Hamburg Mattenfilter

Andrewtfw

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
I am in the process of renovating my 75g. I have removed the gravel and will replace it with PFS. I have removed the old background and added a new one. I have also removed the two AC110s that were running on this tank and have replaced them with a Hamburg Mattenfilter using Poret foam. Pics are to follow.

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Andrewtfw

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
I want to increase the water movement in the tank and decrease the noise that would result from an air driven aqualifter. I was thinking about using two powerheads or small water pumps to achieve this. I want dual output. Does anyone have a pump/powerhead they reccomend for this?
 
verbal

verbal

CCA Members
I don't have a specific recommendation, but I think that a water pump/powerhead will be the route you want to take. I think the flow rate would be on the low side with air driven tubes.
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
HMF's Rock!

Fantastic! I love HMF's! I've got them in all of my 10's, 15's, 20-longs, the 33, and all of my 40 breeders. I've been considering setting up a corner one like you have, too. After seeing how you did it, I'm definitely going to have to revisit it.

What thickness foam did you use? Stephan recommended 2" for my 10's, 15s, and 20's but 3" for the 40 breeders.

I had also read in his article that the thicker foam really steps up the potential for denitrification.
http://casb.okstate.edu/casb/fishch...n-novel-insights-and-practical-considerations

As for flow rate, on my 40 breeders, I have 2 lift tubes behind the poret and I get a pretty amazing flow with just air (I've had people not believe me that I was using just air). That being said, you'd probably get more with a powerhead and as you mention...control the noise a bit. But, some of the power of using the HMF, I think, is allowing the water to have a little bit of residence time in the filter (longer contact time with the biofilm), so I'm not sure I'd go the route of a really high-flow powerhead or pump. If you can find one that would move a moderate amount, you'll probably be good.

YAY, HMFs!
 
Andrewtfw

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
I'm using 2" foam. I bought it a few years back. Swiss Tropicals sold it to me and said it would be fine in the 75g. If i find otherwise I can always add another filter. I hope to fill it by next week.

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chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Stephan knows his stuff, so I'm sure the 2" is fine. I've only worked with the 3" a few times and it's (not surprisingly) less flexible so you really might be better off with the 2". In any case, you've got a fantastic amount of surface area in that piece you've got there!
 
jonclark96

jonclark96

Past CCA President
Looks great, Andrew. I like the idea of using the plastic corner guard instead of trying to silicone in a piece of glass.

For those who have HMF in operation, how often are you cleaning the foam?
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
I don't bother mine if I can. The filters in some of my 10s have been in use for about a year. If I have to seriously rearrange the tank (they are a pita to remove otherwise), I'll take the filter out and whack it against the posts outside under the deck a few times and rinse it a little, but I want those bacteria left alone so I don't mess with them much.

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dogofwar

dogofwar

CCA Members
I had a longer post but, alas, it disappeared into the ether when I pushed submit.

I use a lot of the 2" course Poret and periodically clean it by removing it and dunking it into a 5g bucket full of tank water.

One thing to think about when using this kind of material is whether you intend to use it primarily for bio filtration or for mechanical.

Bio capacity is primarily driven by surface area while mechanical filtration capacity is driven by flow.

For the same reason that I couple box filters (with lots of flow and frequently changed fluff) with sponge filters (with less flow so that they don't catch a lot of gunk), I prefer less flow through my Poret filters.

The more flow through your Poret/Matten, the more that it will collect gunk (poop, uneaten food, etc)...and the more frequently that it will need to be cleaned to remove rotting stuff (the same stuff that you would siphon out of a tank, rinse out of HOB or Canister filter media, etc.).

It's less on an issue when you first set up a tank but more and more of one over time (as the Poret becomes more and more full of poop).

Matt

chriscoli said:
I don't bother mine if I can. The filters in some of my 10s have been in use for about a year. If I have to seriously rearrange the tank (they are a pita to remove otherwise), I'll take the filter out and whack it against the posts outside under the deck a few times and rinse it a little, but I want those bacteria left alone so I don't mess with them much.

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Click to expand...
 
Pat Kelly

Pat Kelly

CCA Member
The ones in the ends of the 55's have been in for over 4 years. Have pulled them out and dunked them in my trashcan on wheels during water changes. I have done it 3 times now.
They still work great. A couple of 55's have had at least 60-70 2 inch fish in them. I always run at least one hydro in the 55s also. Just in case an airline gets clogged or something.
 
Andrewtfw

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
To those of you who have used or currently use this type of filtration, I would like to pose the following questions:

1) Is there any reason why I would not want to place the water pump on the bottom of the tank behind the filter, as opposed to mounting it higher up?

2) Does it matter whether or not the water returning from behind the foam is at a certain height on the foam block? I am considering having the water return in the middle of the water column.

Thanks for your feedback.
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Intake is through the foam. Traditionally, output is high since most people are using air to drive the flow. But I'd think that with a powerhead you could put it anywhere you wanted, but if it's low, you'd sacrifice having the flow agitate the surface of the water...but that might be ok with you.
 
Andrewtfw

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
chriscoli said:
Intake is through the foam. Traditionally, output is high since most people are using air to drive the flow. But I'd think that with a powerhead you could put it anywhere you wanted, but if it's low, you'd sacrifice having the flow agitate the surface of the water...but that might be ok with you.
Click to expand...

Would surface agitation negatively impact filtration? Don't the aqualifters agitate the surface?

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chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Well, let me clarify...are you still thinking about having the water flow out over the top of the filter back to the tank?
 
Andrewtfw

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
chriscoli said:
Well, let me clarify...are you still thinking about having the water flow out over the top of the filter back to the tank?
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of having the water flow through a hole cut in the sponge a few inches below the surface. I want to reduce noise and increase water movement. I am wondering if I used a water pump either on the bottom of the tank (behind the foam) or a few inches below the surface (again, behind the foam)if it would work well.

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dogofwar

dogofwar

CCA Members
Water will flow through the foam if there is water movement anywhere in the tank.

I use Poret as a divider in some of my tanks. Having a box filter (with lots of air) on one side of it...and a sponge filter (with less air) on the other creates flow across the media. Not as much flow as, say, a powerhead or a jet lifter, but that's really not the point (unless I want the foam to serve as a mechanical filter...which I don't).

Matt

chriscoli said:
+1

The water should draw through across the surface of the foam no matter where you put the pump behind it.
Click to expand...
 
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