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Prefilter Sponge
If you have a hang on the back power filter like an Aqua Clear or a canister filter you need a prefilter sponge on the water intake tube.
Picture bits of uneaten beefheat and discus poop floating about in your aquarium. If it's sucked into the filter it just sits there decomposing. Bacteria love it! And you are running every dop of water through it three times an hour . . . or more.
Sponge prefilters trap food particles and feces before they can enter the filter. You pull them off at each water change and vigorously rinse all the gunk off. Rinse them hard . . . these are mechanical filters. The good bacteria for biological filtration grow on the sponges inside the filter.
Here's some pictures of the ones I use on my Aqua Clears
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Equipment needed is 1/3 of a car wash sponge and a serrated knife
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Cut an X in the top and slip over the intake tube of the filter
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I totally agree with you Carol. Protect filter bio-sponge from the leftover food is very important for Discus keeping especially in a bare tank. Frequently wash the filter bio-sponge will certainly kill all the Nitrify bacteria (measuring Nitrite will prove this). Yet, Infrequently wash the filter with large amount of food debris trapped in it will cause acid fall and further case Discus acid burn (See attached photo).
Carol, I always thought only bio-sponge could sustain bacteria attack. Will the car wash sponge decay over the time?
--Henry
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The car wash (prefilter) sponge will fall apart eventually because of all the daily squeezing and rinsing to clean it. I rinse it under warm tap water. The "good" nitrifing bacteria are inside the filter, you don't have to be careful with the prefilter sponge - clean it good.
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Carol,
Were did you get the blue prefliter? I'm getting tired of looking at my ugly car wash sponge.
Harry
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I can't find them anymore >:( It was for a small Fluval internal filter I used the #2 size.
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I took a spare pre filter off of my Magnum 250 Pro, cut it in a square shape and use a rubber band to hold it in place.
Very cheap, and very easy to clean!
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I have used an AC300 sponge filter and sliced it to fit onto the intake.
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The pores on the Aqua Clear sponges are pretty big. I prefer really fine pores on the pre-filter sponges. Fine pores trap more gunk.
I like large pore sponges for biological filtration (inside the filter). Large pore sponges are good for air driven sponge filters too. Instead of being trapped in the sponge the particles pass through so you can remove them from the tank.
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Carol,
Can you tell me what your protocol is for bio-sponges in the aquaclear? Do you EVER rinse them?
james
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Forgot to add Carol. I use a pre filter sponge on the intake, and ALSO a layer of floss, followed by a small bag of bio granule thingamijigs then the two aquaclear sponges. Do you like this idea? In particular the added floss? I rinse the intake sponge on most days, and replace the floss weekly.
James
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Your setup sounds very efficient, James. :heart1:
Yes, I do rinse the sponges inside the aqua clear from time to time. I'd say about every 6 weeks. If you see a fine cloud of particles when you restart the filter it's time for a cleaning in chlorine free water. You can rinse the sponges in used aquarium water or even a bucket of fresh change water.
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I just tried out the car wash sponge pre-filter! What a difference it makes to the inside of the mag 350. Thanks for the tip.
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At the moment the english hobbyist doesnt have easy access to the hang on filters you have in the USA we have externals etc. The question is i have a fluval 4 external filter for my 48inch l, 24 inch h, 18 inch w tank ,would my fish/filter benefit from a spong on the intake or shall i leave it as is?
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Yes Mat, your fluval definately needs a fine pore pre-filter sponge. Fluvals have a reputation for trapping gunk inside the filter.
When it's time to clean the pre-filter, turn the fluval off, slide a big plastic cup under the pre-filter, push the sponge down into the plastic cup and remove it from the tank. This will lessen the amount of gunk that falls back into the tank and stop loose gunk from being sucked into the fluval.
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;D Carol , the fluvl 4 has a internal prefilter sponge i was just wondering if it was worth putting a small sponge on the inlet pipe in the tank, or have i got my wires crossed?. sorry if i interpreted your message wrongly this is just to make sure ;D
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:-XSorry Carol ive just re read your reply , sorry its as i suspected i confused myself haha yes its a good idea, one that i shall take up as soon as i can get to my local aquatic shop. The sponge i will get is only about 90pence about a dollar 20c . Thanks :blushing:
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Internal is the key word. Do you open your fluval every day or so, pull out the internal prefilter and rinse off the accumulated gunk? No? Then every drop of water in your tank is being drawn over the accumated gunk on the internal prefilter, three times an hour, for weeks and weeks.
The prefilter inside the fluval is acting as a mechanical filter so the big hunks of debris don't gunk up the biological filters (ceramic noodles and what have you). I'm saying that the mechanical filter should be outside the fluval so your can rinse it everyday or so.
LOL, rinse the gunk down the drain, don't let it disolve inside the cannister
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Hi Carol: Thank you for your help with the pre-filter sponges. I have found a source close to home at Petland Discounts, go figure, like the anecdote quotes "fact is stranger than fiction." Some times we get lucky and things just fall into our laps. I've been going to that store over ten years, never seen them hanging on the wall. The sponges are made by Amiracle Plastics Inc. in Englewood, CO. I searched online could not find them. The product designation is FB-2000 Replacement Foam Block For PL-2000. Could be it's for some type of PenPlax filter. The deminsions are 11-1/2 in. long by 1-1/2 in. square. I'll do the researchand get back to you. They are a wee bit tight for the syphon tubes so one must be careful when making the slits. I started with a single edged razor blade and finished the cut with a small serated knife as per your timely guideline. Thanks again for all your assistance, hope to return the favor. Sincerely: 8) 8)
(Discus Devil)
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Hi DD:
Post some pictures and show us your homemade prefilters. Let us know how the sponges hold up. My cheap car wash sponges fall apart too fast :(
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I use the sponge off my old pond pump
Thanks
Josh
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Hi Carol: I will post pictures as soon as I can my Epson photo center to cooperate, seems like it won't accept the digitals from my camera. On the topic of pre-filter medium, there is a ton of stuff at Home Depot. I picked up some sediment replacements for household line filters, cut them to size on the band saw, plugged the hole in the bottom with glass wool and bingo, a pre-filter sediment trap as good as any commercial product made. I disposed of the packaging so I guess I'll go back and get the skinny on them so I can pass it along. Every little bit of info helps, I know as I started back in the "Dark Ages," when our only source of info came from Dr. Axelrod. I'll get back to you and the gang as soon as possible, Thanks Much: 8) 8)
(DISCUS DEVIL)
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Think how far Dr. Axelrod had come from those pioneers in the 1930s!! Our Aquarium Society formed in St. Paul in 1931. Can you imagine?!
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Hello All,
I have been using this sponge from home depot. The brand is Frost king, and its made to stuff around a window air condition to prevent drafts. It comes in a strip that is 2 square inches and is very convinient to cut to whatever length you want, make a slit in it and put it over the intake tube. I was them almost everyday and it holds up pretty well. Hope this helps
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Hi Carol: How are you today? We just might have a topic for the forum in re the time line of the Good Dr. Axelrod research expiditions in South America and Africa. I seem to remember he was collecting speciments and taging latin names to same in the early 1920's. I have no clue as to who was doing any early research before Dr. Axelrod, I just draw a blank, could be he was the pioneer to the Amazon river and most of it's tributaries, and Africa as well. I tell you this stuff just better all the time. Back in the late Forties I read most everything published on Ichthyology, and most of it was written by Dr. Axelrod based on his expericences in the field and of course the labratory. Here we go again onto research of the researchers. It's getting late 1am thursday morning EST NY, I'm turning in for the night and pray for the boys at the front. Sincerely: 8) 8) (Discus Devil)
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Hi Carol: This info is a tag along to your thread on pre-filter sponges. I found a quality product at That Fish Place/ That Pet Place in Lancaster, PA. made by Lustar it's called, Filter-Max Prefilter lll FM1930-FM1 & Filter Max lll Replacement Sponge FM930R-FM9. They are inexpensive and manfactured by a reliable source to the hobby. You can find them on line at http://www.thatfishplace.com. I hope this will help all who are seeking standup(ones that will last)pre-filter sponges as Lustar does indeed make quality products for the tropical fish hobbiest. Sincerely: :D :D (Discus Devil)
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Dear Discus Devil,
Please tell us what you can remember of fishkeeping in the forties. Tell us about filtration or whatever.
I grew up in the sixties. My Mom had the Innes book and a subscription to The Aquarium (another Innes publication, monthly) I read every Natl. Geographic. I cherish this early stuff. Especially the notes I took in the margins on the fish we purchased! For instance, that the hatchetfish all jumped out!!
My roots began with carbon, floss and big boxey box filters. If you don't mind, tell us where you came in?
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Hi Carol: I have some more on the pre-filter medium for syphon tubes as promised. The household in line water filter sediment replacement cartridges are of two types.
One is a felt like type of paper encased in a plastic mesh, possibly teflon caped(hole through) at both ends, Mfg. by Gen.Elec.,product# FXWPC. This one is for all type of sediment such as rust,soil,sand,silt or any fine foriegn particles carried in your water line.
The second type made by G.E. in this series is exactly the same except for the filter medium wich is sponge. It preforms the same as the first plus it removes chlorine, copper,iron,chloride,floride and many trace elements that are added to or finds it's way into our water supply. The porduct #FXWTC can be found at all of the Home Depot stores. They are quite inexpensive, seven dollars for two cartridges and are easily cut to suit. They are 9-1/2 in. long X 2-3/4 inch in diameter. One could easily make at least three syphon tube pre-filters from each replacement. At 7 bucks for six pre filters, it don't get no better.
You'll have to excuse me for my Brooklyneez, I thorw it in once in a while as to keep things on the lite side. It is just about this time in the evening, appx. 8pm EST when my serious Id leaves and DD takes the reins: Sincerely, 8) 8) (Discus Devil)
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Hi DD:
I live in a rural area. The closest Home Depot is 90 miles away. I use online catalogs alot.
You should take pictures of any that you've brought home and tried. We'd all like to see it.
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Hi Carol: As I have previously mentioned, I will get the pics. up when I get the correct software, so please have patienceI will get them posted as soon as possible. My priority at this point is in the rearing of my Red Leopard fry, plus a million and one other items that pop up. I did manage to get to Home Depot for the info on the syphon tube pre- filter medium as promised. Beside the Dicsus I also restore historical aircraft at Floyd Bennet Field NY, plus I have a exec. board position with a three hundred or so membership R/C Flying Club. All of this while constructing aircraft in three Boroughs in the NY Metro Area. As you can see My plate is full, very busy all the time, most days I put in eighteen hours or more: Sincerely, 8) 8) (Discus Devil)
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Hi All: This is for everyone interested in a reliable source for pre-filter sponges! Lustar makes a quality pre-filter sponge, and for $2.99 a pop you can't go wrong. I'm using them(currently) as I post this thraed. They are 4in. long x 2-1/2 inches in diam. I found them at That Fish Place. Take a look, you have a lot to be gained w/pre-filtration. Use keyword www.thatfishplace.com and click on fish, then filters and finally sponge. Scroll down a little and you'll find them. Thanks Carol: Sincerely, 8) 8) (Discus Devil)
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Hi Discus Devil,
Please post the email you sent to Carol (then forwarded to me) regarding your early experiences with fishkeeping. It was fascinating.
I really liked the part about keeping the tank warm by using a candle!!
Very resourceful :P Thanks, thebaglady... Jen K.
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For Jen K. in re, (The Dark Ages) as per your request, and for all in The Forum with similar backrounds:
Hoping this finds everyone in good spirits at our Nations time of strife. I am thinking of our young people at the front and my prayers go out for them. Although I am a Korean Veteran, I was lucky enough to have a good education for the time, and found myself in the USAF as an A&E (aircraft & engine) mechanic, Stationed at Chanute AFB in Rantoul, IL.
Before that I had a pretty normal childhood. I am the second oldest of twelve siblings. My beloved parents were hard working American Patriots whose ancestry is from Bonnie Wee Scotland. For my tenth birthday I received a 2-1/2 gal. tank and two goldfish, which turned out to be native carp. That is how it all started Jen. By twelve years of age (1949), I had acquired two twenty longs, bought and paid for by running chores and part time work before and after school. You are absolutely correct, it was no picnic keeping tropicals. All the tanks for the most part were chrome framed with slate bottoms. Silicone cement had not invented so the glass was set into the chrome frames of the tanks with non-toxic putty. We preformed routine maintenance to keep the leaks to a minimum. I do not remember seeing power filters, or reliable heaters, although in-tank filters were as varied as the colors of the rainbow. The filter medium, as you remember, was glass wool and charcoal(not carbon), thank God for little the little things. If you stuck with the carp(goldfish) you had no problems with the heating. Right here you have to remember who is paying for the G&E, certainly it was not I, and so a bargain was struck with Mother and Father as for surely I must have some Tropical Fish.
I was to have only one twenty long to be placed at the south of the house, relying on the warm sun of only three seasons, supplemented in the cooler evenings with a large diameter candle alight and safely placed under the slate on the bottom of the tank. Although this system was not perfect, I was not the only one employing same and enjoying tropical fish. I have never belonged to any organized club for the advancement of the wonderful hobby of Tropical Fish. There was a loacl pet shop in my neighborhood, were most of my knowledge at that time was gleaned. I must say it was a very solid foundation for the coming years, as the discipline, now that I am looking back was quite vigorus. There weren't too many problems with the tropicals from mid-April thruogh late October, when at that time, you traded in your tropicals at the same neighborhood pet shop for the goldfish and some extra goodies.
It remained that way untill I was to enlist in the USAF. After my discharge from the military and some ten years later, my first born son and I stopped at the local pet shop. Well I nearly fell down in pure amazement, the technology had taken a giant leap since my absence from the hobby. There were tropicals from the world over,and powered filters, small air pumps not the old belt driven piston type(I still have two of the latter in perfect working condition), more medication that we had at home in the medicine cabinet. A complete library of books and monthly mags, dealing with every known subject by every notable ichthylogist of the time. Every modern convenience and contraption that never existed before. Of course this was all for the pursuit of the hobby and hobbyist, be he novice or expert.
My son was six then, he is now 46 and it has been nonstop since that day we walked into that local pet shop, except for an occasional hiatus now and then, we all need a break at times. So here I am all set up again and growing out Red Leopard Discus with all seemingly as natural as can be expected, getting ready to breed and be in happy land once more. Jen I surely enjoy sharing with someone whose been there, but unlike yourself I did not keep records, with having the foresight to realize that things always change(except for the basics), someone constantly finds new ideas, new techniques and so I have developed a mechanism for baselinse information retention, it works for me, like I've said we are all in the learning curve, somewhere or other so just keep on trucking: Sincerely,
8) 8) (Discus Devil)
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A few snipets of what I can remember:
Neon tetras were .12 cents a pc. on sale for .07 We were recommended to buy "schools" by LFS sales clerks...Not hard to do in those days.
Most were "bread and butter" fish, but all were beautiful to me. I was hooked at an early, early age and remember looking at fish at a shopping mall (Southdale was one of the first indoor, contained malls in the Country), with great interest.
Temperature was regulated by heaters. I don't think we owned one that didn't bother our B & W t.v. Needless to say, our 20H tank was also near a window which got a lot of natural lighting.
Tops/hoods were beautiful stainless steel. They gleamed. I had no regard for our water conditions and worked hard to keep the tops from getting hard water deposits.
We had UG filters and also those big boxy ones which had tubes hanging here and there and were hard to prime once you disconnected them. Cleaning the charcoal before placing it in the filter was messy. We had dedicated cleaning equiptment, like spaghetti strainers for charcoal, that were only used for aquarium purposes.
Before we knew about the bacteria colony growing under the UG filter, my bro and I tore down MANY a tank, an entire Saturday procedure, to CLEAN the tank top to bottom. We had well water so we must not have killed all the good bacteria, but some mysterious fish losses were expected. We could always get more!!
Funny about the old air pumps....they were very reliable. I had a Supreme Challenger by Danner that just gave out a couple years ago!! That thing had been suppling air for like 25 years! Other names I remember were Metaframe ie: the Hush II
My parents, especially my Mom, enjoyed fish. We had a large built-in tank in our living room. This tank held native fish like sunnies and perch. We fed chopped up earthworms etc... I would tell my brother's "peskey" friends that they were piranha and that I would stick their hand in the tank if they got out of hand while over at our house. Of course, they were VERY well behaved!!! ;D
My Dad had made an automatic fill/flush system for this tank. Unfortunately, out of copper tubing. Not the best choice, but who knew then?
I started loving fish then and today, I have thirty-five tanks. I keep cichlids, killies, rainbowfish and some natives, like darters. I have never kept discus, but hope to soon! Cary and Joe are coming to Minnesota in early April. Can't wait!!!!
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I have a millinnium 2 exterior filter on a 75 gallon tank, I didn't want to go to the larger 3 because I had read from another source that discus don't like fast moving water. After reading about how others use the larger filters on this forum I wish I had gone to the larger filter. Because I was using the small filter and the intake tube was so high I didn't think a prefilter sponge would be very much help. But I decided to try it anyway, and what a hugh difference it makes, I am amazed at the amount of material it picks up and prevents from accumulating in the filter itself.
Thanks for the idea Carol. :D
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Hi GMW: You are right, Carol idea to use pre-fliter sponges was a great idea. I also tried w/a very good result. I wonder how she came up with the thought, sometimes you are struck, as if by magic with something that is so basic and yet so fantastic it really amazes me(every time) when I see it happen,lol. If you have read the posts you will see that it motivated me to do the research as to sources for same. As I use power filters in all of my tanks, the sponges was a Bonanza for the health of my fish. It takes appx. one week for the beneficial bacteria to colonize in the sponges. That is when you start to gently clean them. My meathod of cleaning is to use a bucket of tank water that the sponges are in and to gently squeez them untill all the visible waste is rinsed off. In this way you leave the beneficial bacteria colony in tact. Rinse your sponges once a wk. in this manner, you'll have happier healthier fish. Currently I,m using four different type of pre fliter sponges on the syphon tubes. You will find what they are and where to secure them in this thread: Just Keep On Trucking. Sincerely, 8) 8)
(Discus Devil)
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Hi DD,
I too rinse my sponges out once a week in a pail of water from my holding tank. Also during my daily water changes, I have 7 young discus, I run the siphon over the sponges to remove any of the larger material and some of the finer dusty material too.
Michael
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I rinse my prefilter sponges everyday when I do my water change. I don't want my water running over several days accumulation of gunk on the outside of the sponge. I don't worry about maintaining bacteria on the prefilter sponge. I use it as a mechanical filter only and rinse them vigorously right under the faucet.
I rinse the sponges inside the filter in used tank water about every 6 weeks. These are the sponges that are full of the "good" nitrifying bacteria. Even with the prefilter they still accumulate some mulm.