that the sponge just gets pulled up and out (really easy to clean and remove) would that cause even more flow reduction to the point the filter won't be really working? Any thoughts on this?

Thanks for looking/commenting/helping 
[STRIKE]_________________________________________________________________________[/STRIKE]
**edit**
So.. I pretty much followed the design from the link I posted above, but instead of buying acrylic and then bending it (don't have the skills to do this haha), I instead when to Home Depot and bought *0.5inch* (NOT 5/8" as the other dude said) PVC pipe and a matching elbow joint.















The 0.5" PVC fits PERFECTLY into both the "U" intake and the extension tube of the AC20 filter. Pretty simple to put together, I super glued all the connections to be sure it doesn't all fall apart in the tank. It is all very snug though. Finished products (made one for each AC20) cost $1.50 each















Notice I the end is off at an angle. This was on purpose due to the fact I want to place the AC20 as close to the edge of the tank as possible. Thus, I didn't want the sponge getting pressed into the glass, making it hard to vac on it and what not. So the end is at a ~35 degree angle.


Tested with the AC20 motor and impeller, works like a charm! Can't really tell a decrease in suction, but then again I wasn't really worried about it and didn't test it without the bend :X.















On a different note, I didn't know the AC20 media cages were so small! I cut a whisper bag in half, filled it with carbon, and then sewn the sides closed to make my own little carbon bags!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

1. I have a Fluval edge and with the prefilter sponge, I haven't noticed a huge decrease in flow.
2. Not sure on the measurement, maybe someone else knows it.
3. I wouldn't think so. Might take longer to prime after a water change, but once it gets going I think it would be fine.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

I would think that finding a tube that would fit the outside would give a better fit then the inside of the Aquaclear. In addition, unless you have a long tank and want to extend it, I don't see a real purpose in getting rid of the intake with slots on it and a sponge over it for a tube with holes in and a sponge over it. Those sponges he used there should fit over the intake of the Aquaclear anyways. I use one of those sponges over one of my filters.

With that said, I will check out what I have for tubing later and test with one of my aquaclears for you.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

mahko said:


> 1. I have a Fluval edge and with the prefilter sponge, I haven't noticed a huge decrease in flow.
> 2. Not sure on the measurement, maybe someone else knows it.
> 3. I wouldn't think so. Might take longer to prime after a water change, but once it gets going I think it would be fine.


My issue isn't with the sponge cutting down on suction because it'll clog sooner or later haha. I was wondering if the increased number of turns would cut down on the suction strength. Initially the AC20 has only 2 turns, I'd be making mine have 4.



GeToChKn said:


> I would think that finding a tube that would fit the outside would give a better fit then the inside of the Aquaclear. In addition, unless you have a long tank and want to extend it, I don't see a real purpose in getting rid of the intake with slots on it and a sponge over it for a tube with holes in and a sponge over it. Those sponges he used there should fit over the intake of the Aquaclear anyways. I use one of those sponges over one of my filters.
> 
> With that said, I will check out what I have for tubing later and test with one of my aquaclears for you.


I wouldn't mind attaching something on the outside but almost all PVC comes with their outer diameter measurement, so I thought it would be easier for that. Mind letting me know the inner and outer dimensions for that "U" shaped intake when you're home ?

I wouldn't do exactly what the person in the link did, but I would like to mod the intake so that the prefilter sponge slides up to replace instead of down towards the bottom of the tank. I would keep the strainer that came with the AC20 and just slip a prefilter over that, but I'd like to not have to reach down all the way if you know what I mean?


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

I find its better at the bottom as it draws in more crap. I run all my aquaclears going length wise on the tank so the water travels along the top of the tank, hits the other side wall, comes back to the bottom, drawing mulm and plant debris into it and then gets sucked to the sponge. Having the intake near the top of the tank won't get in the way of the flow. Flow in your tank should be like a U


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

GeToChKn said:


> I find its better at the bottom as it draws in more crap. I run all my aquaclears going length wise on the tank so the water travels along the top of the tank, hits the other side wall, comes back to the bottom, drawing mulm and plant debris into it and then gets sucked to the sponge. Having the intake near the top of the tank won't get in the way of the flow. Flow in your tank should be like a U


I can't put the filter on the sides of my tank or the hood wouldn't fit . I do have a long bubble curtain that circulates the water in my tank well. I have it angled so the circulation ends up at the filter intake!

I also wouldn't have the intake on the top of the tank, it just wouldn't be pointing downwards if that makes sense. Maybe I should draw a picture...


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Ah. What I do to clean my sponges is take a net and put it under the sponge so that as soon as the suction is lost, everything falls into the net as well as the sponge, lift the tube out, leave the filter running. With no intake and the filter full of water, its just spinning water around. Then I take the sponge, blast it with the shower head and clean it good, soak in some water and add some prime just to make sure its clean and then put it back on the tube, put it in back in the tank and done without having to put my hands in, shut down the filter, or anything. I know I'm killing a bit of bacteria off using the shower, but I find just rinsing them in some water doesn't get them that clean and squeezing the crap out of them just ruins the sponge structure more than anything. The filter is full of bio media and I also run jumbo sponges in all my tanks, and alternate cleaning them, so the bit of bacteria I kill off the intake sponge is minimal and worth it to me to get a nice clean sponge.

Now to do this to connect to a UGF or one of Liam's UGF style filters, that would be a better use of it.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

GeToChKn said:


> Ah. What I do to clean my sponges is take a net and put it under the sponge so that as soon as the suction is lost, everything falls into the net as well as the sponge, lift the tube out, leave the filter running. With no intake and the filter full of water, its just spinning water around. Then I take the sponge, blast it with the shower head and clean it good, soak in some water and add some prime just to make sure its clean and then put it back on the tube, put it in back in the tank and done without having to put my hands in, shut down the filter, or anything. I know I'm killing a bit of bacteria off using the shower, but I find just rinsing them in some water doesn't get them that clean and squeezing the crap out of them just ruins the sponge structure more than anything. The filter is full of bio media and I also run jumbo sponges in all my tanks, and alternate cleaning them, so the bit of bacteria I kill off the intake sponge is minimal and worth it to me to get a nice clean sponge.


Now there's a clever idea. With my old internal filters this was never an option. I had to stick my hands in in order to do anything, which is why I got annoyed haha. Surface of my tank is now litered with floaters to dim the light so I had tons of frogbit sticking to my skin afterwards .

So you remove the entire intake tube as well? So both the "U" and the "|" with the sponge on it? And leave the AC20 running the entire time? It won't blow or anything? Might be easier for me to understand when I have the filter in person but it seems like the water would all leak out?



GeToChKn said:


> Now to do this to connect to a UGF or one of Liam's UGF style filters, that would be a better use of it.


You mean modify the intake with a sponge?


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

The water won't leak out because its not pulling anymore water in, so there is a balance. It's basically like a blender at that point. lol. Yes, I remove the whole U and I piece with a net underneath it to grab all the garbage stuck to the sponge and the sponge itself.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Might just do the elbow bend mod and have it sucking water from the center of my tank instead of the back.

How far is your water line from the output of the filter? Do you have an issue with the AC20's kicking up your netlea substrate?


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## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

I use a plastic drinking cup and pull the sponge down and off the intake. That's after I swat all the shrimp away from it. I leave it running while I clean the sponge, Darwin takes care of the rest. lol


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

fresh.salty said:


> I use a plastic drinking cup and pull the sponge down and off the intake. That's after I swat all the shrimp away from it. I leave it running while I clean the sponge, Darwin takes care of the rest. lol


Guess you don't have tons of floaters that get stuck over your skin when you stick your hand in ?

Btw, do you guys ever reuse the "biomax" bits that come with it? I know it says to get new ones every 2-3 months but can't I just rinse them out (I know the bacteria would die during this) really well and then reuse them?


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## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

diwu13 said:


> Guess you don't have tons of floaters that get stuck over your skin when you stick your hand in


I had duckweed that would cover the tops of three tanks. When I'd clean those sponges they would be covered with duckweed. I'd always have to check my arms before I went home so the wife wouldn't know I was playing in the tanks again. Some look for lipstick, mine looks for duckweed. lol

It's all gone now. If I knew how I got rid of it I could retire. lol


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

haha me too!...
btw I kinda dislike the design of the outflow "waterfall" effect of the filter, is too high making big waves and drown the duckweed D:


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

So how far is your water line compared to the output of the AC20? Something like 1-2in?


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Hm... Should I get ceramic rings or those plastic pot scrubbers for the bacteria?


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## tlyons01 (Nov 23, 2011)

I have 2 aquaclear units in 2 different tanks. I also just use the sponge at the bottom of my 50, I have an extension tube so it is closer to the bottome of my tank. I just read this thread and got some good ideas to try out when cleaning my sponge, thanks to OP for this informational thread. 

As far as the biomax, I personally would rinse out my bio every 3-4 WC in a bucket of old water, just to get out the debris and keep most of the BB. I have been running mine for over 6 months now, and I just got some fluval biomax to replace mine, but instead of replacing the whole bag, I decided to mix 1/2 and 1/2 so that I don't cause a mini cycle. I have only done this one the 20 that I run, but will be doing the same for the 50during WC today. I would recommend that you not replace the all of the media at one time, you would lose too much BB, I think. That is a great thing about the AC units, you can change out one type of filter when ever you want, instead of having to change out the entire media every time..


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

If I were to mod the intake, would I need to silicon the PVC pieces together? Or just kinda make them fit into each other without any sealant like the original extension tube on the intake?


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

diwu13 said:


> If I were to mod the intake, would I need to silicon the PVC pieces together? Or just kinda make them fit into each other without any sealant like the original extension tube on the intake?


Depends, if its a snug fit that you have to push in there tight, shouldn't have to do anything. If its a loosy goosy, then you'd want to secure it. I tried last night and it fit very snug inside a 3/4" piece of PVC, which gave me ideas for one of Liam's UGF filters connected right to an aquaclear. lol.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I guess the issue with having the 3/4" PVC outside the intake instead of having the 5/8" PVS inside would be the elbow connecter on the bottom. Using the larger PVC would result in a huge elbow . Then I can't be sure the extension that comes with the AC20 would fit back in. I was hoping it to cut it to fit.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

GeToChKn said:


> I tried last night and it fit very snug inside a 3/4" piece of PVC, which gave me ideas for one of Liam's UGF filters connected right to an aquaclear. lol.


This would be a pretty good idea. I dont' know if the AC would have anywhere enough intake strength to power a UGF though. All those bends and long PVC sections would cut the strength back a TON!

Btw, you run AC20's on a 10g tank? Did you have to dial the intake back a bit?


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Well, I finished my mod on the intake ! I edited the OP as well for people who happen to stumble upon this in the future.

So.. I pretty much followed the design from the link I posted above, but instead of buying acrylic and then bending it (don't have the skills to do this haha), I instead when to Home Depot and bought *0.5inch* (NOT 5/8" as the other dude said) PVC pipe and a matching elbow joint.















The 0.5" PVC fits PERFECTLY into both the "U" intake and the extension tube of the AC20 filter. Pretty simple to put together, I super glued all the connections to be sure it doesn't all fall apart in the tank. It is all very snug though. Finished products (made one for each AC20) cost $1.50 each















Notice I the end is off at an angle. This was on purpose due to the fact I want to place the AC20 as close to the edge of the tank as possible. Thus, I didn't want the sponge getting pressed into the glass, making it hard to vac on it and what not. So the end is at a ~35 degree angle.


Tested with the AC20 motor and impeller, works like a charm! Can't really tell a decrease in suction, but then again I wasn't really worried about it and didn't test it without the bend :X.















On a different note, I didn't know the AC20 media cages were so small! I cut a whisper bag in half, filled it with carbon, and then sewn the sides closed to make my own little carbon bags!


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## Jevago (Dec 28, 2017)

nice


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