How to Clean AquaClear Filters

This is a complete guide for cleaning AquaClear filters. There are also tips for fixing and reassembling AC filters, which comes in handy if you have a jammed impeller or loud noise.

First, you'll want to turn off the power and pull the filter off of the tank. We'd recommend partially filling a bucket with tank water to rinse off the filter media. Taking the filter basket out and placing the media (sponge, ceramic rings, etc.), wash off gunk and build up from the media in the bucket of tank water.

If you're fixing the impeller, twist at the arrow and pull off of the filter. Rinse the waste off of the impeller. Many times the loud noises or jammed filters are due to the impeller being clogged by debris.

You can remove the intake and pull each piece apart to clean thoroughly. This is very easy to reassemble once done cleaning. The case of the filter, as well as the impeller and intake tube, do not house the beneficial bacteria, so they can be rinsed with tap water.

Once completed, fill your filter basket back up with your media (we'd recommend sponges at the bottom, followed by chemical/bio media), and place the basket back into the filter.

Once the impeller and intake tube are reattached as well, you can place the filter back on the tank and turn the power back on. To help prime the AquaClear filter, you can take a cup of tank water and pour into the opening of the container. You should now be all set!

Thanks so much for watching! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below, and if you haven't already, please consider subscribing!

[eugeniabuitron]

Thank you for saving me a trip to buy a new filter! I had just taken it apart and cleaned it while doing maintenance on my tank and then it wouldn't work! I was just about to go out when I decided to see if anyone else had the same issue and low and behold there was your video!! I did what you suggested and voila working filter again!! I can't thank you enough....

[ivanalovemore]

Best walkthrough I have seen yet, thank you!! I always add a little bit of bottle bacteria to my tank after I clean my filter just in case I may have cleaned out "too much" 🙂

[pattyfrance]

I just started using these filters. I love it already. The others just get dirty so fast and those replacement filters are no good and the beneficial bacteria is getting changed all the time. I did wash off the old filter and took a pair of scissors and cut a piece to place in the filter under the biofilter. Thanks for all the helpful videos. I have learned so much in my 6 months of fish keeping!

[littlecoffeebean]

Thank you for the video!! I was trying to take apart the impeller completely wrong 😂

[pomegranatehoneydews]

thank you for posting! I don't want to waste my money on buying foam, etc. so it's good to know beforehand that I can just rinse the sponge until it gets too old.

[jackanddan]

Love these filters and been using them forever....have one that we’ve superglued together 4 times cause it got cracked and it still runs like new and is about 16 years old....You should make a huge tank full of beakers and flasks and all kinds of experimentation like that with colored led lights and it would be great for your class room....we are talking to Jack’s science teacher about making one for his class....👍

[FullMoonAquatics]

Nicely done instructional video. We use several Aqua Clear HOBs as well.

Unsolicited words of caution- Careful with impellers and the pin they sit on. One false move and impeller and/or motor may have to be replaced. Slightly bent, they get noisy too.
Also, Purigen should be replaced or recharged on occasion. It’s great, similar to carbon for clearing water but lasts longer. We keep a few extras and rotate when they need to be replaced or recharged. 😉

[ellenrappaport]

Thank you so much. I recently changed to a Fluval 30 and didn't know if I needed to buy all new filter inserts of to wait.

[jessegarmong]

Great video, I was clueless how to fully clean mine. I’m having a issue where I thinking it’s not sucking good enough to get the other half of make taking. Making on side develop algae and the other clean

[XEmeralDQueenX]

Just got one of this filters today, can't wait to set it up. thank you for this video that will keep in the clear on how to maintain the filter in the future!!! :)

[weenerdoggs]

This is a very helpful and concise video! Thanks very much!

[carayoung]

Thanks just bought my first tank. Got this filter. Thank you for video as I know 0 about it all lol

[emberaquatics]

These filters are great, thanks for the tips!

[johannenslin]

My 70-gallon tank is probably overstocked, but I have a large cleaning crew, which is mainly shrimp. I have an AquaClear 70 to which I added more rings and Seachem Matrix. I clean the filter once a week as per this video, add a maintenance dose of Seachem Stability weekly, and walla. I basically have no water quality issues, especially as far as Ammonia and Nitrites are concerned. The AquaClear Filter is a good and very affordable product here in South Africa despite the fact that it is imported. Regards, Johann from Centurion South Africa.

[DawnMichele]

GREAT video & information for those who own these filter's!!!

[ketchup]

Thank you so much for this video! It saved me a trip and my money to buy new filters 😅. I do have one question; when do you have to replace your filters?

[celgibson]

Great job, i just got this filter last week. Thanks .

[kellyharrison]

Thank you for this video, I really appreciate how you explained everything.

[litolocofish]

Are you a science teacher...? If so I wish in school I had an aquarium too...I tried to talk my high school teacher to letting me add an aquarium in my favorite class..SCIENCE/BIOLOGY!!! .SCHOOL doesn't allow...loved the video and you seem to be a awesome teacher!!! If I'm mistaken about this I apologize ..

[johnwood]

Kept fish for a while just bought my first Aqua Clear for my grow out tank, any tips for stopping hair algae in the u tube? Have to clean every three days it gets bad enough to slow filter way down. Used air and sponge filters before this.