My DIY AC500

[WaterWorldAquatics]

Began making my 2nd DIY fuge, first one was a AC300, this is for the 29g, AC500:

 

 

$40.99 for the AC500 and i think $3.50 for the silicone:

 

Take everything out, then the media basket, simply just take apart into three pieces.

 

 

Here i took the bottem of the grill, and aligned it to where i would like to, purpose of this is to keep the macroalgae in the fuge.

 

And then here i positioned to where i want the baffle, i placed it this far in, so if i need to run carbon i can simply put it in there, and also the heater will be in here.

 

 

Ok so let's start siliconing, i placed enough silicone to hold that baby grill in place and then positioned and press down:

 

Also, siliconing the edges not a bad idea, just extra preventative.

 

Yea i dont have skills with silicone lol, lil mess but it won't hurt nothing:

I siliconed the baffle into place:

 

And here it is after all done:

 

 

In 48hrs it is tank ready, i will update you then with looks and lighting over it then....

[Daemonfly]

Good job. and good use of stock components

[ProFlatlander15]

you know malawiandude, girls like guys with skills. you know, silicone skills, baffle skills, and modding skills.

[mtheartist]

sorry but whats that for what does it do what size tank is it for?

[Bluey]

Another question:

 

As I am on a strict budget I'd prefer to use the AC20 (378L/h) on my 18 gal AGA tank to hold some live rock rubble and macroalgae. Would this be large enough to hold enough macroalgae and LR rubble to actually do much and benefit the tank, or would I be better off investing in a larger model for it to actually work.

 

TY

[PhatSOB]

the bigger the better but any power filter will work, I run an AC150 on my 10g and will soon be running a AC200 on my2.5g. Yes I know the bigger filter is on the smaller tank, idea is to have more water volume for the smaller tank.

[SaVeThEeELs]

so when you going to home depot?? -=]

plumbing supply stores are fun too.......

[wav3form]

Looks good. My ac110 has acrylic baffles and much sloppier silicone.

[chipmaker]

Just some of my observations on using the AC hobs for filter fuge's...

Its best to cut the bottom of the basket or use a piece of plastic hardware cloth instead. Cut the basket bottom or hardware cloth so it only extends down into the fuge sufficient to allow it to seat into a bead of adhesive. The further down it goes past the lip of the overflow makes for a trap to catch junk and a pain to clean it out......

 

Add a piece of basket bottom of hardware cloth to bottom of fuge resivoir, so water from pump has to flow over and up through the screen. This makes for a larger area of surface area to flow water through.

 

Use marine goop for long term lasting ability. I never have had good long term luck with silicone on plastic, however marine goop stays until you want to remove it. It appears to melt into the plastic etc but it doe snot, but it does grip like a weldon chemical joint. If you need to rework the filter or other item for some reason or other its easy to peel off a corner and pull the rest of the marine goop off with a pliers.

[Argent]

Nice job -- I want to get one of these for my 5.5G

[FUGU!!!]

WARNING:NOOB TYPE QUESTION

What do you put in a fuge?LR rubble and macro algea?Is that it?

[FUGU!!!]

Hello?

[soundman]

WARNING:NOOB TYPE QUESTION

What do you put in a fuge?LR rubble and macro algea?Is that it?

Yes, ruble and macro (like chaeto). You could also include carbon or other filter media if desired.

[matty0206]

I am about to do one of these for my new mantis tank! Thanks for the pics thats awesome!

[karshin]

Add a piece of basket bottom of hardware cloth to bottom of fuge resivoir, so water from pump has to flow over and up through the screen. This makes for a larger area of surface area to flow water through.

 

Hi chipmaker. Can you explain this a bit? I'm not sure I understand how this works. Thanks.

[Daemonfly]

This thread should be made stickied, and the images made permanent on NR servers, that way it stays here for all the noobs who don't bother searching & just add to all the other "AC500?" posts (all on the same page, of course).

[herostar]

What is this "Hardware Cloth" you speak of?

[WaterWorldAquatics]

yea i dont mind we can make this a sticky, i'll rewrite if necessary

[chipmaker]

Hardware cloth is mesh or screening that is normally 1/8 x 1/8, or 1/4 x 1/4 or 1/2 x 1/2 in size. Its commonly used for rabbit and other small critter cages, well if you look it also comes in a plastic or vynil now instead of galvanized wire....dirt cheap for a roll of 1/2 or 1/4 inch stuff.......or even look for a cooking or home use device inthe wally world store that is perferated like a strainer etc, instead of cutting that basket apart.

 

Look at how the water flows through a as designed Aqua Clear filter unit. It is pulled into the pump, and pushed out so it flows down and accross the bottom of that filter basket and then allows it to be pushed up through the sponge. No dead spots in fuge portion, so no just substitube that sponge and other media with live rock rubble and chaeto......thats all. Use bottom of filter basket or other piece to keep live rock up off the filters fuge portions floor, so water can flow, just like original basket is kept up off flow......Install one baffle "on top" of raised floor piece and about 1/8 to 1/4 inch away from the raised portion the pump is mounted to, so the pumps top cover can be removed for cleaning if necessary (also allows impeller to be removed without having to remove motor and draining it)

 

I baffled an AC500 as most have demonstrated and watched water flow........once rubble is in fuge and chaeto is inthere the back side (away from tank) and the section further fromthe pump side, do suffer from reduced flow, and it leads to insuffieicent water mix and flow, when its compared to making the water flow upwards under all the rubble. No dead spots on the top and water passage is much better.