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Wall filter foam (september meeting)

Digital

Members
Hi speaker at September's meeting mentioned he uses wall filter foam in all his tanks. I found the website that sells the foam in large sheets, but there must be some DIY required. Anyone have an idea or link to how a foam filter wall os made in the tank? Thanks

Marlin

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chriscoli

Administrator
Oooh, I am a huge fan of these.....the key to searching is to Google "Hamburg Mattenfilter" That'll bring up a bunch of resources. One of the places you can get foam is Stephan Tanner's site, http://www.swisstropicals.com/. It's not the only place you can get foam, though. Angels Plus carries it as well.

But, take a look around Stephan's site and you'll see how it's set up. He'll also be a vendor at the Catfish Convention in October, so you might also want to stop by his table and chat with him.
 

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
Hi speaker at September's meeting mentioned he uses wall filter foam in all his tanks. I found the website that sells the foam in large sheets, but there must be some DIY required. Anyone have an idea or link to how a foam filter wall os made in the tank? Thanks

Marlin

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I spoke with our speaker about his set-up. He uses 3" Poret foam with the aqualifter.
He cuts out the foam to fit the jet lifter so the foam sits flush against the side wall of the tank.

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verbal

CCA Members
I spoke with our speaker about his set-up. He uses 3" Poret foam with the aqualifter.
He cuts out the foam to fit the jet lifter so the foam sits flush against the side wall of the tank.

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So the lifter is in the middle of the foam wall - rather than behind it in a normal Hamburg Matten Filter design?
 

Becca

Members
It could be really fun to do a seminar on how to build these and I think it could be nice to go over how and why they work. It's my understanding they can be air driven or power-head driven, right?
 

verbal

CCA Members
It could be really fun to do a seminar on how to build these and I think it could be nice to go over how and why they work. It's my understanding they can be air driven or power-head driven, right?

They are so simple it would be pretty brief. Yes they can work either with air driven lift tube or a power head/water pump. If Stephan Tanner doesn't have a demonstration set up at the Catfish Convention, he will be able to answer any questions that you have.
 

b considine

a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude
So the lifter is in the middle of the foam wall - rather than behind it in a normal Hamburg Matten Filter design?

I suspect it's still behind the foam, just that the foam is as flush against he glass as it can be.

Blaise
 

verbal

CCA Members
I suspect it's still behind the foam, just that the foam is as flush against he glass as it can be.

Blaise

Ah ok. I think I can picture it now, so just a small cut out for the lift tube, so the foam is flat against the back glass.
 

Pat Kelly

CCA Member
Staff member
Wow, that means I have had those running in there for almost 6 years.

They still do a good job. Not the greatest looking in the tank but still good.

 

jonclark96

Past CCA President
I really need to make the switch on my smaller tanks to the HMF. Thinking that I could hide the heater behind wall as well.
 

Becca

Members
They are so simple it would be pretty brief. Yes they can work either with air driven lift tube or a power head/water pump. If Stephan Tanner doesn't have a demonstration set up at the Catfish Convention, he will be able to answer any questions that you have.

What about something where members could build their own DIY filters during the seminar? Maybe an HMF and one of those soda bottle ones?

I know it sounds silly, but some people might like the hands-on experience and having others there to help them out if they have questions.
 

jonclark96

Past CCA President
If you purchase the aqualifter from Stephan, it is literally as easy as wedging a sheet of foam into the tank and connecting an air line.
 

Pat Kelly

CCA Member
Staff member
And I just poke a hole through using the pvc.
only tool would be to drill the hole in the pvc to put the air line into and something sharp to cut the foam.
 

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
So the lifter is in the middle of the foam wall - rather than behind it in a normal Hamburg Matten Filter design?

Yes and no. He cuts out a section to allow the pvc and foam to sit flush, whereas Swiss Tropicals uses a wider foam and cores out a portion to slip the pvc into.

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Digital

Members
What about something where members could build their own DIY filters during the seminar? Maybe an HMF and one of those soda bottle ones?

I know it sounds silly, but some people might like the hands-on experience and having others there to help them out if they have questions.

I was thinking the same and a group buy of poret from swiss tropicals. If you provide needed dimensions they will precut the foam. Rest seems to be just knowing how to cut pvc. I did find a lot of diy videos on youtube. These are rather simple.

For those, like me, worried about the aethetics of this foam filter, I wonder one could be built in a corner to make it easier to put decor in front of it. It would require a triangle shape enclosue to ensure water is pulled through the filter and not around it.

Marlin

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jonclark96

Past CCA President
There are corner applications (I actually think that AndrewTFW has a thread where he put one in a tank he has) but most involve installing braces to hold the foam in the tank. That means you need to drain the tank to install. If you have the time and patience, it is easy to do. If you are trying to swap over with fish in the tank, probably not the easiest thing to do.
 

chriscoli

Administrator
I did the corner foam thing using Andrew's thread as a guide when I had to reseal the tank. It was REALLY easy.
 
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