# AC30 too strong for small fish?



## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Hello,

I am afraid the holes on the intake are too big for baby endlers and small wild cherry shrimps, so I covered it with a piece of a net till I find a better solution.
Do you recommend to put a sponge or something like that?

Thanks!


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

With just a net, you'll still get debris build up like a sponge prefilter so why not got the little bit extra and benefit from the extra biological filtration it'll provide. if you go for a fine sponge, the build up will be easier to see, but the fry will have a place to pick food from. If you go coarse, it'll not need to be squeezed as often


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

So, that is the usual approach with that kind of filters then. I knew there should be a better way  And it is not safe to just leave it open, right?

Thanks a lot, neven, for the late night responses.
Let's go to bed now


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

with fry, and cherry shrimp, normally a sponge is needed. For tetra's and other small fish, its fine without, as only weak fish will get pulled against an intake strainer


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

I will have neons and probably danios there. But shrimps and endlers hopefully will continue to have babies, so... I am getting a fine sponge on Saturday


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi, Infrared Dream,
a prefilter will stop snails from getting caught and sucked out of their shells; that alone is a good reason to use them
what neven said about clogging is true. for example, when I was using a sponge (generic aqua clear replacement filter from Island Pets) in my gertrudae tank, it would clog within 3 days. Now I use a plastic pot scrubber as the prefilter, needs to be rinsed out every 7 or 8 days. It's quite a difference spread out over a number of tanks,
I do see young blueberry shrimp feeding on the filter, along with everybody else in the tank. No noticeable difference in fry rates, either.


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## gimlid (Apr 23, 2010)

I put aquaclear sponge on all my filter intakes. Saves lots of time on filter cleans, adds extra biological filtration and gives the plecos something to snack on.
Even my big Rena gets them.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Good idea storm 



Ursus sapien said:


> Hi, Infrared Dream,
> a prefilter will stop snails from getting caught and sucked out of their shells; that alone is a good reason to use them
> what neven said about clogging is true. for example, when I was using a sponge (generic aqua clear replacement filter from Island Pets) in my gertrudae tank, it would clog within 3 days. Now I use a plastic pot scrubber as the prefilter, needs to be rinsed out every 7 or 8 days. It's quite a difference spread out over a number of tanks,
> I do see young blueberry shrimp feeding on the filter, along with everybody else in the tank. No noticeable difference in fry rates, either.


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Storm, I used something like that for a couple of days  It looks like a net, but is plastic part of a bag. Was working well these 2 days 
But I just went to the pet store on my way home and got a Fluval prefilter sponge that fits perfectly. Two shrimpies got on it within minutes 

Thanks everybody for the advices and ideas!


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## Sandy Landau (Jun 4, 2010)

Baby endlers are quite big compared to other fry and they're also strong swimmers. They would likely do fine without a sponge on an AC filter, especially after the first couple of days or so. Baby shrimp would be sucked up and so would many other kinds of fry.

You can get a Fluval Edge sponge for about $5.


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Yeah, it was $3 and fits perfectly.
Thanks


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

InfraredDream said:


> But I just went to the pet store on my way home and got a Fluval prefilter sponge that fits perfectly.


 Anyone know where I can get a black one, in Langley?


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Mine was very dark grey which I think is their definition of black  It was PetSmart, so maybe check their chain at your location.


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