I ran across this type of filter a little while back and I was pretty intrigued by it. Is so simple in design...and VERY low maint. It's called a HAMBURG MATTEN FILTER and like the name suggests, was developed over in Germany. Anyways it's just one HUGE bio filter!...As you can see(hopefully) by the pics...the sponge is placed tightly in the tank on one end. You need just enough room behind the sponge and the glass for the pvc uplift tube to fit. I purchased the 55 gallon kit from a place called SWISS TROPICALS(I don't know how to post the link) The kit came with the sponge, pvc uplift tube, and 3ft of quality airline tubing. Basically when air is driven into the uplift tube, it draws water from the tank, thru the sponge and flows out back at the surface. What I like about it, besides being almost maint. free and capable of massive bio-loads, is I have the heater behind the foam, out of sight, and always in contact with moving water. Is nice to get the heater out of site! I bought 2 of the 55 kits, so right now I am only usung the one filter, but I have the uplift tube from the other filter on this filter for dual flow. The only other filter I will use, is a smaller sponge filter that I can remove and place in the breeding tank when pairs are formed and removed. The foam comes in a few colors. I got the blue...but there is also black, and I want to get some of the light green to try in my breeding tanks. The only things I see that may turn people off, is cosmetics and price. My kits cost me $25 each, but they came with everything, and the piece of mind of knowing that this is quality, FISH SAFE foam. Is probally not the way to go if a decorated tank, tho I heard different mosses can be grown on it. I have not had it running all that long yet, but I am impressed with it. It has to be trimmed a bit, but is very easy to cut with a razor knife. With mine, I placed the small cut strip back in the tank so you could not see the heater and hardware, plus for $25 I aint throwing it out!...Bill
I purchased a half dozen of these (39"x39" in sheet) thinking of using it for tank divider for 75gal as well. As it turns out, like Graham stated. It needs cleaning as well. It's much harder to take them out and clean when they are 19"x19" wet. They work great at the store as dividers for the pond where taking it out for cleaning is not an issue.
I have to rethink how I can use these. I think a better option is to use the 20"x5" cartridge sponge filter instead.
Overall, these are very nice quality foam. I am going to use these for the AC110 filter as well.
I like the 20x5 filter myself. I'm pretty lax on squeezing my sponge filters as it is, but I see myself squeezing this filter even less. I really can not see that sized filter foam getting clogged to the point of having to take it out to clean it anytime soon, even with less than pristine tank maint. It's a big peice of sponge! In a sense I guess it's just a vertical UGF, minus the gravel. Since all I use in my tanks are sponge filters, that's why I wanted to try it, because it is a overgrown sponge(BIO)filter. I believe I stated that up front. I seen the tank divider mentioned...I think that was pretty cool, unlike most tank dividers, it looks as if nothing could get to the other side... not even free swimming fry. Anyways, I like it so far as it keeps my heater out of site, the output breaks the surface nicely, and you can actually SEE how much water is being pulled thru the filter...not just a stream of bubbles rising to the top of the tank. Now at least I won't have to worry about floating sponge filters, or sponge filters that come apart or where the plastic gets brittle and needs replacing...Bill
Hi...I know it will eventually need to be cleaned, but in my case, I am figuring not for awhile, because it seems so much larger than my two big hydro-sponges...that I hardly squeeze out at all. I guess I will just have to see how it works out in the long run. Maybe it will eventually become a PITA, like I found with wet/dry's and canisters. But for right now I am really liking it, tho I know will not be everyone's cup of tea. Just thought I would share it, because to be honest, I never seen or heard of them before...and I consider myself to be pretty aquarium saavoy...Bill
I bought one large piece at an ACA convention. The are of very high quality and for what I have heard work very well. Hans uses the material . I wanted to use it on my 75 tanks but never did go through the installation and I just donated it to my club to auction at our swapmeet.
William , your setup with it looks Great.
Ah.. I now just realize that you got the 2" thick one. Have you thought about putting a powerhead in there? I use the 4" one and the problem with mine is that a lot of waste do get stuck on one side. I do like the idea of having all the stuff hidden in there.
Thanks Eddie and Alpine. Vlam, I can see where a powerhead would really get the flow going. I would really only use one if I had the tank WAY overstocked with juvies or fry. But for right now, because I am in the process of getting a central air pump, I will just be using air to power it, but I will have the two uplifts on each filter, since I will have plenty of air to supply it. Tank does look funny to me seeing no heater in it!. I am going to try the other one I have in a breeding tank. The size that's in my 55 will fit the LONG way in a 20H, across the entire back glass....I can put it in like that, or trim it to fit the 20H to fit vertically in one of the ends, which I probally will try, since most of my breeding tanks are on end. That way there should be no more spawns on the heater which will be hidden, or on any lift tubes from ordinary filters...Bill
Bill that is a cool filter. I have been thinking about getting some of that stuff as well, I'm not far away. You can use it as part of a regular sponge filter too. Here's a link:
Hi Adrian...that was the site where I found it. Get it, I think you'll like it. I like the way he used it in his fishroom. Very neat and clean looking. He does sell it for stand alone sponge filters. I bought one of his 4x4 cube filters to try out, and for the price it's very nice. He has a sponge filter that you can adapt to a hydro sponge...it's HUGE...4x20 I think. I think the way I have it in my 55(HMF) will work in my breeding tanks nice, because I can hide the heater behind it, and with no stand alone filter, there will only be my spawning slate or cone in the tank, easy enough to remove...less stuff to distract the fry from attatching...Bill
I will be getting some. Looking forward to seeing how your setup develops. From what it sounds like to me, the sponge is a higher quality material then what we are used to using.
Adrian
(Just a side note, the websites are two different people.)
Hi Adrian...That one website is his friends. Stephan has a link to his fishroom on there,,,very neat and clean, and his red sponge looks nice with the green plants growing in front of it. It's supposed to be much better than the standard foam most use, and safe because it is designed and manufactured for aquatic use. He has on his website a comparison chart of all the "popular" sponge filters comparing flow and cost...pros and cons. Intresting to see how these filters compare to others...Bill
You can cut those 5"x20" down to the height you need. My friend and I purchased those to cut down to 5" height and used them as replacement sponge for the the hydro.
I think what I liked about that 5x20 was how big it was! As tall as a 55. Even cutting it in half, would give you one BIG bio filter...and with two of those in a tank, you should never have a nitrogen cycle problem...Bill
Reply With Quote
HMF FILTER
Posting Permissions
