Aquaclear 110 bypass?

[apastuszak]

I just switched out my Eheim 2215 for an Aquaclear 110. I moved over as much of the Substrat Pro as I could into a media bag. Fired it up and got immediate bypass. The water level in the filter is higher than the basket, so water on the impeller side can freely flow to the output side across the top of the media basket frame.

Is this bypass? If it is, how do I help minimize it?

 

[FreshyFresh]

Andy, my guess would be the media you have in there is too restrictive, so the pump discharge is following the path of least resistance and bypassing the media.

 

[apastuszak]

The only thing in there is the sponge and a bag of Substrat Pro. Maybe there is too much Substrat Pro? The Substrat Pro fills most if the compartment.

 

[dougall]

how does it work if you remove the media?

Try one or the other, I don't think either should restrict the flow that much.

 

[apastuszak]

There's a LOT of Substrat Pro in there. Probably way more than I need.

 

[dougall]

It should be big (and clean) enough that it could be totally full without a problem.

 

[apastuszak]

I set it up yesterday, so the sponge should be clean. I wonder if the round Substrat Pro is packed too tight. I have some Hagen media here, but obviously it's not seeded. I could prop up an AC70 and fill it with biomedia for a few weeks just to seed it and then swap the two.

 

[dougall]

Can't you just take one or the other out to tell where the problem is?

Not sure anybody makes any sort of filter media that doesn't allow water to flow through it if clean...

 

[apastuszak]

There is no bypass with the sponge. Only with the Substrat Pro.

This is how much Substrat Pro I have in it:

 

[fishorama]

My guess is your bag of Substrat Pro doesn't go all the way to the corners. This allows some higher flow in the corners but for the most area the flow is slowed so it dumps out around the intake as the path of least resistance. I hope that makes sense...