Sand and HOB's...

[fischfan13]

How many here use sand and have HOB's (AquaClear, Emperor etc) as their filters?
Many people believe that this is a possible road to disaster with your impellers, but I differ (Sorry, Larry).
This is the solution...
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/prefilter3.jpg

These prefilters not only work like a charm but they house more beneficial bacteria.
Anyone else?

[mack74]

I do and so far so good. I keep the filter intake about 10 inch off the bottom.

[Haplee]

Works well for me too. Sometimes my mbuna will pile sand right on top of the sponge but I have not had any problems with with sand in the impeller.

[AMBUSHPREDATOR]

Gotta get a few of those. You can even use them in fry tanks now. Awesome!

[misterted]

I have an AC110 on my tank that has sand and it's high enough off the bottom but sand still gets into the impeller area because of the digging fish.
About twice a year I take the filter apart and clean it all out but so far it hasn't hindered flow/performance and that filter is a few years old.
Don't those sponges get clogged pretty quickly? I used a makeshift prefilter once and had to remove it and rinse it off quite frequently.

[emartin]

Currently I have sand only in tanks with overflows and a tank with a canister filter. In the tank with the canister I just cut the intake tube in half making it 8" or more above the sand layer....so unless the fish build a huge bower the filter is safe that way...

~Ed

[Heyguy74]

I actually use some of the smaller AC sponges to cover my intakes. Real easy and cheap.

[ChrisG12887]

i try to keep the intake of my filters as far away from the bottom as possible but sand still seem to get in it, havnt had any problems with the sand messing up my filters yet but will try this technique to prevent it!