AquaPod 12 Need Advice

[vaquer0]

Have an aquapod 12 with everything stock in chambers , sponge in 1, ceramic rings in 2, carbon & balls in 3 and pump in 4..

How can I make it better? what should i replace with and which chamber to put it...

Thanks

[justin81]

I just started my Aquapod a few weeks ago, so I'm no expert, but I can tell you what I have learned so far. You can see my tank in my signature.

 

Just for starters, in the first chamber most people are either pulling out the sponge, or cutting it in half. Sponges catch a lot of debris and eventualy turn into nitrate factories. If you decide to keep it, you will have to rinse it 2 times a week at a minimum to keep debris build up off of it. Most folks are also dropping in a 10oz bag of Chemi-Pure into the first chamber. It's very good stuff and might be something you will want to think about using.

 

I would pull the ceramic and bio balls. They are pretty much good for nothing. What most people do is in the second chamber, they run carbon and any other filter media you would want, like Phosguard, Carbon, and Sea Gel, and stuff like that.

 

In the third chamber, you can take a razor blade and cut out the back vinyl attached to the third chamber and add a small light and set it up like a refugium with chaeto to help get rid of nitrates. I havn't done this yet but plan to.

 

Most people are upgrading the pump in chamber 4 to a Maxijet 900. It has more flow with less heat, and water temps in these systems are a problem. Speaking of water temp problems, you can also add another fan to the hood of the Aquapod 12gal. There is a space for another fan, and even the wiring to add it. They just never put one in. That will help drop the temps. I am adding a fan tomorrow and will post pics and stuff in the Do It Yourself section. Hopefully it is as easy as most people say!

 

Also you can try the search on this site. I found a lot of info using it. Just try stuff like "Aquapod" "Aquapod 12gal" and stuff like that. There are a million more mods that people have done to make these tanks better, and you can find a lot on them in the search.

 

Hope that helps a little. Good Luck!

[vlapinta]

Have an aquapod 12 with everything stock in chambers , sponge in 1, ceramic rings in 2, carbon & balls in 3 and pump in 4..

How can I make it better? what should i replace with and which chamber to put it...

Thanks

 

I took out all the rings, balls and the sponge I swapped the stock pump for a maxijet 900 that I put in the 4th chamber. My first chamber I use filter floss that I change twice a week for now.My tank in 8 weeks old. Chamber 2 I have chemipure and phosban. Chamber 3 my heater.

Vicki

[vaquer0]

I just started my Aquapod a few weeks ago, so I'm no expert, but I can tell you what I have learned so far. You can see my tank in my signature.

 

Just for starters, in the first chamber most people are either pulling out the sponge, or cutting it in half. Sponges catch a lot of debris and eventualy turn into nitrate factories. If you decide to keep it, you will have to rinse it 2 times a week at a minimum to keep debris build up off of it. Most folks are also dropping in a 10oz bag of Chemi-Pure into the first chamber. It's very good stuff and might be something you will want to think about using.

 

I would pull the ceramic and bio balls. They are pretty much good for nothing. What most people do is in the second chamber, they run carbon and any other filter media you would want, like Phosguard, Carbon, and Sea Gel, and stuff like that.

 

In the third chamber, you can take a razor blade and cut out the back vinyl attached to the third chamber and add a small light and set it up like a refugium with chaeto to help get rid of nitrates. I havn't done this yet but plan to.

 

Most people are upgrading the pump in chamber 4 to a Maxijet 900. It has more flow with less heat, and water temps in these systems are a problem. Speaking of water temp problems, you can also add another fan to the hood of the Aquapod 12gal. There is a space for another fan, and even the wiring to add it. They just never put one in. That will help drop the temps. I am adding a fan tomorrow and will post pics and stuff in the Do It Yourself section. Hopefully it is as easy as most people say!

 

Also you can try the search on this site. I found a lot of info using it. Just try stuff like "Aquapod" "Aquapod 12gal" and stuff like that. There are a million more mods that people have done to make these tanks better, and you can find a lot on them in the search.

 

Hope that helps a little. Good Luck!

 

Thanks for reply, If I use chempure, how often do you clean or do you throw it out

whats the life of that product...

thanks again

[justin81]

Since its a bag and can catch a lot of debris, I take mine out every 2 weeks and just lightly rinse it just to get all the crap off of the bag and then put it back it. The bag itself is good for 3 to 4 months. Im just going to swapp mine out every 3 months. And for a product that last that long and is only $10 at your fish store, its a great deal.

[vaquer0]

Since its a bag and can catch a lot of debris, I take mine out every 2 weeks and just lightly rinse it just to get all the crap off of the bag and then put it back it. The bag itself is good for 3 to 4 months. Im just going to swapp mine out every 3 months. And for a product that last that long and is only $10 at your fish store, its a great deal.

 

Thanks, you've been a great help ...

this what i'm gona do.

1 chem pure

2 carbon bag

3 gona try that fission protein skimmer

4 mj 900

[justin81]

Sounds good. Let me know how that skimmer works out for you. Some say its great, others say it's terrible. I was thinking about trying one myself.

[Phixion]

I have L/R rubble in my 2nd chamber along with a sack of chaeto. 3rd is a sack of ceramic rings that I just never got around to taking out. 4th is my MJ900 pump and heater, and 1st I left the sponge in.