HOW TO: easy DIY aquarium filter - Hamburg Mattenfilter - sponge filter TUTORIAL

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[@cfosgate]

Great video. I use these HMFs in all my tanks so my fishroom is driven by a single Alita pump pushing air through a PVC loop that goes around the room. Valves tapped into the PVC allow adjustments to the air flow for individual tanks. Very efficient and cost-effective system. Shrimp and snails love to pick at the sponge and fry stay in the tank. For increased tank flow I have the output running to the other end of the tank where needed. Thanks for highlighting this great filter option.

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

Seems like a lot of aquarists who are used to cleaning filters have taken the matten filter, and altered it to fit their own sensibilities around aquarium keeping. A mattan filter was NOT meant to be a water polishing sponge filter. It is purely a biological filter that is not meant to be cleaned anymore than you should clean your gravel in an undergravel (ug) filter system. Its purpose is to mimic the sediment in the marginal zone of a water way similar to a deep substrate system with or without a ug unit. These small pore sized smooth filters are not HMFs even if they are marketed as such. If it's getting plugged up so that you have to take it out and clean it, even once a year, it's not an HMF.

[@DJPacoRamirez]

Maybe. But I've had mine 2 years plus without rensing out the filter. Plecos ands shrimp love it. I seen them all the time on the filter just eating and eating. Water stays clean. And I always see extra debri settle behind the filter. Everyone different. Simply test and find out

[@marknutt6812]

Perfect filter for any breeder or grow-out tank. It doesn't even have to be bad looking if you can cover it well enough.

[@thekingofdiy]

Exactly!

[@Mr.Glitch]

This is what i use on most of my shrimp tanks and now on a cichlid breeder tank. Amazing filters. Perfect for shrimp as they'll happily graze on the filter foam.

[@gooneshbahadur7914]

First time hearing abt this filter, very interesting and can save up on my electrical bills. thank you

[@Craig.catfish]

Lots

[@nathannawalaniec1292]

I use this set up on my fry grow out tank! It works like a gem, the sides and back of the tank are black so this filter actually looks pretty good!

[@michellep3814]

honestly still one of the best and top notch matten filter videos ever!

[@Asuma492]

Great video I really enjoyed you talking us through things while still providing a visual example on screen. This simple filtration method makes for a great short and sweet video. I'm glad they you're still going at it and providing us fish keepers with great information.

[@thekingofdiy]

Hey! Long time no see! Thanks for the kind words my man.

[@Ajemison]

you can get a better flow of water with a 45 degree angle on the PVC tube behind the sponge. Also one of the best filters for shrimp tanks.

[@ODonthebeat]

I dont even have a fish and I still watch all your videos

[@naomimackay2532]

me too hahaha

[@Hundred100]

+Raviolist ahah im not the only one!

[@MrAkirabilly]

I use his videos like assignments from school. Always new projects to work on and new info.

[@assanmaideen]

ha ha ☺️

[@havik7069]

😘 to the videos information and actual skill placed there in

[@antsmith8588]

Looked into this yrs ago after i gave up my wild gibberosas.... The way i looked at it was to silicone two pieces of glass an inch wide then width of the sponge. I actually put 2 pieces on the back of the aquarium and two pieces on the side to curve the sponge.... Then possibly hide the sponge with plants..... But dont knock the hamberg as it works.. Experiment with it......

[@thekingofdiy]

Ant Smith I had no idea HTML worked on youtube comments. Good to know. :)

[@babeesmurfie]

Man your speaking skills and the flow of the videos is getting much much better! Loved this one, very helpful!

[@thekingofdiy]

Well i certainly never set out to do this originally. With time and practice everything gets better. :)

[@LeoPazzo]

How can you not like this video or channel. Thanks king

[@thriller292]

This would be perfect for a hospital tank. Also it's kind of a sump where you can grow some moss or mangroves for better filtration.

[@MauriceMccomie]

Hi Joey I'm going to use this method to filter my discus breeding tank. It's 20 gallons and 2ft long. My reasoning for doing it is because I believe it will take less room than my sponge filter and I can put the heater behind it as well. This gives my Discus more room to breed. Great care and detail on this one Joey. Thanks. Ps. The foam I'm using is 1 inch thick, is that ok? or is more needed?

[@nicholehorn4818]

I'm planning a ten gallon shrimp tank and this will work awesome!

[@subrag321]

I think that the HB-MF is a good choice for nano tanks. You can use it as the background in a small tank.

[@natashaford4654]

I love it my only problem is my bottom drawers escaping (crayfish).however this can be fix with a good lid

[@briansfishtanks]

Very simple, but effective filter. Thanks for sharing Joey!

[@landensamazinganimals6488]

Thank you for this video! Very helpful as I am setting up a fish room soon.

[@BakOnYou]

maybe you could do a corner hmf? :) or make a recomention video for tanks, and which filter you should or could use best?

[@megantarahs]

lol, i'm hearing peeping eye when you said PPI... i'm rewatching all your uploads, i just want to feel if it will still be as interesting as when i first watched them, and they still are.

[@jseagate84]

The power head set up is cool

[@ReeferGil]

Never seen such a setup. Perfect for a qt or hopital tank in my case.

[@thekingofdiy]

Exactly! It wouldnt be a permanent change to a tank wither.

[@elscrocho2k]

***** It really is a oldscool type of System here in Germany in the freshwater szene. It has great value also with raising up fish/shrimp when you use an air pump, because it is so safe for the small fish.

[@915Mang]

Nice job joey! I might try something good like this in my sump by the return pump

[@thekingofdiy]

They work awesome in sumps!! (Where i use this material the most actually.)

[@Helveteshit]

Place two Sponges in the middle. Have a powerhead pump the water into a t bend. Voila, two spaces you can store the same fishes inside while they avoid getting in fight with one another!

[@thekingofdiy]

Good thinking!

[@kg2nc]

Love these type of video's. Anything that has to do with filter I like.

[@thekingofdiy]

Me too! I made a playlist on my channel just for filters as well. Lots of older videos that were really good as well.

[@TheLilMommaB]

***** I can't find the filter playlist anymore :-(

[@kandakumar4376]

great simplicity and effectiveness , rock on king

[@thekingofdiy]

Will do!

[@tic857]

I feel like if you get some brackets on the tank corner sides, you could slip the sponge in and it would blend better into the back.

[@manmanlam6455]

great idea

[@saarco777]

love your videos!! im a real fan!! could you please make a video for new people that started this hobby? which equipment do you need etc. thank you so much!!!!! great videos

[@transcyberism1459]

I'm thinking of building one of these airlifts as an emergency backup to circulate water through my HOB using battery air pumps in case of power outage, you think it would work?

[@Starfizz360]

Still better looking than some plastic bottles and other diy filters from other projects ur showing. Also mind planting anubias and other plants on this filter. After a while it looks great.

[@thekingofdiy]

Some people would say the opposite. All comes down to what an individual opinion is. :)

[@MrAkirabilly]

Great video! My only advice would be to run the output hose to the other side of the tank to keep from filtering the same water.

[@Diy_India]

Right 👍

[@johngilman760]

Well done!!!

[@mokhan9899]

Gunna make one now, thanks for the vid

[@thekingofdiy]

Your welcome!

[@archiehunt3651]

Hi joey I was wondering if you cold make a electronic heater for a new project and maybe for another idea how to make a breeder box

[@Spaztek12]

This is a great filter for Shrimp :)

[@thekingofdiy]

Absolutely!

[@NYCityCichlids]

Good idea

[@thekingofdiy]

Glad you think so.

[@JB-wg9zj]

You went extra thorough on this one. Really nice work.

[@thekingofdiy]

Glad you think so!

[@sanatpitale321]

Do you have a video on making a filter that is perfect for discus aquarium...?

[@graemebaxter5180]

Im planning on building this in the corner of my tank (4 the aesthetic) any recommendations on what to use to keep it in place? (i'd like to not spend that much)

[@budiawan1784]

Paint it /use sticker to ”hide” anything you doest like to see.

[@reneesnugent3358]

How do you clean this sponge? Is power head above water? Do angel fish fry get sucked into it ?

[@dkn1362]

Can you use something like this as a sump for a larger tank by adding a return pump to it?

[@RaindropServicesNYC]

Could you place a strong light source at the side of the tank (i.e. to shine inside the filter) and have algae growing in the narrow space?

[@ItsAkariLaLaPoopsie]

Would it be ok to put it in the middle of a tank sandwiched with 2 foam filters and a pvc t? or would you need two pvc risers? For breeder tanks.

[@kkreddot]

What grade of filter foam is suitable for such a filter? Micropore, mesopore or macropore? Planning to use it for German blue ram. Thanks.

[@dwarfycottage]

I did a filtration like this one here. How long I leave them there before I do cleaning of the filter. I got shrimp too. It’s a 3 ft tank.

[@paulshepherd8990]

How often would a filter like this need cleaning please .. say on a 50 gallon tank ... thanks in advance ..

[@fishtanklover299]

Would it not be ok to put biological media behind the foam also. Keep the videos coming love your channel.

[@chaigupta1507]

FishTankLover in this filter the foam works as the bio media. You definitely could though

[@coelacanth9311]

Do you think the surface of this filter would be any good for providing food for young fry? I am having problems rearing some species of whiptail fry and I think the problem is getting them to feed, I wonder if once this filter is mature whether it might provide a source of micro organisms? I would value your opinion on this.

[@steppydaddy972]

Love your videos dude. Awesome.

[@sweetman683]

What size air pump do you use for that?

[@thekingofdiy]

Depends on the size of the tank and how much flow you would like to have. I like to buy the biggest pump i can afford and use it for many tanks, or at least i can turn it down if its too strong.

[@byrguy1295]

ur aweseome

[@sondranicely8537]

JOEY...I have a 39 gal tank w 3 fancy goldfish...I need a sump or filtration system with bio as well as mechanical . my goal is to keep the tank crystal clear as well as plenty of oxygenation for fish and plants...which one of your systems do you recommend?

[@thekingofdiy]

the SUPER CHARGED VERSION: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZOckp1pgr2qn7M

[@MrDoberman101]

Would it work if I fill up the foam section with k1 media? And add extra bubbler to move them?

[@kingkato21]

Joey? I've been thinking about using a sponge like that on top of and undergravel filter for a while now. I spoke with Penn plax who advised me to use that if I didnt want to use any substrate with the udf. I just got 2 cannister filters that I was going to put the intake into the uplift tubes but was advised it be better to go reverse thoughts? I know it sounds like it will be ugly but I have a scape/design in mind to fix it.

[@jseagate84]

Thanks

[@dmartinx]

Joey - love your channel and your vids. Where have you found well priced foam?

[@happy52099]

I have a 24 gal. tank, can I use this system with discus? some said the discus produce more waste than bacterias could break down……

[@graemebaxter5180]

you shouldn't have discus in a 24 gallon tank in the first place

[@turtleexpert4069]

Hello Joey, Im doing this for my guppy breeder tank! Anyways i have a questiom. in a few months im building a turtle pond for my common snapping turtles and they are extremely messy. The pond will be roughly 250 gallons. Would you suggest i build one or buy one? If build one, could you point me to a video that would help? and if i should buy one, what would you recommend. Im not looking to blow the budget for a filter! Thanks for your time

[@Stramnnar]

hey buddy can this filter be used in a 72"x36" foot print tank? if i put in supports to run it all the way along the back 72" pane with multiple air lifts?

[@beauburkhalter6602]

would this keep my water more clear than the normal filter that sometimes comes with an aquarium kit? i know this is a late comment but i would appreciate a reply : )

[@pamfranklin3909]

Where Can I buy the sponge?

[@WhiteCloudDynasty]

doing 50% water change, will it kill the active bacteria on the top layer ?

[@JamarHotep]

Could java moss be used as extra filtration attached someone to this wall? If you understand what I mean?

[@davidtse8041]

Hi. I want to buy what Joey recommends 30 ppi but on website only refer to 3 types: micropore, mesopore & macropore. Which one should i get?

[@jaiizwaii89]

Perfect might use this in a fry tank & hospital

[@thekingofdiy]

Thats what i would tend to use them most for as well.

[@sirpfa]

What is the max PPI that can be used in any aquarium filter?

[@katakimikusan]

Would this filter fix/help with an algae problem?? Have an algae problem in my 240Liters aquerium, and nothing helps? Have a bottom filter rn Tomorrow we will nice the fish empty the water and spray H2O2, that should fix the problem forever. Aperently

[@andrewchae4291]

Do you need a specific strength air pump? I built a HMF just like yours, but there doesnt seem to be enough power to push water up.

[@ivanfreely6366]

+Andrew Chae Air pumps are usually rated for a specific tank size.

[@gordonhayes3155]

Could I use two risers to make it more effective?

[@sugarbabie1681]

Yes

[@ajanajanth8869]

thanks

[@nickjm37fordel1]

Have you ever thought of moving to Wa. I wish you were my neighbor :)

[@thekingofdiy]

It would be easier for you to move to canada than me move there. ;)

[@gregsanders70]

How does one clean this style filter - especially if you use it with substrate? And how often on a typical 55 gallon?

[@MELODYMUNRO]

+Greg Sanders I have been running one of these in my 40 gallon planted for at least 5 months now...when I do my weekly water change I siphon from the rear of the filter and that sucks up the stuff sitting at the bottom..I have also run the siphon over the front and given the foam a bit of a vacuum - there is now java fern growing on mine and it has a pretty decent coating of algae, but this filter seems to be more effective at keeping the tank balanced now than what it was in the start...it has become in one sense a living wall of bacteria...I have no plans to clean mine but instead want to see what happens with the plants and the system as it ages further...it does not handle small pieces of detritus that well - for that I have put a small HOB on the tank...but my HMF is only using the airlifts with an air pump...if you put something stronger behind it then the detritus probably would get dealt with..overall, I am happy with my HMF..cheap to run and norw that it is green and covered in plants you don't really notice it....and the fish seem to enjoy it too..they spend a fair bit of time eating the algae off it...

[@syedarshadali2828]

Hi I have 20 tanks in shop how to setup filtration

[@biancablack8126]

Do you think you can put it in a corner? Thx

[@trualpha8083]

I tried the method with the air pump and can't get the water to flow through. Any help?

[@AOA9871]

One question, I know this is an old video, but can I put media behind the sponge? (I have some leftover hydroton from my aquaponics system)

[@bneuhaus001]

yes you can. heaters also.

[@mrpaulkennedy]

Hi, would you add biological media to the space behind the sponge? Would it get enough water circulation to support beneficial bacteria?

[@mirreiji5385]

is this working for saltwater aquarium?

[@SlimTim_dirty_aquatics]

Nice filter

[@thekingofdiy]

Thanks Tim.

[@morris6947]

we can put plants in the filter side??

[@eduardoracoma5275]

Hi. Can i use egg crate foam

[@bradlockard905]

Would this work on a 29 tall that I'm using as a non compartment sump?

[@ednamurillo459]

is it ok to use it in my goldfish tank 70 gallon (2ranchus)

[@hectornunez3299]

would It work on saltwater?

[@MoreChannelNoise]

I think a drawback would be you can't rise out half of it at a time, it's all or nothing.

[@arnaldohernandez3734]

Great for shrimp.

[@trualpha8083]

Why doesn't my air pump filter flow out water like yours? It just has bubbles and it doesn't reach the output hole.

[@epicjourneysbritainireland9474]

Your not pushing the air pipe down far enough to push the water up it....

[@Aquafiro]

sorry for this joey but i like the ending music.

[@Aquafiro]

:D ;)

[@nightelf6262]

Can anyone tell me how strong does the air pump has to be? Watts?

[@snailorgy]

where on earth do you get that sponge from in that size?

[@wildfloweraquatics7102]

the problem is not the price it is finding the supplies and getting my mom or dad to drive me there.

[@inhalefumes6475]

I dropped in a bunch bio media for extra filtration

[@aparnamishra5074]

I tried it to my 1.5ft long aquarium with tetras but the air bubbles seemed to escape through the lill holes made towards the bottom.. what could i possibly be doing wrong?

[@nathanhull4472]

Aparna Mishra probably raise your air stone 1/2”-3/4” above the top hole.

[@aparnamishra5074]

@@nathanhull4472 Thanks Nathan

[@shimanoforlife5198]

Where can I find these sponge mats?

[@shadowyuko1]

where do you buy your materials? Seems like everywhere I look, everything is very expensive

[@candiceoftebro3257]

I second that