Tech question about AquaClear HOB filters - flow rates...

[Abarnswell]

Hi, Guys

All you techie folks out there, can you explain to me...

I had an AquaClear 50 on a 15 gallon tank. It's been fine for a long time -- I needed a strong flow -- but now due to new tank inhabitants, the flow is too high. So, I took out the impeller of the 50 and replaced it with the impellar from a 20 (rated at 5 to 20 gallons). But I kept the larger box of the 50 because it has lots more room for media.

My question is, is the flow coming out of that filter now the flow of a "20"? Or something more, because of the larger size of the "50" box? Does my question even make sense??

 

[skipm]

The impellars are interchangeable and when they are changed the flowrate changes to the rating of the impellar. The size of the box has nothing to do with the flowrate of the pump, it is the impellar that controls the flowrate. The flowrate is regulated by a combination of several factors including the size and strength of the magnet on the impellar and the size and number of vanes on the head of the impellar. HTH, Skip

 

[Abarnswell]

Thanks, Skip! That's exactly what I was asking. I wasn't sure, because the flow "looked" to be the same to me. But I did change out the larger "50" impeller magnet for the smaller "20" impellar magnet, so I guess I have the correct flow that I need now.

Thanks for clarifying this for me! I appreciate it.