[LyzzaRyzz]

My aqua clear 70, on my 50 gallon tank, is giving me problems. Most of the time, it has air stuck in the intake tube, though it still flows. When i manage to get the air out of the tube, with much fiddling, every once and a while it lets out this ear splitting grinding shrieking noise. Ive had this niose problem with another aqua clear 70, and it wouldent stop, so i brought it back to my LPS, and they gave me a new one. Its been about four months, and now this one is starting with this. Ive just taken it apart and cleaned the motor, the propellor and the magnetic part. Well see if this helps.
If it starts up again, im going to canister. The tank is in my bedroom, so the noise is very noticeable. I know the common brands for canister are Fluval, and Ehiem, though im not sure which one to grab. Or which size either. I am trying to research, but i work two jobs and go to school, and i have almost zero time to sleep, let alone research!
So im hoping you guys can help me out.
What would you reccomend? Pros/cons?

 

[m00se]

I would stick with the Aquaclear personally

You can change it out with a canister but there's no guarantee that it will be any more durable. What kind of substrate are you using? Is it possible that it's getting sucked up into the filter? I would go to Ken's Fish and buy an ATI Pro #3 prefilter kit and put it on the intake. I do this in any case. They make cleaning the insides of the Aquaclear easypeasy (read: rarely) and keeps debris out. Best $12 (w shipping) you'll spend I promise!

http://www.kensfish.com/moreinfo/ati-filter-max-3.html

 

[kevmo911]

Shrieking might be a bent impeller shaft, or possibly some sand stuck in there. Generally a cheap fix.

Cans will run about as quietly as an AC, but the real noise (for me) comes from the waterfall effect when I let the water level drop too low. This problem occurs much less often with a can because the spraybar can be positioned well below the water line.

However, cans will be more expensive than a HOB. Quality name brands increase that overage. Matching the amount of flow will further increase that overage (cans are more efficient because they have more media space, but have much lower flow).

For a basic can, you can't go wrong with a SunSun 302. But I have one on a 30g, and I'd have purchased a larger can if I had a better idea of what the flow would be like. You can get a 304, which has twice the gph, for $100 via Evilbay. Fluvals will cost more. Eheims will cost much more.

 

[m00se]

Ken's has them too LOL....cheap. I love this guy. I call and talk to him all the time and he seems like a genuine dude.

I bought backup impeller, impeller shaft, U-tube and the ATI prefilter along with other stuff. He sells sodium thiosulfate for $4 a lb... Legendary flake food... cheap Marina Breeders... I just give as much biz to him as I can. Also, pay the extra $1 for UPS rather than Priority. You'll cut about 1000 miles off your package travel.

 

[HypnoticAquatic]

as others have already thought, this sounds 100% like you got sand into the intake and it is stuck and possibly damaged the impeller or just have it stuck making a loud shreeking sound can almost be like nails on a chalk board.

but with no info on if your useing or have used sand or the age of the unit, if the impeller has ever been replaced etc etc all i can say it sounds 100% what i posted above.if that is the case then put a sponge over the intake and/or shorten the intake up away from the ground more. if you have any other ac laying around text it with onther impeller and see if it does it. . .

 

[LyzzaRyzz]

I do have sand, but whenever i do any work on the tank , plants, water changes, rescaping, i turn the filters off...I probably should have a prefilter on it, i have one on my aquaclear 20 thats also on the 50 gal. Whenever i get a chance ill get one!
Ill also look into the sunsun, And at Ken's website!
Thanks guys!
I really hope it doesnt need replacing, cause that cost is gonna be a hard hit! But id rather not get another HOB if i do, so i figured everyone seems to stand behind canisters,so i might try them!

 

[HypnoticAquatic]

canisters can work a lil better with sand as most have the impellers on the top and after the media, but like i said if you just put a med/fine sponge and raise up the intake you should have no sand going into the intake.

i have the finest silica sand you can find in a 5.5g with a ac50 and a sponge on it havent had sand in months get into it, without it the sand is so fine that even the shrimp darting around can stir it up, just raise it up as far as you can and sponge that thing! ac last forever!! still got ac 802, and 500's still running with nothing done to them says something about them ac=fluval btw;p

 

[m00se]

Yea he's got the impeller shaft pins for less than $2 iirc. That's the part I was referring to above in kevmo's post. If you go canister, you'll kill that motor too with the sand. You probably aren't kicking it up when you clean but nevertheless all it takes is one grain to do the nasty...