another mechanical filtration question

[pr0teus]

my aquaclear 300 broke today... i was just wondering what are some other good filter units are out there. i would just get another aquaclear, but this is the 2nd one that has died (impeller froze up and will not move).
my tank size is 29 gallons. until i buy a new unit, i have a small tetratec filter doing filtration, with an airstone + powerhead providing current.

thanks

~pr0teus

 

[Anonymous]

Aquaclean is one of the best hand on the back filter that I ever used, but that was in freshwater, so don't know if the saltwater makes it more likely to seize up...

If it is the impeller that was damaged, you maybe able to get a replacement impeller.... sometimes, you can just use a toothpick to "kick start" the impeller (some of us do that with cheap powerhead all the time. Not too reliable, but it get us thru awhile.)

As for other good mechanical filter for saltwater, I have no clue.... sorry about that.

 

[Len]

Diatom filters will really polish the water. But no one I know recommends you use them continually (and some don't recommend them at all).

I use polyfilters once in a while, thrown in my sump, that serves as a mechanical and chemical filter. Other then that, I don't use any other form of mechanical filtration. Any hang-on back powerfilter will serve well for mechanical filtration if you need it. I don't recommend using the media that is sold with the powerfilter, however, since most of the carbon provided is of poor quality. Instead, I'd replace it with a bag of good carbon like Two Little Fishes' Hydrocarbon or Seachem's matrix carbon. For mechanical, I'd cut a polyfilter to size.

 

[Len]

BTW, Aquaclears are usually very reliable. I get a feeling something is getting clogged in the impeller to burn them out prematurely. I'm not sure why. If the intake is close to the rock/sand, that may explain it.