Will Prefilter Silence a Noisy HOB From Sucked-Up Bubbles?

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Kaskade10729

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Jun 16, 2013
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My AquaClear 110's intake tube is sitting directly above one of my 18-inch bubble bars (there are two of them) running across the back of my 60-gallon, and because of this, the filter makes an awful crunching noise as the bubbles are being sucked in; I had the same issue with my other HOB on the other side of the tank, an Aqueon QuietFlow 75, but I managed to move the bar over there away from the intake tube...I also had the exact same problem when I set up this tank last time, being that it's a VERY narrow and tall Marineland show-style aquarium (so there isn't a lot of room to play with in the back in terms of placing the bubble bars).

Aside from yanking the bars out or attempting to completely move them out of the way of the intake tube of the AquaClear (that's not going to be possible, either, really because of the tiny width/depth of this tank and the fact that we have a large pirate shipwreck ornament in the center), would slipping a prefilter over the 110's intake tube eliminate the bubbles being sucked in, or at least quiet it down?
 

dougall

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Mar 29, 2005
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Maybe eliminate them.

But ultimately not really.

My personal preference is to not use bubble wands, air stones or whatever. Unless there's a really good reason.
 
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FreshyFresh

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I too would eliminate the bubble wand assuming you're just using it for looks.

A waste of energy and water for the most part.
 
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Kaskade10729

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Kaskade10729

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Funny I just got replies to this thread; I just returned from Petco to see if they had the Fluval Edge prefilter and they didn't....the associate instead gave me some floss which he said could be cut to slip over the intake or up in the tube. I used it for extra media in the AC110 instead, between the sponge and the Biomax.

As for getting rid of the bars, it's a preference; we like them in there, so I need to find another solution to the issue of the bubbles being sucked in.

A prefilter like the Fluval one seen here won't work?

1593984536911.png
 

dougall

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Mar 29, 2005
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What does this mean?
I assume a mixture of fat fingers and autocorrect.

it may reduce the bubbles getting into the intake, but ultimately it will not completely eliminate them, and all you will do is to prolong the time between the filter starting, and the time to cause the build up of enough gas to cause problems with the impeller.

A prefilter will stop floating matter getting into the filter, just like regular filter media will stop it getting through. bubbles are not solid, and so will get into the filter. so move or remove the bubbles, or deal with the noise/problems.
 

Kaskade10729

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I assume a mixture of fat fingers and autocorrect.

it may reduce the bubbles getting into the intake, but ultimately it will not completely eliminate them, and all you will do is to prolong the time between the filter starting, and the time to cause the build up of enough gas to cause problems with the impeller.

A prefilter will stop floating matter getting into the filter, just like regular filter media will stop it getting through. bubbles are not solid, and so will get into the filter. so move or remove the bubbles, or deal with the noise/problems.
Well, I already ordered the Fluval Edge prefilter sponge from another Petco, which we're gonna pick up tomorrow; I'll check back in once I have it installed and report if it's helped or not (it was only a couple of bucks, so I figured why not)...

I realize what the prefilter is ultimately for, with regard to sucking up fine particles and protecting fry or other tiny organisms from getting sucked in; I just remember reading somewhere or hearing that it may also stop the problem with the bubbles.
 

dougall

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Mar 29, 2005
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It may redirect some bubbles, but ultimately some will get through, or pop.

Hence just prolonging it.
 

Kaskade10729

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We're just, at this moment, attempting to cut down or possibly even eliminate the awful "box of rocks" sound being made inside the AquaClear's chamber from the bubbles being churned and chopped up. It's awful.

As an aside, Doug, I'm not sure if you have experience/knowledge with the AquaClear HOBs, but I just added the layers of floss the associate at Petco gave me today to my 110's media basket, placing it between the sponge and Biomax bag...is this okay? I figured it would be good as a sandwich layer for water polishing (normally I'd put Purigen there but I didn't buy any yet) but I've also read that it could dangerously slow a filter's flow down and even cause overflow in the chamber...

Is using the rather thick layer of floss okay in my 110's media basket?
 

dougall

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Mar 29, 2005
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Using floss is ok in a media basket, personally I prefer to have it hit there last rather than in the middle of a sandwich. It's least likely to be needed there, so will give all media chance to be used first. But just rinse and reuse or replace when needed.

The noise you can hear is likely because of the impeller being surrounded by air from the bubbles, once there is enough air the impeller is ineffective, moves far less water, and leaves the filter less effective. The less air you have going into the filter increases the likelihood that it won't just travel through with the water.

You are likely to have better luck, if you don't move the bubbles away from the intake, to invert a cone under the filter intake which will maybe redirect the bubbles away.
 
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