Aquaclear 110

[jknudson]

I will probably be purchasing one of these within the next few days since research seems to prove they're the best for what I want. I'm going to have a 30 gallon tank with 2 or 3 goldfish in it.

What I need to know is how do the filters work? With most filters, you just buy the little carbon/foam inserts and you're done. I am under the impression that this one is biological so there will be more to it. Can someone please let me know what types of inserts I'll need to buy for it, and what they're going to run me (on average)? I'm trying to do a lot of ordering online so as to get the cheapest price, and I need to know exactly what I'm looking for.

I'd also like to know what each medium does. If anyone has any good links, I'll be more than happy to read up on the info myself. When I do a search for anything related to the AC110, all I get is sites trying to sell me the filter, and not explaining how or why it works.

Thanks.

Aquaclear filters are probably one of my favorite big name hang on filters out there. How you set it up is up to you really, with most of them that I've run I use a pre-filter sponge, carbon sock, and ceramic rings as a biological filter.

The filter will come with all three of these, the only thing you will be looking to replace is going to be the carbon insert, I use a filter sock with a pull string and buy carbon in bulk to replace... activated carbon really should be replaced every few weeks, so it's the cheaper way to go. The sponge and biomax rings will be fine for quite a while, when you're cleaning what I do is rinse these in a bucket of tank water so as to keep the beneficial bacteria in them alive.

Best price I could find on the 110 was Dr. Fosters:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?pcatid=3610

Here's the filter socks
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...1&pcatid=13961

And bulk carbon
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...99&pcatid=3599