# Does anyone use a pre filter sponge on your AC 70?



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I started by using the Aquaclear sponges with an X cut most of the way through to slip over the intake of most of the filters. Then I went to a product for ponds that is a much coarser sponge. I cut it to the size I wanted. The sponge starts out a pretty garish blue, but darkens rather quickly to a dark grey sort of shade that is very well camouflaged in the background of the tank. 

Simply cut an X through whatever sponge you want. Do not remove any material, and be careful to keep the X as small as possible at the top. The few where the knife slipped need to be held on with a rubber band.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I use sponge prefilters on both my AC20's in my shrimp tanks to stop babies from getting sucked in. I use fluval edge prefilters. They are black and fit snuggly, so I'm not sure how you got white ones ?

I could've sworn the AC70 has the same intake tube as both the AC20 and AC50. At least on their website it lists it as such?

If you really want something great you could buy a stainless steel prefilter but it costs $15 each.


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## tlyons01 (Nov 23, 2011)

Diana said:


> I started by using the Aquaclear sponges with an X cut most of the way through to slip over the intake of most of the filters. Then I went to a product for ponds that is a much coarser sponge. I cut it to the size I wanted. The sponge starts out a pretty garish blue, but darkens rather quickly to a dark grey sort of shade that is very well camouflaged in the background of the tank.
> 
> Simply cut an X through whatever sponge you want. Do not remove any material, and be careful to keep the X as small as possible at the top. The few where the knife slipped need to be held on with a rubber band.


I wondered how much larger the pond sponge products were compared to aquarium use ones, are you able to find them locally where you are? I might have to make a trip out to some of my local lfs so I can see myself the size difference. Thanks for the great idea


diwu13 said:


> I use sponge prefilters on both my AC20's in my shrimp tanks to stop babies from getting sucked in. I use fluval edge prefilters. They are black and fit snuggly, so I'm not sure how you got white ones ?
> 
> I could've sworn the AC70 has the same intake tube as both the AC20 and AC50. At least on their website it lists it as such?
> 
> If you really want something great you could buy a stainless steel prefilter but it costs $15 each.


I also use the fluval pre filters and for the AC 20 and AC50, they fit with ease and maybe a little work for the 50. I was also under the impression that they were the same, though everything is wider, the box the tubes. Probably twice as large around as the AC20 tubes, I'd say.
The white ones were from the AC20 sponge media, I made a cut in the sponge and used that as a prefilter, but do not care for the debris and mulm making it dingy looking after a few days. Not sure I want to use the SS mesh, I like to squeeze the mulm out of the pre filter when I have young fry in a separate tank.

Thanks for the idea though, I appreciate all suggestions


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

I use the Fluval Edge pre-filters on a small tank with an AC 20, and also on my larger tank with both an AC 70 and an AC 110. It's a little tighter fit on the 70 and 110 but they work just fine.
They loosen up after a while and are great.


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

An Aquaclear sponge can be drilled with a piece of 1" rigid tubing. 
Twist it into the sponge and it will core a hole though the sponge. Don't go all the way through. You can feel it as you twist it in. I reach inside the hole while compressing the core and pull it apart. The Aqauclear intake is just enough larger than 1" rigid that the sponge fits nicely. 7/8" tubing makes a tighter fitting pre-filter.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

The filter sponge material I start with has no name, the LFS sells it in a clear plastic bag. It is roughly the same size as the Aquaclear 110 sponge, but coarser cell size. I cut that into about 8 pieces roughly the size of the AC50 sponges. You sure could make it any size you want, or leave it whole for a much larger sponge filter. But for a pre-filter it does not have to be all that big. 

Do not drill a hole in the sponges, just cut an X to slip the filter intake into. The material starts stretching, so if you start with a small hole and it gets larger that is not a problem. I have a lot of these (both the Aquaclear material and the coarser sponge) that are over 5 years old and still going great.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> An Aquaclear sponge can be drilled with a piece of 1" rigid tubing.
> Twist it into the sponge and it will core a hole though the sponge. Don't go all the way through. You can feel it as you twist it in. I reach inside the hole while compressing the core and pull it apart. The Aqauclear intake is just enough larger than 1" rigid that the sponge fits nicely. 7/8" tubing makes a tighter fitting pre-filter.


That's quite interesting - but please explain more - by rigid tubing, do you mean something like 7/8" siphon hose tubing, open at both ends ?
I can see that kind of material fitting well into the core of the Edge pre-filter and providing a rigid center so that it doesn't collapse on itself after collecting a lot of waste, and thus reducing/impeding the filter flow .... and the tapered cylindrical end of the AC intake tube would allow water flow to continue readily moving into the filter itself. ? Is my take correct ?


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## Syncmaster (Feb 22, 2008)

I use the Fluval Edge pre-filters on my AQ70. The intake tube is much larger than the 20/50, but all it takes is a little stretching to fit. Looks really nice being round/black. Check out my 45-f journal for pics.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I use the Fluval Edge pre-filters on my AC 20/50 but also my Eheim 2234 which is much bigger than the intake on the AC's. They will stretch pretty easily. My only reason for not finding a better solution is I can buy the pre-filters at almost any fish store in my area and I do like to replace them after awhile as they get clogged more quickly after cleaning over time.


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## JeoSo (Mar 13, 2012)

I use the Filter Max Prefilters from American Aquarium Products. I haven't had them long but so far they are working great. Love that I don't have plant material and snails plugging up the intakes.


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## Syncmaster (Feb 22, 2008)

talontsiawd said:


> I use the Fluval Edge pre-filters on my AC 20/50 but also my Eheim 2234 which is much bigger than the intake on the AC's. They will stretch pretty easily. My only reason for not finding a better solution is I can buy the pre-filters at almost any fish store in my area and I do like to replace them after awhile as they get clogged more quickly after cleaning over time.


I've found that if you clean them from the inside out, they tend to get clogged less often. This way you are blowing debris out, where it is stuck, as opposed to the other way around. Although nothing can replace...regular replacement.

Not sure if that makes sense...


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## tlyons01 (Nov 23, 2011)

Syncmaster said:


> I've found that if you clean them from the inside out, they tend to get clogged less often. This way you are blowing debris out, where it is stuck, as opposed to the other way around. Although nothing can replace...regular replacement.
> 
> Not sure if that makes sense...


Made perfect sense to me. Tell me though, how do you clean them from the inside out, without using the faucet? I try not to kill off any BB in them by using tank water when I clean them up. Occasionally I will run it under the faucet for the pressure, when I am not concerned about that. I have made changed recently, so I don't want to take any chances while the filters build back up.

I really appreciate everyone's examples. I haven't gone to the pet store yet, as I know I will want more than a filter and I haven't an empty QT tank! Will be in a few days. In the mean time I just reverted to using the Fluval I had on the 50, just stretched. Maybe it's time for a new one, as it clogs pretty easily now and slows the flow too much...


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

I think I've mentioned before, tlyons, that Fluval Edge pre-filters are very fine mesh, and do an excellent job of picking up a great deal of free-floating material, thus assisting a lot in producing water clarity, as well as keeping the media within the filter itself relatively clean, so that rinsing that media is needed a lot less frequently.
The down-side is, they must be rinsed often - I do mine 3 X a week at least, just takes but a minute.
I've used them that way for months at a time, before they get too stretched & skewed out of keeping their shape and effectiveness, and need to be replaced.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

discuspaul said:


> I think I've mentioned before, tlyons, that Fluval Edge pre-filters are very fine mesh, and do an excellent job of picking up a great deal of free-floating material, thus assisting a lot in producing water clarity, as well as keeping the media within the filter itself relatively clean, so that rinsing that media is needed a lot less frequently.
> The down-side is, they must be rinsed often - I do mine 3 X a week at least, just takes but a minute.
> I've used them that way for months at a time, before they get too stretched & skewed out of keeping their shape and effectiveness, and need to be replaced.


Yup. I gave up using mine. Too fine and clog too fast.Find if you have 1 tank to work on but if you have 10 sponges to clean, you want to keep track of what sponge is where to help contaminating another tank, etc. I found rinsing them in tank water or treated water didn't get them that clean and I had to wash them with my showerhead, therefore killing any bacteria benefits they had anyways. I've recently been switching them over to just take a body loofa thing, unraveling the mesh and wrapping the mesh around the intake a few times to avoid shrimp getting sucked in, zip tying that in place. So far, been a week and haven't had to clean anything. Better than 10 sponges 3x a week.


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

discuspaul said:


> That's quite interesting - but please explain more - by rigid tubing, do you mean something like 7/8" siphon hose tubing, open at both ends ?
> I can see that kind of material fitting well into the core of the Edge pre-filter and providing a rigid center so that it doesn't collapse on itself after collecting a lot of waste, and thus reducing/impeding the filter flow .... and the tapered cylindrical end of the AC intake tube would allow water flow to continue readily moving into the filter itself. ? Is my take correct ?


You got it. I like coring the sponge as they fit snugly, but aren't compressed like you'd get by just cutting an X with a knife. 

Because of the tapered end on the AC70 and AC110 intakes, you can tell when the sponge really needs to be cleaned as the bottom will have collapsed inward.


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