Classic Aquarium Equipment

[apastuszak]

I'm interested in compiling a list of "classic" aquarium equipment. This stuff would be equipment that's still the same as the day it came out years ago, and is still being manufactured.

Two products that come to mind are the Aquaclear line of power filters and the Eheim Classic Canister filters.

What other equipment can we add to this list?

 

[dudley]

Both filter brands you posted have been produced for years but have been updated or modified somewhat from the original models.

 

[downloader]

nets. siphon tubes,sponge filters,air pumps,power heads

 

[apastuszak]

The only change I know of to the Aquacleat line is the number scheme. I have a 300 from the 80s and a 110 I bought just a few months ago, and they appear identical.

 

[Narwhal72]

In the mid 80's there was a design revision to Aquaclears. It used to be that the filter media was arranged vertically as opposed to horizontally as it is now. Try looking for information on Aquaclear 610 (which later became the 200 and then the model 50) and you might find something.

The original Aquaclears had a translucent brown housing with a different filter basket.

Although Tetra has made a lot of minor changes back and forth, the basic Whisper power filter from the early 80's (arguably the first "self priming" power filter) is still pretty much the same as when it was originally sold by Willinger Bro's.

Don't forget that Aqueon/All Glass Aquarium aquariums and light hoods are pretty much identical to how they were originally made going back to the 1970's.

Same with the basic Marineland/Perfecto aquariums and fluorescent hoods too.

Andy

 

[Narwhal72]

Found a link to a picture of an original Aquaclear 610!
http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/general-discussion/146625-craigslist-strikes-again.html

 

[apastuszak]

Found a link to a picture of an original Aquaclear 610!
http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/general-discussion/146625-craigslist-strikes-again.html

That's pretty cool!

But that's a whole different model. The motor looks like the old Marineland, where the motor covers the whole bottom and has a rotating magnetic disc on it. The inside of the filter had a piece that covered the bottom and had an "impeller" on it, which was a matching rotating magnet with fins on it. When the motor spun, it would spin the impeller inside. The box was completely sealed and the two magnets never touched. The magnetic attraction of the two is all that made thing spin. I'm sure it was very energy inefficient.

I always thought it would be cool to set up a website where you can read about old Aquarium tech, see pictures of the product and the box it came in and be able to download the instruction manual.

 

[Rbishop]

That's pretty cool!

But that's a whole different model. The motor looks like the old Marineland, where the motor covers the whole bottom and has a rotating magnetic disc on it. The inside of the filter had a piece that covered the bottom and had an "impeller" on it, which was a matching rotating magnet with fins on it. When the motor spun, it would spin the impeller inside. The box was completely sealed and the two magnets never touched. The magnetic attraction of the two is all that made thing spin. I'm sure it was very energy inefficient.

I always thought it would be cool to set up a website where you can read about old Aquarium tech, see pictures of the product and the box it came in and be able to download the instruction manual.

Which isn't much different than an impeller shaft sticking in the rotor area of a motor...

 

[apastuszak]

True. But it is a lot more moving parts and has bearing that need lubrication. I think the Marineland one was a belt drive instead of direct drive.

The electromagnetic motor and impeller were a huge improvement over this older design.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Agreed. The first hang on back power filter I owned was in the late 70's. DynaFlow I believe. It had the fan cooled motor that spun a metal disk. The impeller and magnet rode in a circular plastic cage in the HOB tank.