# aquaclear filters with sand substrate



## gillman

Hi I just bought an aquaclear filter from amazon. I have been watching some reviews on youtube and some say that sand can make your filter noisy. i would like to hear some of your experiences with aquaclear filters.


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## TheOldSalt

If sand gets sucked into the filter, then yeah, it will grind your motor.


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## lohachata

think of it this way......sandpaper...moving parts...bye bye..


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## gillman

Thanks guys 1more question should I use a prefilter to prevent the sand from getting into the motor.


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## weedkiller

if it will help then maybe its a better idea or just get a gravel that wont be sucked up so easy


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## Jaysee

Using a larger grain, heavier sand like pool filter sand and tahitian moon sand will not cause a problem, in my experience. You want to avoid fine sands that can be carried away in the current. 


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## TheOldSalt

Otherwise, yes, wrap a sponge around your intake tube.


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## emc7

sponge "pre-filter" is the way to go. Squeeze it out in the waste water when you do a water change. Buy one (ati and fluval sell them) or put a hole in another piece of aquaclear sponge and put it over the intake. 

Sand in the impeller well grinds the impeller and the plastic filter box making the impeller loose and noisy and less efficient. The only filters not as affected are ones with the impeller in the lid like a fluval canister since the sand falls through and sits in the bottom. Most HOBs and several canisters have the impeller at the bottom of the filter and every single stray grain of sand ends up in the hole with the impeller.


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## Jaysee

I don't know of any canisters that have the impeller at the bottom, but I've only used 5 brands. Which ones have them on the bottom?

Most canisters are impervious to sand because the motor is in the filter head (top) and the water has already been through all the stages of filtration before it reaches the impeller.


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## gillman

Jaysee is play sand a fine sand? Because that is what is in the tank now.


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## Jaysee

I've only tried to use two brands of play sand - the first was an ugly grey color so I tossed that. The second was a better color, but by the time I was done washing it, all the softness was gone and what remained was rather sharp, so I didn't use that either. Lots of people like their play sand though, so it's probably a brand thing. The play sands that I tried were perhaps a little finer than pool filter sand, but still heavy enough to stay put.

The caribsea supernaturals moonlight sand (white) is the finest sand I've ever seen - beach sand fine. If I fish on the bottom darted across the tank, there was a cloud of sand in the water that would float on down to the filter intake. I could not keep bottom dwellers in the tank for that reason. Once I switched to a canister though, all was fine.


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## gillman

OK thanks! i think that the play sand i am using is fine. Even though the fish in the tank are cichlids who dig a lot.


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## Jaysee

As long as you aren't seeing the sand float away in the current you'll be fine.

Still, something I did when I ran aquaclears is get a second motor for the filter. All the smaller ones are the same size motor, just different impellers. The 70 and the 110 both have their own specific motors. Anyways, with the extra motor you can swap it out if any sand gets in there. I found it easier to clean the motor when it was dry.


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