Aquaclear Powerhead 70

[dous]

Does anybody has this powerhead? It's rated at 400 gph. I was mainly going to use this to pump salt water back into the tank during water changes, but the powerhead housing says do not immerse below water line. Although it says on the manual that Aquaclears are one of the best fully submergible powerheads, I'm not sure if this powerhead is supposed to be fully submerged in water.

Anyone care to shed light? thx.

 

[besl]

I have 2 of these fully immersed below water line and running this way for 2 months - so far no problem - quite honestly I never noticed that warning on the ph - I will look when I get home tonite (and after I put my glasses on this time).

 

[dous]

Anyone else running these powerheads?

 

[TCKTME]

I bought one last week for our new tank. I too am confused on this subject. The manual doesn't help much at all. I emailed Hagen this morning about it and I'm still waiting on a reply. I'll post it up when I receive it.

Jason

 

[dous]

Welcome to RC, Jason. Thanks and please do let us know when you find out.

 

[XtrmCHoPZ]

You can definitely sumberge the entire pump. Ive used them for years and not one has failed. They are great powerheads but dont work that great as hobby pumps. Its hard to attach a hose to the output of it.

 

[cantfindnemo]

I to did not see the warning about the water line but I did buy two of them and have been runing both of them on a wavemaker for around 4 months. And yes they are completly submerged in my tank. I say thumbs up so far.

 

[besl]

They are great powerheads but dont work that great as hobby pumps.
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can you please clarify what you mean by this?

 

[cantfindnemo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7478593#post7478593 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by besl
They are great powerheads but dont work that great as hobby pumps.
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can you please clarify what you mean by this?

My guess is that he ment they don't work great as bubble pumps. I no mine arent

 

[XtrmCHoPZ]

i mean all around pumps. Theyre not that great for mixing water, moving water from tank to tank, etc. best for in tank powerheads.

 

[dous]

what's a giood powerhead to mix and move water then? I originally bought this to move my make up water back into the tank? Should I be returning this then?

 

[XtrmCHoPZ]

Dont get me wrong, its a good pump. I just like using something a little bit different for water changes. etc. The design if the AC70 is a traditional "powerhead", meaning that it has a inlet that fits into an undergravel tube, it has a rotaing output, etc. I use an Eheim Hobby pump for my mixing. The outlet has barbe fitting and is much more powerful. For mixing water I like to use the strongest pump possible. If you need a powerhead keep it. I would have bought something more like a ViaAqua 2600, or if its just mixing water and nothing else one of the big Rios would work great as well.

 

[XtrmCHoPZ]

Oh yeah, most "powerheads" including the AquaClear 70 dont have very good head pressure. If you have to pump water more than a couple feet up youre outta luck.

 

[Emmelemmo]

I actually use it for the purpose of refilling after water change and it works great. A bucket on the floor up five feet into my tank is no problem and it empties a five gallon bucket fast.

 

[XtrmCHoPZ]

You must have a special aquaclear 70. I have 3 of them and they all suck under head pressure. Other than that they are great

 

[besl]

from original message in thgis thread "...but the powerhead housing says do not immerse below water line."
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So I went home last night and checked and this warning is absolutely not on my AQ70 units. Odd that your says this.

 

[dous]

yes, it's really weird.. here's a couple of pics..

I just also noticed on my smaller Aquaclear (used for salt mixing) that it has the same warning and I have had it immersed for a couple of weeks now...

Things that make you go "hmmm..."

 

[XtrmCHoPZ]

none of mine say that at all. i do have some ebo jager heaters that I know are submersible that say that same thing. Maybe 'cuz theyre made in different countries?

 

[besl]

Yes, very strange. I bought mine on-line approx 2 - 3 months ago from Drs. Foster & Smith. How old are your units? Probably has no bearing on the subject, but where did you procure yours from. I will join the choir on this with.... hmmmm.

 

[cantfindnemo]

I bet that it says do not immerse beyond that level because the venture bubbles don't work past that point.

Does the instruction book say anything like that?