Emperor 400 & Aquaclear 70 Maintinace

[monicatetra]

I recently just set these two filters up on a 75 gallon (the tank is still cycling and has no inhabitants besides a few plants), and was wondering how often I need to clean them.

The Emperor 400 instructions say to clean the impeller, spray bar, and intake tube every month, and to replace the filter cartridge every 2-4 weeks. I was wondering how often I need to replace the carbon in the filter and if I should alternate replacing the two inserts or replace both at once?

The AquaClear instructions say every 3 months to clean the motor. It also says to clean out the case and intake tube but doesn't tell me how often to do it. I would like to know how often to clean out the case and how often I need to replace the filter media.

THANKS!

[bradlgt21]

With the aquaclears you can usually tell when they are needing maintenance because the water level inside the filter will drop because they flow isn't 100%. Or just whenever you have a little bit of free time, the Aquaclears don't take long to clean.

[TL1000RSquid]

The AC if you have to run the carbon should probably be replaced every 3-4 weeks, I never replace the media in mine I run sponges, purigen and biomax stuff. I clean the housing and tubing when it starts looking dirty.

The 400 takes 2 cart's? Alternating them is best, but since you have the AC as well as long as one of them has media thats a week or two old in it your ok.

[excuzzzeme]

I don't use carbon nor do I use the cartridges. I pack mine with poly fiber which seems to do a better job and is far less costly. I clean them out whenever the flow slows noticeably. Is simple to see when the spray bars need cleaning. The holes in it get plugged up. For the 400, I clean only one side at a time and alternate their cleanings. On the AC's I use double sponges, no carbon, regular amount of bio rings.

[discuspaul]

- The filter compartments, intake tubes, and impeller assembly should be cleaned about once a month, or every 6 weeks.
Remove all the media temporarily, and siphon out all the crud from the filter compartments. Remove the intake tubes and clean them using a brush(es) you can purchase specifically to do this. The impeller motor & asssembly needs to be removed, taken apart & cleaned with paper towelling & rinsed well. Use toothpicks or a slim bamboo skewer(s) to get into the impeller shaft itself.
Media: ( Alternating the cleaning/discarding of each media component between wcs & the filters if you use more than one)
- Sponges should be rinsed in a bucket in water taken (siphoned out) from the tank about every 2 weeks or so. Same for bio-balls, or ceramic cylinder rings.
- Purigen should be removed and re-generated about every 3 weeks.
- Carbon filter cartridges should be well rinsed every 3 weeks or so, and replaced with new cartridges every 3 or 4 months.
- Filter floss should be discarded and replaced with new about every 2 weeks.
- Fine mesh pre-filter sponges should be rinsed weekly or more frequently.
Hope this helps you.

[TL1000RSquid]

- Purigen should be removed and re-generated about every 3 weeks.

Purigen should be able to go a couple months between regen's unless your using a real tiny amount.

[discuspaul]

Purigen should be able to go a couple months between regen's unless your using a real tiny amount.

That depends on a lot of tank variables, and is a matter of opinion.
Using Purigen for as long as a couple of months, adsorbs all the impurities it can handle, and results in saturation of the particulates to a degree that the Purigen has lost most, if not all, of it's effectiveness, long before the 2 months are up. I re-generate long before the Purigen gets very dark brown or black, and find that works most effectively for me.

[TL1000RSquid]

That depends on a lot of tank variables, and is a matter of opinion.
Using Purigen for as long as a couple of months, adsorbs all the impurities it can handle, and results in saturation of the particulates to a degree that the Purigen has lost most, if not all, of it's effectiveness, long before the 2 months are up. I re-generate long before the Purigen gets very dark brown or black, and find that works most effectively for me.

Water quality here is pretty decent, usually at the 2 month mark its brown but not real dark, I do find if you let it go to long regen doesn't always bring it back to almost new looking so I try not to let it run that long.

Discus being sensitive I can see doing it more frequent for that kind of setup.

[SubRosa]

Easy trick for cleaning the spraybars on Emperors is to remove the bar and placing the open end in the tank shake it rapidly up and down a few times.