# AcquaClear 500



## pdoyle2 (Sep 17, 2009)

I have been using penguin filters for a long time now. I am going to be setting up a 55gal soon and was wondering if my penguin 150 could handle it or not. there will only be 2 or 3 goldfish in the tank. I have an acquaclear 500 and i guess they changed the name to 110. is that overkill? if so, how does that work? i see a bunch of filter/sponge inserts but dont know exactly how it all works.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

The Penguin 150 is way too small for a 55g tank. The Aquaclear filter is perfect for that tank. If its too strong for the fish, you can always turn the flow rate down on it.


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## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

It's hard to overkill filtration in a goldfish tank.  I think the aquaclear 110 and the Penguin 150 will be just about perfect. You want your filters to do at least 10x per hour as there is water in the tank with goldfish because they're filthy. So 55 gallons = 550 gallons per hour. You'll have 650 which is great. 

With the aquaclear filters you put the sponge piece in first, shove it all the way down so it's flush on all sides, then the carbon pack on top of that, then the biomax bag on top of the carbon.


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## AquariumTech (Oct 12, 2010)

There is no such thing as too much filtration, but there is such thing as too much flow from filtration (that though is dictated by how much flow the fish in the tank prefer).


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## pdoyle2 (Sep 17, 2009)

So I think I have decided to go with the Aquaclear 500 I already have. It annoys me they changed the name to 110, took me a few to figure that out! One question I have is how does the filter area work? I get that you need the 3 filters, but I was looking at the dimensions of the inserts and it seems to me that they all don't fit snugly in there. Are they supposed to be loosely packed in there or am I looking at the wrong insert? I have been using amazon fyi. If I were to get these which ones should I get? Sorry that I need my hand to be held here, but money is tight and I don't want to buy anything I don't need.


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## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

The sponge part should fit in snugly. The other two you have to kind of spread them out.


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## AquariumTech (Oct 12, 2010)

The sponge should fit pretty dam snug in there, then the carbon should be somewhat in there, and the Bio-Max should be pretty much loose at the top. 

You just need to get the AquaClear 110 stuff. Now you can run the stock setup, which is good, or if you wanted you can run other medias in there. Thats part of the beauty of AquaClears. Like I said there is nothing wrong with the stock setup which I will list exactly what you need bellow. In fact I have a 110 that I still have a stock media setup on.

You need:
AC 110 Sponge or 1st layer or mechanical filtration. 
AC 110 Carbon (product is in a box, but carbon fits in the filter as a bag) or 2nd layer or chemical filtration.
AC 110 Bio-Max or 3rd layer or biological filtration

Now just so your not confused where I say "or" that just might be another name it is listed as, or in the description, so you can find what you need easier.

READ : The Bio-Max specifically for the AC 110 might be hard to find, because I know for other models, they really dont make it anymore; reason being is you never really need to replace the stock ones. So what you might have to do is, buy the regular Fluval Bio-Max (for the canister filters like the 304s, 405s, and etc.), then get some kind of media bag. For a media bag you just need a very very open mesh or some kind of weave to hold the bio-max in your filter. NOW if you get the actual AC 110 bio-max, you wont need to worry about any of that, it will come with everything you need.


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## pdoyle2 (Sep 17, 2009)

Thanks aquarium tech. I really do appreciate it, and I promise I'm smarter than the previous post make me sound! I'll upload pictures in the next month or so once the tank is set up and running.


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## AquariumTech (Oct 12, 2010)

Its alright man, thats why there are forums. I dont judge peoples smarts per-say on how much they know, but how they use their knowledge and learn. There are some people around, you could give them the answer 50 times, and they still will ask "what?", so I dont think anyone on here took you for stupid. 

Anyways, good luck with your tank! Show us the goods when you get it all setup.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

A lot of people don't do chemical filtration, since it is only really necessary to take medications out of the water. Instead they put a second mechanical filter in the middle spot. It helps with mechanical and biological filtration.


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## AquariumTech (Oct 12, 2010)

bmlbytes said:


> A lot of people don't do chemical filtration, since it is only really necessary to take medications out of the water. Instead they put a second mechanical filter in the middle spot. It helps with mechanical and biological filtration.


Sure but theres really no reason not to. Chemical filtration isnt limited to carbon, plus carbon is highly underrated.


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