Ways to avoid sand going up your filter?

[lucky777]

Looking for ways to avoid sand going up into top mount filters and canister filters? I've killer 2 motors on my aquaclear 300 in the last year but so far my fluval 304 has survived with no problems but sand does eventually build up inside when my Africans dig a lot.

[FishBuddy]

Try stuffing a small piece of filter foam in the intake.  It works for me...

[woodendude]

I just stuck a steak knife into a small rectangular sponge (cash counter bins at BA'S) to make a hole big enough to insert the intake tube end of my AC 300 and haven't had any problems since.