AquaClear HOB Filter Owners: Time to Talk "Flow Control"...

I've got two AC 30's. One on a 10g, one on a 20 long. I keep them both at full flow, but keep a piece of AC sponge over the intake on the 10g's AC 30.

I think I get the thought process in regards to keeping the flow control to the minus side, holds water in the filter longer, but at the end of the day, you're still filtering less water keeping the adjustment towards the minus side. Less throughput = less filtration is my thinking.
 
I think their marketing is all hype. It is media dependent on an internal re-circ and what filtration you are talking about. If the particles are so small they pass thru the media, it doesn't matter how many times you push the water thru...it is still not trapped. So it may help some bio filtration but that argument can be saved for those that believe adding fresh O2 from exchanging it with tank water is best. Not a lot of surface area in a 110 open to the air. IMO.
 
got to agree with Bob here.

My thoughts..you need flow to help keep particles suspended in the water column to be picked up by the filter and run through it.
on the flip side reducing the flow maintains contact in the filter to aid in bio activity.. of course my thought ... is the bio filter exists through out the the entire tank.
with this in mind adjust flow for what works in your particular set up.

I generally don't reduce flow unless I'm doing water changes in my 20 longs...the 20 l is short so the high flow disturbs the shallow sand I have on my ram tanks.
 
I personally only reduce flow if, like Star said, it's pushing around finer substrate. This usually happens to me on smaller tanks when the water level drops low from evap and I'm not able to top off right that second. I'm more paranoid since I cap soil for my tanks and I dont want a huge release of the organics into the water column, mostly because it is annoying.

Obviously if the fish are struggling with the flow then I may play around with it too.
 
EdaxFlamma said:
If you want to post a stock list, planting list, and tank size we might be able to give you a more direct answer. However, as previously stated, regardless of the common trends each fish will have its own preferences.
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Per my signature, I have three small-to-medium fancy goldfish in a 60 gallon with no real plants.

Edit: Another way to look at it is this, you can either hope that reducing your flow allows for more particles to get trapped (not entirely sure the fluid mechanics back this idea), or you can hope that by increasing flow the same water will get more passes through the entire filter. I would go with the latter assuming your fish are on board with that idea.
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I'm not sure if slowing the flow to get more particles trapped is better than getting more agitation for the water and there's more movement....
 
Wow thanks fellas for all your input...

Seems the concensus is to keep the AquaClear set to max (+) flow; I just put in two 100ml packs of fresh Purigen (in the AC 110) and have left it at max flow for now...
 
discuspaul said:
That should work best for getting the maximum adsorption efficiency benefit from the Purigen.
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That's what I figured, Paul; thanks.
 
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