I've got say, I ran 2 seachem tidal 110s on my 55g, and those also has lots of room for media, and they are much easier to clean that this looks. My water was crystal clear.. the tidal is self-priming as well, which is a big bonus. I don't see anything better about this C4
One of the main reasons why your motor is running so loud is because of the sand that gets sucked into the motor and impeller. Sand grinds away the moving parts, pretty fast even, which results in those horrible noises caused by an out of balance impeller sitting on a shaft that has been eaten away by the sand. You seriously should have opted for a prefilter on the intake from the beginning, which you didn't do since there's fry in your filter (around the 2:15 mark you can see it swimming in there) and A LOT of sand. Too many people seem to forget that one little yet important stage when they install an HOB filter (or even a canister filter) in a tank with sand substrate (not even talking about fry getting sucked in without a prefilter). And with that extra filter on the intake your filter material inside the HOB won't clog up that fast + it's extra space for beneficial bacteria to settle on. Just pull it off once a week (during water changes or top offs), rinse it on some disposable tank water and shove it back on the intake. Takes less than a minute of your time. Done.
I thought I'd my experiences. I've been using a C4 for over two years, on a goldfish tank. I reuse the mechanical filter pad all the time. I clean my filter monthly and if I change the pad out, it'll be around 6 months. Sometimes the fine filter gets really gunked up. When that happens, rinsing clean can be difficult. So, I peel it off of the coarse foam and rinse it separately. When done, I lay back on the coarse foam and reinstall in the frame. Not that big a deal. I agree the Fluval pads are expensive. That's why I do my best to clean them and reuse. Buying bulk white/blue bonded filter pads and cutting them to shape is a great idea, too.Regarding the chemical filtration basket: I don't use carbon either. But I do use Purigen. However, the basket is so large that roughly half is dedicated to Purigen and phosphate remover, and the other have is additional biomedia. Additional biomedia is great, but IMO you've got way more than you need. But, it certainly won't hurt.I found the motor/impeller needs some attention to keep it quiet. After bushing the impeller well and impeller, I blow out any water left in the hole for the impeller shaft, and add a few drops of vegetable oil. That helps significantly. (It was recommended by Fluval customer support.). I do this during every monthly cleaning. Also, inspect the impeller shaft and impeller. Both may be due for a replacement. My impeller shaft was showing sign of wear and corrosion. I replaced both the shaft and impeller, and my filter was whisper quiet.And regarding the low flow from you bypass channel for the wet/dry feature: If you simply put a brush through, that may not be enough. I take mine apart every month. It allows me to clean out the corners, that a round brush may miss. Just a suggestion, if you're not already doing that.Overall I'm very happen with my C4. Admittedly, the AquaClear models are great too. Highly customizable, with less bells and whistle. I have one that use for my quarantine/hospital tank.
The Fluval and Aquaclear motors are the exact same, so it's impossible for the Fluval motors to be louder than the Aquaclear motors. Also, the Fluval pads are entirely reusable.
I have a C3, when it was new... the flow really sucked, and the top red indicator always came up. with regards to your flow issue... I suggest removing the impeller assembly cover and cleaning whole and in the insides from where the water goes in and goes out from with a Q Tip....
I have this filter the c4 as well as 2 of the aquaclear 110's...for both filters it is really important if you have a sand substrate to wash out your impeller and the housing it sits in ...if you get sand in there it will grind away at the impeller shaft and it makes a lot of noise...it was so loud that I slept with cotton wool in my ears until a replacement shaft came....which was $9.00 + postage...If I had to choose between the two filters I would go with the aquaclear as it is more robust and you can fit way more media in it.
You installed the foam filter pad backwards in the filter holder. The coarse side should be the first thing the water comes into contact with so the larger debris gets caught first. What you did by installing it backwards is cause the filter to clog prematurely so it forces you to clean that pad more than needed. Oh and the loud sound is definitely coming because the sand is grinding away at the motor due to a lack of a pre-filter sponge. I have the C4 too and it is just as quiet at my Aqua Clear 20, so all these problems you are facing are because of user error.
Hi Jamie, I think they are complete garbage, especially in juxtaposition to all the new HOB filters we have available like the Aquaclears, C-series, and SeaChem Tidals! Its old-school and obsolete. Hope that helps ;-)
ohhh darn I'm definitely getting mixed opinions lol. my local fish store told me that they litterally only use UGF and crushed corral and have done so for 20 years and have awesome water quality. shoot I can't decode what rout I wanna go when I upgrade lol
Yeah thats a tough position your in because you perceive your moronic fish store as an authority in this matter. Here is my suggestion. Find the UA-cam Fish people with the most subscribers (King DIY, Rachel O'Leary, Aquarium COOP) and try and find ONE video on UGF. I have never seen one before, not on UA-cam nor in anyones tanks. Also, crushed coral?!?! What if your keeping Neon Tetras that need an acidic pH? I think they are genuinely mentally handicapped, but I have been known to be hyperbolic now and again... May the Force be with you.
@@AquaticLogic Here ya' go know it all: ua-cam.com/video/2jVbdNS1_jY/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/d4oqFXC76xk/v-deo.html Just two examples. Do your homework.
Is that the orginal foam the Fluval C4 shipped with? Mine came with the poly foam and I've reused it for a year now. The dense side prevents the big pieces from passing through very well. I'm happy with my C4 indeed.
Try Pinky Filters! They are the same concept as the Deep Blue stuff by are executed far better. They are superior in terms how they are constructed as well as the materials used for construction.
I had one of these things. I loved the design of it but it was way too loud. right out of the box brand new the motor was so loud. Ended up getting rid of it because of it. If they put a better motor on these things i'd definitely get one again. But until then forget it.
Here an ideal you can replace the all the foam and floss that came with in that 1st stage of mechanical filtration with a single 45 ppi foam that will take med to fine particle. You can also polishing the water on the wet/dry part with a single super fine floss instead of the fine foam that came with. Last but not least hook a prefilter sponge on the intake pipe of the filter as your first coarse mechanical filtration. www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=85624
Thats a great idea. I actually do something close to that on my 10G breeding tank for my rainbowfish, which has a C3 on it. The Fluval filters (which I show in this video) last me up to 3 months! If you look on my channel I have a few videos showing it. But i'm not so sure on a single 45ppi foam with a coarse pre-filter...
I do love and use the AC's. The emerged bio filter is a novel ( and possibly beneficial? ) addition to the AC exemplar. I just dont understand why its significantly louder than the old-schools? I personally feel we should be getting smarter and not the opposite ;-)
C series filters $6.11 for 3. You have so much biological use regular coarse/fine & let spray from sink clean it. You cant wrong w your hands or they tear up. Just rinse under tap, dip into tank water & replace. You dont need the biological part of the filter, mine last 6 months this way. Thus: $4.00/year. Pretty damn cheap Mine is dead SILENT. Dr. Rudy
I've got say, I ran 2 seachem tidal 110s on my 55g, and those also has lots of room for media, and they are much easier to clean that this looks. My water was crystal clear.. the tidal is self-priming as well, which is a big bonus. I don't see anything better about this C4
One of the main reasons why your motor is running so loud is because of the sand that gets sucked into the motor and impeller. Sand grinds away the moving parts, pretty fast even, which results in those horrible noises caused by an out of balance impeller sitting on a shaft that has been eaten away by the sand. You seriously should have opted for a prefilter on the intake from the beginning, which you didn't do since there's fry in your filter (around the 2:15 mark you can see it swimming in there) and A LOT of sand. Too many people seem to forget that one little yet important stage when they install an HOB filter (or even a canister filter) in a tank with sand substrate (not even talking about fry getting sucked in without a prefilter). And with that extra filter on the intake your filter material inside the HOB won't clog up that fast + it's extra space for beneficial bacteria to settle on. Just pull it off once a week (during water changes or top offs), rinse it on some disposable tank water and shove it back on the intake. Takes less than a minute of your time. Done.
Pre-filter is key. I use one on every filtration system on every tank with only the level of porosity differing dependent on the inhabitants.
I thought I'd my experiences. I've been using a C4 for over two years, on a goldfish tank. I reuse the mechanical filter pad all the time. I clean my filter monthly and if I change the pad out, it'll be around 6 months. Sometimes the fine filter gets really gunked up. When that happens, rinsing clean can be difficult. So, I peel it off of the coarse foam and rinse it separately. When done, I lay back on the coarse foam and reinstall in the frame. Not that big a deal. I agree the Fluval pads are expensive. That's why I do my best to clean them and reuse. Buying bulk white/blue bonded filter pads and cutting them to shape is a great idea, too.Regarding the chemical filtration basket: I don't use carbon either. But I do use Purigen. However, the basket is so large that roughly half is dedicated to Purigen and phosphate remover, and the other have is additional biomedia. Additional biomedia is great, but IMO you've got way more than you need. But, it certainly won't hurt.I found the motor/impeller needs some attention to keep it quiet. After bushing the impeller well and impeller, I blow out any water left in the hole for the impeller shaft, and add a few drops of vegetable oil. That helps significantly. (It was recommended by Fluval customer support.). I do this during every monthly cleaning. Also, inspect the impeller shaft and impeller. Both may be due for a replacement. My impeller shaft was showing sign of wear and corrosion. I replaced both the shaft and impeller, and my filter was whisper quiet.And regarding the low flow from you bypass channel for the wet/dry feature: If you simply put a brush through, that may not be enough. I take mine apart every month. It allows me to clean out the corners, that a round brush may miss. Just a suggestion, if you're not already doing that.Overall I'm very happen with my C4. Admittedly, the AquaClear models are great too. Highly customizable, with less bells and whistle. I have one that use for my quarantine/hospital tank.
I also reuse my filter pads after a rinse in tank water. Thanks for this bit of advice I hadn't thought the two layers could be separated
The Fluval and Aquaclear motors are the exact same, so it's impossible for the Fluval motors to be louder than the Aquaclear motors. Also, the Fluval pads are entirely reusable.
I'm not sure what the mechanical filters were when this was filmed, but they're $5.24 on Amazon now.
i'm going to be using square bucket from now on. very helpful. thanks.
Funny how we always find fry in the strangest of places 🤗🤗 nice video
I have a C3, when it was new... the flow really sucked, and the top red indicator always came up. with regards to your flow issue... I suggest removing the impeller assembly cover and cleaning whole and in the insides from where the water goes in and goes out from with a Q Tip....
Fluval and aqua clear uses the same motor impeller assembly. They are the same company now. One bought out the other.
I have this filter the c4 as well as 2 of the aquaclear 110's...for both filters it is really important if you have a sand substrate to wash out your impeller and the housing it sits in ...if you get sand in there it will grind away at the impeller shaft and it makes a lot of noise...it was so loud that I slept with cotton wool in my ears until a replacement shaft came....which was $9.00 + postage...If I had to choose between the two filters I would go with the aquaclear as it is more robust and you can fit way more media in it.
You installed the foam filter pad backwards in the filter holder. The coarse side should be the first thing the water comes into contact with so the larger debris gets caught first. What you did by installing it backwards is cause the filter to clog prematurely so it forces you to clean that pad more than needed. Oh and the loud sound is definitely coming because the sand is grinding away at the motor due to a lack of a pre-filter sponge. I have the C4 too and it is just as quiet at my Aqua Clear 20, so all these problems you are facing are because of user error.
wouldn't it be easier just to put a sponge on your intake?
Great video, like the fluval hob!
Thanks Reggie
yes I had to stop before 2 min. Good luck with putting fine mechanical on any hob. Just buy the U4, it is actually good and less ugly/
hey i am curious to know what you think about under gravel filters?
Hi Jamie, I think they are complete garbage, especially in juxtaposition to all the new HOB filters we have available like the Aquaclears, C-series, and SeaChem Tidals! Its old-school and obsolete. Hope that helps ;-)
Is it just me or did i see fry at 2:15. I can definetly see something moving... good tip tho
FireOfTheBlack I
FireOfTheBlack yep . Good eye !
I saw something small and dark in colour move too.
Yes it was
ohhh darn I'm definitely getting mixed opinions lol. my local fish store told me that they litterally only use UGF and crushed corral and have done so for 20 years and have awesome water quality. shoot I can't decode what rout I wanna go when I upgrade lol
Yeah thats a tough position your in because you perceive your moronic fish store as an authority in this matter. Here is my suggestion. Find the UA-cam Fish people with the most subscribers (King DIY, Rachel O'Leary, Aquarium COOP) and try and find ONE video on UGF. I have never seen one before, not on UA-cam nor in anyones tanks. Also, crushed coral?!?! What if your keeping Neon Tetras that need an acidic pH? I think they are genuinely mentally handicapped, but I have been known to be hyperbolic now and again... May the Force be with you.
do you have any videos that review one of your complete aquarium set ups?
No I dont think I do... But its a great future video idea!
Aquatic Logic do it man! I'd love too see that. I bet others would too. specially just getting into the hobby. shout me put if ya do! hah
@@AquaticLogic Here ya' go know it all:
ua-cam.com/video/2jVbdNS1_jY/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/d4oqFXC76xk/v-deo.html
Just two examples. Do your homework.
Huh, when I saw this. I was trying to debate between Aquaclear and C series. I thought this was a change from the c back to the aquaclear
nice job. very informative.
Is that the orginal foam the Fluval C4 shipped with? Mine came with the poly foam and I've reused it for a year now. The dense side prevents the big pieces from passing through very well. I'm happy with my C4 indeed.
You put the pads in the wrong way
The mechanical pad**
Try Pinky Filters! They are the same concept as the Deep Blue stuff by are executed far better. They are superior in terms how they are constructed as well as the materials used for construction.
Best upgrade for Fluval is switching it for Aquaclear
I had one of these things. I loved the design of it but it was way too loud. right out of the box brand new the motor was so loud. Ended up getting rid of it because of it. If they put a better motor on these things i'd definitely get one again. But until then forget it.
I totally agree with you. On my 140G tank this filter is the loudest machine on it. Ironically my FX6 is silent.
Here an ideal you can replace the all the foam and floss that came with in that 1st stage of mechanical filtration with a single 45 ppi foam that will take med to fine particle. You can also polishing the water on the wet/dry part with a single super fine floss instead of the fine foam that came with. Last but not least hook a prefilter sponge on the intake pipe of the filter as your first coarse mechanical filtration. www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=85624
Thats a great idea. I actually do something close to that on my 10G breeding tank for my rainbowfish, which has a C3 on it. The Fluval filters (which I show in this video) last me up to 3 months! If you look on my channel I have a few videos showing it. But i'm not so sure on a single 45ppi foam with a coarse pre-filter...
Yeah, I like the Classic Aquaclear better! They always complicate things.
I do love and use the AC's. The emerged bio filter is a novel ( and possibly beneficial? ) addition to the AC exemplar. I just dont understand why its significantly louder than the old-schools? I personally feel we should be getting smarter and not the opposite ;-)
Aquatic Logic o
Great filter just issue with pump noise and that stupid sponge and poly garbage
C series filters $6.11 for 3. You have so much biological use regular coarse/fine & let spray from sink clean it. You cant wrong w your hands or they tear up. Just rinse under tap, dip into tank water & replace. You dont need the biological part of the filter, mine last 6 months this way. Thus:
$4.00/year. Pretty damn cheap
Mine is dead SILENT.
Dr. Rudy
please look at your discussion topic. thank you
?
these filters have a lot of unnecessary pieces of plastic in them that is wasted space which could be filled with more media /surface area.