If you own a Hagen AquaClear HOB filter, please sign in and indicate what model you have and what you keep the "flow control" valve set to atop the filter's cover -- I'm trying to get a handle on what the "best" setting is for my 110 model because the information about these that's out there is confusing at best. Some hobbyists and professionals claim they to HAVE to run these full-steam, wide open, maximum flow ALL the time for turnover rates...while there's just as many that state these should ALWAYS be run at lowest flow/slowest return as that polishes and filters the water better due to increased exposure time to media and bacteria...
I can't figure out where my flow control knob should be set to on my 110; keeping it all the way on max flow seems to create a large current in my tank that my fancy goldfish don't seem to care for when they pass it, yet keeping it on low flow makes the filter much noisier with the bubbles being sucked into it from the bar below the intake (a subject for another time) and then I'm afraid the filter won't be turning over the maximum amount of water per hour for filtration duties. I understand the notion of the water being filtered better by having more contact time with the media on low flow, but does this affect the tank's health at all? I notice that on low flow, the intake moves over the impeller in such a way it reduces the "force" of the intake's sucking motion, letting more debris escape that passes near the intake strainer...this can't be good, can it?
Hagen themselves actually make this whole thing more confusing because THEIR literature on these filters state "more crystal clear and sparkling water" CAN be achieved by leaving the flow REDUCED; I'm not sure where this flow control knob should be set, with all this conflicting information...
What do all you AquaClear owners do...and why? :bowing:
I can't figure out where my flow control knob should be set to on my 110; keeping it all the way on max flow seems to create a large current in my tank that my fancy goldfish don't seem to care for when they pass it, yet keeping it on low flow makes the filter much noisier with the bubbles being sucked into it from the bar below the intake (a subject for another time) and then I'm afraid the filter won't be turning over the maximum amount of water per hour for filtration duties. I understand the notion of the water being filtered better by having more contact time with the media on low flow, but does this affect the tank's health at all? I notice that on low flow, the intake moves over the impeller in such a way it reduces the "force" of the intake's sucking motion, letting more debris escape that passes near the intake strainer...this can't be good, can it?
Hagen themselves actually make this whole thing more confusing because THEIR literature on these filters state "more crystal clear and sparkling water" CAN be achieved by leaving the flow REDUCED; I'm not sure where this flow control knob should be set, with all this conflicting information...
What do all you AquaClear owners do...and why? :bowing: