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Hamburger Mattenfilter for a low tech setup

152K views 508 replies 53 participants last post by  harsaphes 
#1 ·
I've been studying this recently method of filtration recently and him-hawing between this idea and a sump for a new tank I am setting up. After much thought, I'm about 85% convinced I'm trying this out. So for those that want to follow along, feel free. This is a thread to show the progress of my building it, to share my experiences both short term and long term. However, please know that this may be like my canopy and take years to complete of I may abandon the idea completely, so feel free to just look at the links or move on shaking your head at my slowness. :tongue:

Also, please don't turn this into another debate thread on the HMF. There are plenty out there already, and I am even giving you links to the pros and cons. If you feel the need to argue this method of filtration, I suggest starting your very own thread or else I will abandon this documentation entirely as I have no desire to have yet another thread loose it's original purpose in order to feed egos (again, there are enough threads to do that). ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DItfIGJL-Uc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ColI4FOSFHY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-lTCMdxQeA
http://www.deters-ing.de/Berechnungen/Berechnungen.htm#Mattengroesse
http://www.shrimpnow.com/content.php/265-Hamburger-Matten-Filter-(HMF)
http://aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?79104-Hamburger-Mattenfilter-HMF
http://www.janrigter.nl/mattenfilter/
http://www.crustaforum.com/board/showthread.php?202-Hamburg-Mat-Filter-(HMF)
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...wet-thumb-forum-new-filtration-concept-3.html

Does anyone currently have a HMF setup in his/her own tank? If so, please share pictures if you have any! I'm looking for inspiration. :icon_smil

Step one: Finding poret filter #30.
Step two: More research for example, do I want to use an air driven pump or the aquaclear filter #20 already on hand?
Step three: To cover or not to cover? That is the question (i.e. Moss or clado?)
Step five: Actually start working on step one.

Edit: A new awesome link provided by Bahugo: http://www.shrimpnow.com/forums/showthread.php/3677-My-racks-and-shrimps
 
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#5 ·
This is interesting - something new to learn about! I've never heard of it before, and from the links it looks like it's not restricted to shrimp tanks only - one tank user had discus (with other filtration, if I remeber correctly). So, is this going to be for a shrimp tank for you, or are you using this on a planted community tank?
I'm suscribed - I don't care how many years it takes! lol

Just watched the AngelPlus vids, they were very clear and to-the-point. He mentioned that you could put additional media between the foam filter and the tank glass if you want - media of your choice including gravel, bio balls, etc. I would think that could include filter floss? I recently removed my Tetra carbon/floss filter bags in my Whisper HOB and replaced them with filter floss, and I'm pleased with the results. Now that I see how little surface area my puny clumps of floss have, in comparison to the large sponge suface (I know the plants help too) I'm thinking I will take a good hard look at this system!
~ Cin ~
 
#7 ·
If you use a sump, then these are part of the filter anyway:thumbsup:
They are easier to clean and take up less space in the tank that way.

I just use big blocks O foam, 4" or so and snug fit them to the sump after the wet/dry tower. All my tanks have them.

There is little doubt they work well. Ugly in the tank, but I've seen some nice solutions to that.
Sumps stink for shrimp since they get in there and into the overflows.
 
#41 ·
If you use a sump, then these are part of the filter anyway:thumbsup:
They are easier to clean and take up less space in the tank that way.

I just use big blocks O foam, 4" or so and snug fit them to the sump after the wet/dry tower. All my tanks have them.
Tom, but yours doesn't look fit into the MattenFilter main concept which is
very slow flow through the foam, to give the water long contact time with bacteria.
That's why they use large cross sectional area material ("large but thin", as the
thickness beyond a few cm serves no significant function).

From http://www.janrigter.nl/mattenfilter/
I think it should be quite clear from the article: two or more smaller filtermats in a row don't work. It's in the article and in the FAQ again. Don't do it, I agree with Olaf here. You do the maths and you will see. The amount of filtration needed is related to your tank size, but should be around two tanks per hour. A bit less or more isn't going to kill anything. So the amount of water that goes through your setup is a fixed number. Most of the required bacteria can be found in the first half inch of the mat. Anything after that is basically thickness for the sake of stability. So the same amount of water has to travel through a much smaller frontal surface, resulting in a higher speed. Too high, in fact. The whole point was to reduce flow rate! It's not going to work. By stacking smaller bits of foam behind each other, you are reinventing the cannister filter, horizontally.
While it apparently works for you, but it's just not MattenFilter.
 
#8 ·
For those interested in why not to do this this fitration, Hoppy graciously started a thread on the pros and cons of the filter. In fact, I encourage you to go there and decided for yourself and even join in on the conversation. ;) http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/145106-hamburger-matten-filter-why-not.html

Driftwoodhunter, this is going to be fore a shrimp and small fish tank, specifically a 33 gallon long. I toyed between a sump, a canister, a powerhead, a basic sponge filter and other ideas on filtration (even - gasp - undergravel filtration). Seeing my shrimp always on the prefilters and basic sponge filters is what lead me to finding the HMF. This has been around for many decades, longer than my life and is still used today, many purposes being breeding.

I was in between using a sump with a mattenfilter installed there or directly in the tank. After much thought, I am going the traditional route. This was picked for purely the reason that I'll find it pleasing watching shrimp play on the wall. As many already know, shrimp and fish love picking on the goodies growing on sponges. When I took my sponge out to rinse them every few months, I had to practically pull the boogers off them. They bred more frequently in this tank, didn't have to worry about the filter sucking up babies and was the lowest maintained tank I owned. I could focus on the tank's inhabitants.

For me, algae will be expected to grow on this fitration, specifically Cladophora.
However, out of all the algae out there, this is the most pleasing to me and generally is found in pristine water conditions.:


One could run and hide at this point, but even just this sponge is a haven for all kinds of goodies. All throughout the day and night, if the shrimp aren't fed an outside foodsource, they are on this sponge picking away. Babies flock to it. From this image, I imagined a wall of spongecake and the search led me to the old HMF. :)
 
#10 ·
Bigger "lips" work better, but you might be able to make that work. I ran several of them as just partitioned ends to the 10g tanks, and something liek that would prob work fine. If you run it in an "corner" configuration it should work fine. I don't remember where I found my track at.
 
#15 ·
You could probably get away with using those plastic corner things they sell at wallpaper stores that protect the corners from getting torn/scuffed up. I would imagine they are cheap.

Wkndracer http://www.foamandupholstery.com/out_door_foam.htm that's another place to buy foam, scroll down to regicall Foam. I don't know how thick you are looking for though.
 
#18 ·
http://www.kofflersales.com/product.asp?cid=56&pid=74 is the corner guards. I used to get them at hardware stores, but I can't remember seeing them there for several years. They might be the cheapest easy to do way to hold a corner filter.
Yup! That's what I meant. I'm pretty sure I've still seen them around in hardware stores around here, haven't really looked for them though.
 
#19 ·
Why does a piece of foam cost so much $$$?? So I am going by this calculation of the famous Olaf and the size mat I need for the power-head I currently own is quite pricey. Time to double check my math as this doesn't sound right.

Haven't yet decided on just doing a vertical wall of foam or the semi circle mount. The wall seems less intrusive to me. For a tank 48" long and approximately 12" deep and 12" high, the vertical mount seems less obtrusive.
 
#20 ·
Does anyone currently have a HMF setup in his/her own tank? If so, please share pictures if you have any! I'm looking for inspiration.
Hi.
I have three HMF:s in my tanks.
One is a standard "end of a tank foamed"-version, one is in a sump.

One is in a 250 gal brackish tank, been working for four years I think. The foam is 1 x 0,5 meters, on the back of the tank:


Pump is a Koralia 4, rigged onto a chamber in the corner:



I also made a fake rock background with a lot of holes, slots and gaps to hide the foam:


Koralia is a powerful pump and even though it takes part of it's flow through the grille left in front of the chamber, it probably takes more water through the foam than is necessary/ideal.

But it's been working fine for four years. I have taken the foam out for a wash twice so far.
 
#21 ·
:drool:

Thank you for sharing that, HX67!!! You just showed everyone that the ugliness factor is null and void with your gorgeous setup. I can only dream that my tank will look 1/10th that nice. Much needed inspiration and you have shown me that I am going to take my time setting this up as nicely as possible. If this takes me 5 years, so be it. I'm going to try my best to come up with something as nice as that!

Found a good local (well a few hours) source for the foam at an affordable price!
http://www.swisstropicals.com/
 
#25 ·
Thank you for sharing that, HX67!
Thank you. My pleasure.
Good luck with your project.

Am I correct in understanding that the 3D background has been placed in front of the foam, and the cutouts are there to permit the water flow?
~ Cin ~
Yes, you are correct.
Fish also like to go behind the background for a rest and shelter.
Thanks.
 
#22 ·
I am madly in love with your 3D background...that is by far the most realistic DYI one I've seen, and I've been researching them heavily!
Am I correct in understanding that the 3D background has been placed in front of the foam, and the cutouts are there to permit the water flow?
I love it.
Have I mentioned I love it? lol
~ Cin ~
 
#23 ·
Reading through the Q&As about the foam it looks like another alternative would be an "L" shaped piece, extending from the bottom to the top, in a corner, an inch or two from the back glass. You can glue pieces of the foam together with aquarium silicone so making the "L" shaped piece would be easy. That lets you use 1/2 of the back for the filter very easily, or 2/3 of the end, and moss, etc. could hide the whole thing.
 
#26 ·
That's a great idea, Hoppy. I see what you are saying, that sounds like a definite possibility.

Wasserpest - T! Thanks for the link. I was just looking at this just moments ago and came over here to see you linked it. I like the simplicity of the design and see that you used a speaker packaging?

Thanks, HX67! I hope to make you pleased of my attempts of copying some of your ideas. :D

I called around and there is a heating and air place that can order 30 PPI polyurethane foam that is 1" thick. I was wondering, could I buy two of these and 'sew' them snugly together with mono filament to make a 2" depth? Because if so, I can can get what I need for under $8. That would make things so much easier.
 
#29 ·
I called around and there is a heating and air place that can order 30 PPI polyurethane foam that is 1" thick. I was wondering, could I buy two of these and 'sew' them snugly together with mono filament to make a 2" depth? Because if so, I can can get what I need for under $8. That would make things so much easier.
Any time you use something made for a different use in an aquarium you take some risks. If that foam was made for filtering air, for example, it could have a chemical treatment to kill molds, which would be very harmful in the water. If it was made for cushioning fragile items when packaging things, it could have other ingredients that might be harmful in the water, and it might have a limited life in water. Also consider the structural strength of the foam - air filters, packaging materials, etc. need very little structural strength compared to what a HMF needs. It might work fine, but if it doesn't it would be a big mess to clean up.
 
#27 ·
Silly question but would adding something like a moss wall as an exterior buffer help/hinder what you are trying to accomplish. Reason being a nice, filled in moss wall would certainly be more eye appealing than just plain foam for those concerned with the ugly factor plus I think the moss wall would act as another method of filtering as well?
 
#31 ·
So here is a good place that has tons of different size, thickness, and pore choice Poret sponge filters available.
http://www.swisstropicals.com/Poret Filter Foam Pricelist.html
I haven't been able to find many other places that sell Poret brand, which is apparently really great, as it is designed for aquariums and sure to withstand the environment. Hope it helps somebody. I'll be buying from them when I set up a HMF in a 10g after I move.
 
#32 ·
10/9/11

Power head driven Matten 10g fry tank







I'll really be looking at the flow once the free swimming starts.
This will be great for LFABN but not sure on my angels as powered currently.
It is an O2 factory though.

 
#33 ·
Mike, I am so jealous. Thanks to the vet and car bills, my project is on hold for at least the rest of the year. Don't even have a stand for the tank built yet. I do have dirt, turface, light bulb, reflector and powerhead. So it's a work in SLOW progress.

Thank you for the build pictures. This will help a great deal. Will you update it in a few months with the progress?
 
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