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Unread 03/07/2006, 01:05 PM   #51
MadSkillzMan
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NO problem. ive got mine on continuous battery backup now, so worst that can happen if power fails is, no light and no skimmer, so this little beast will push a ton of water for some time

glad it could help someone else


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Unread 03/07/2006, 11:14 PM   #52
OrangeKoi
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I've built it. Except for the stupid I pulled with the cutting tool(never cut toward yourself), it was great fun and easy to do. I just used a die cutter to round the bottom edges. If you grip just the edge (2-3 mm about) and bend it kind of peals it right off. the silicon hides any irregularities and it worked fine. It is drying now. I need to get a 30 impeller as I'm sure the 70 is too fast for my nano, and I'm going to try finding the millenium. I believe I saw some at the pet store. Cool stuff!


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Unread 03/09/2006, 10:34 AM   #53
OrangeKoi
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silicone dry time?

That silicone is pretty smelly. Is it dry enough after 2 days or should I wait longer. I can't read the small print.


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Unread 03/09/2006, 10:16 PM   #54
MadSkillzMan
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id wash it/let it soak a bit first


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Unread 03/11/2006, 11:35 PM   #55
OrangeKoi
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fuge



Hhhmm HH Hmmm one more day aught to do the trick. It isn't so smelly today.

So, If I use the diy wave maker on my fuge and...the diy gravity fueled, air forced ato fed into the pump chamber of the ac fuge mod...if I can get the air lines figured out so that the "off" level is the required level, that should be the lowest level, right?

Do you think that interval powering will be ok for the ac fuge mod? Or will the on/off and on again be hard on the motor?, or the spinning mechanism?


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Unread 04/09/2006, 05:09 PM   #56
reefnetworth
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why not just remove 3 blades from the 70's impeller (six, down to three) insted of buying another filter just for the smaller impeller? that would slow the flow by 50% wouldnt it? and save $$$ without destroying a perfectly good filter. just a thought.


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Unread 04/09/2006, 05:13 PM   #57
reefnetworth
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why not remove 3 blades from existing impeller? cuts flow 50% and no additional $$ or scrap filter, just for the impeller. "kill the seal for just fur?"


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Current Tank Info: SPS dominated barebottom display with BB sump since 2005, most consistant parameters in 19+ years of reefkeeping.
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Unread 04/09/2006, 06:49 PM   #58
reefnetworth
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impeller could be cut from the original AC 70. if you remove half the blades, half the flow. will that work without using another impeller?


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Current Tank Info: SPS dominated barebottom display with BB sump since 2005, most consistant parameters in 19+ years of reefkeeping.
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Unread 04/09/2006, 07:06 PM   #59
coyoteseven
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I bought an extra replacement ACmini impeller (about $3) when I ordered my AC70 from Big Al's and changed it out with the original to slow the flow way down. Works like a charm and I still have the original impeller if I decide to return the AC70 to regular filter duty.

Replacement impellers can be ordered through DocF&S, Marine Depot, Big Al's, etc.


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Unread 04/17/2006, 09:24 AM   #60
puffer21
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Do you think this would work with a 50 one.


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Unread 04/17/2006, 11:16 AM   #61
coyoteseven
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Quote:
Originally posted by puffer21
Do you think this would work with a 50 one.
The AC mini, 20, 30, 50 and 70 all use the same size impeller assembly. The only difference is the length of the impeller blades... the shorter the blade, the less water that is moved (i.e., less flow).

This is a better solution, IMHO, than trimming or cutting away the original blades yourself. When you do the trimming yourself, no matter how careful you are, the chances of imbalance are greater. Imbalance can cause excessive wear and tear on your unit, requiring a total replacement of the pump and/or entire filter.

Just my 2¢


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Unread 04/17/2006, 11:30 AM   #62
puffer21
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ok thanks


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Unread 05/24/2006, 04:48 PM   #63
puffer21
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Sugar Magnolia did you keep your Jailli light on the tank? How did it work? Also do you think super glue will be able to hold the light up?
Thanks Puffer21


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Unread 05/24/2006, 09:45 PM   #64
MadSkillzMan
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i think super glue would. I need to find myself a more perminent light


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Unread 05/25/2006, 04:34 AM   #65
puffer21
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OH but is that light good?


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Unread 06/18/2006, 05:05 AM   #66
bobajum
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Can someone help me with my AC70 mod??

I made all the proper mods to the AC70 outlined in this thread and I replaced the impeller with the AC20 impeller.

The problem I am having is that I get very little flow with the AC20 impeller. It seems like i barely get a trickle coming out of the output area. I currently dont have my water all the way to the tank's edge as I am waiting for LR. When I look at the U tube that feeds the water to the motor, there is still a lot of air still trapped in there. Is there any way to make the flow any better or is this normal?

Thank you in advance.

BTW...Sugar, thx for the detailed pics for this mod. It was very easy to follow and to do.


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Unread 06/18/2006, 01:14 PM   #67
MadSkillzMan
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well, based on the fact you dont have the tank full of water AND the lower power impeller, i beleive itd be normal. Do youu have the U tube all the way to the left? you can slide it to regulate flow (i didnt know this at first lol)

Now honestly, ii have the original impeller on mine (actually a new filter all together) and it doesnt come out as strong as it would with just filter media. Depending on the tank, you might want to keept he bigger impeller, as with SW you want some incredible amount of moving water to keep the LR and corals happy. I think a 10g would require the samller impeller, but 20+ you could get away with the bigger impeller.

Oh, big warning, if you have macro algae IIn the aquarium...it WILL grow on the intake tube, and slow your flow down bigtime. I remedied this by putting a foam spongey cartridge from my protein skimmer pump on it. The only drawback is, it fills up with crud (and takes away from the skimmer) but also turns into more of a nitrate factory. I dont see this as being much of a problem though, since the macro algae is inches away..so i just see it as a way to feed it. Well that and im dosing Kalk, so my phosphates are pretty much in check.

Hope this info helps!


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Unread 06/18/2006, 01:41 PM   #68
coyoteseven
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Even with a full tank of water, my AC70 with the AC20 impeller has air in the intake tube, it doesn't hurt the functioning of the filter a bit.

With the tube set to the left (highest flow setting), the actual flow is still very low... as it should be when used as a fuge. The slower the water passes through the macro, the more contact time it has to process the nitrates/phosphates.

HTH


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Unread 06/18/2006, 02:46 PM   #69
MadSkillzMan
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ahhh good to know coyoteseven. i may lower mine then...sadly i havent been able to use the light on mine for 2 days due to the ungodly temps up here...its weird how a small flourescant bulb raises the temp so fast

at night ill throw it on..my photoperiods are so messed up right now


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Unread 06/18/2006, 03:24 PM   #70
bobajum
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Thx for the info Coyote. I was afraid I did something wrong but if the trickle is normal, I guess all turned out correctly.


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Unread 09/19/2006, 03:09 PM   #71
MadSkillzMan
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anybody have any issues with theirs getting gross? Mines got like brown remains of Cheato all over the place


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Unread 09/24/2006, 11:22 AM   #72
OrangeKoi
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I put in one of those little bumble bee snails...though I'm not sure you are supposed to...maybe the brown is good? For the critters...


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Unread 09/26/2006, 05:34 PM   #73
bigmayreefer
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How far does the AC70 hang over into the tank? Im cutting a glass lid for my 5.5 and need to know haw much room to leave for the pickup tube and return for when i get my filter to mod it.
Thanks.


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Unread 10/18/2006, 01:56 PM   #74
Miggy
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Can you get hold of these in the UK because i really want to put a fuge on my reef.


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Unread 01/25/2007, 05:19 AM   #75
Colin
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The thread that wouldn't die...

This mod is requested and linked to a lot still, so I thought I'd add my part.

When I did this, I used one of the sides from the filter basket. I left out the filter pad and used an AC 20 impeller. It stays in place without any silicone. Light is provided by a 27W adjustable arm table lamp from Home Depot.

I found that there was just barely a trickle of water coming out. The culprit? When I cut the intake tube (on the U, as recommended) the bulge where the strainer part connects on fell right where the groove in the filter body that holds the tube going into the tank is. The result is that the intake tube would pop up just a little and prevent good suction. The solution was to sand down the ridges on the filter body that were preventing the tube from seating fully.

The other issue I found is that when the power is cut from the filter, the water in the filter syphons back into the tank, potentially overflowing the tank. My solution was to put a small hole in the intake tube on the filter side a little below the normal water line. That way when the water level begins to drop, air enters the tube and breaks the syphon. The downside is that the filter will not re-start unless enough water is added to the filter to cover the hole. Is there a better way to do this? I left the heater in the tank so that if the syphon is broken the tank will still have heat.

Thanks for the great thread!

--Colin


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