Filter Max REPLACEMENT SPONGES, for Aquarium Pre-Filter by ATI, from AAP

Description

AUTHORIZED ONLINE DISTRIBUTOR from AAP™ with 4 decades experience selling this product!
NO other eBay seller is authorized by AAP™ (American Aquarium Products) to sell these genuine/patented NEW replacement sponges
THIS LISTING IS FOR THE SPONGE REPLACEMENTS ONLY, NOT THE COMPLETE PRE-FILTER!
Using replacements without the strainers, end cap, and other parts important to proper function will result in poor performance if not failure to function
COMPLETE Filter Max 3
COMPLETE Filter Max 2
*
Filter-Max III
Replacement Sponge
:
• Sponge size 4 inches by 2.75 inches
• Tank size: up to 40 gallon
• Surface area: 49.4 sq. in.
• Suggested Actual Flow Rate 130 to 200 gph
*
Filter-Max II Replacement Sponge
:
• Sponge size 4 inches by 2.75 inches
• Tank size: up to 40 gallon
• Surface area: 49.4 sq. in.
• Suggested Actual Flow Rate 130 to 200 gph
*Filter-Max I
Replacement Sponge
:
• Sponge size 2 inches by 2.75 inches
• Tank size: up to 20 gallon
• Surface area: 30.6 sq. in.
• Suggested Actual Flow Rate under 130 gph
The Filter Max Adapts to most all round intakes (& Teflon tape can be used to make a more snug fit on less tight connections), here are the sizes of the adapters:
• 1-1/4” OD. 1-1/4” ID
• 1-1/8” OD, 1” ID
• 5/8” OD, ½” ID
• 7/8” OD, ¾” ID
All adapters can be connected to either the outside or the inside of the intake pipe for your filter, whatever works best.
Note:
There is not one round intake that I personally have not been able to connect a Filter Max together with, and I even once (with much modification and Teflon tape), connected a Filter Max to a square intake on an Emperor filter (please do not purchase a Filter Max thinking this will be a simple DIY modification to adapt it to a square filter intake, as it is not)
Attributes:
• Prevents debris such as dead fish and plant material from clogging the intake by distributing suction evenly down the length of the sponge.
• Maintains the biological filtration when the main filter is changed or cleaned.
• Vastly increases bio filtration capacity over many standard Aquarium Power Filters (HOB filters).
• Can be used with most power heads as a temporary or permanent filter in aquariums, isolation tanks, holding tanks, etc.
• Prevents small or baby fish from being suctioned into the main filter
• Prevents anemone and invertebrates from being suctioned into the filter.
• Traps larger waste particles, mechanically cleaning the water
• Can be used with most outside filters, canister filters and power heads.
• Increases depth of HOB filter intake by up to 6 inches (15 cm.) for better over all
circulation (it is still recommended to have more than one independent filter or at least a separate air stone for best over all filtration results).
•
Increases longevity
of filter cartridges (often by 300% +) of filter the Filter Max is attached to by removing a considerable amount of debris prior to entry into the filter, this in turn saves money with less filter cartridges purchased and less clogging hassles.
• Includes three adapters for use with various main filter intake tubes.
• Easy to clean. Just rinse and squeeze in used tank water
• Can be used in the vertical or horizontal position.
• A must for HOB (hang on back power filters), such as Via Aqua, Penguin (older models), SunSun, AquaTech, Aqueon or Whisper (or most others with “round” intake). As well the Filter Max fits most canister filters such as the Eheim, Via Aqua, Fluval & many others.
These pre-filters retain and improve biological filtration even when HOB filter media is changed. These pre filters also extend intervals between filter cartridge changes, saving money (and contrary to some opinions, improves the efficiency of cartridges by removing more coarse debris before entering the filter, thus allowing the cartridge to remove more fine debris)
•
Entire Filter Max recommended for best results
, although use with sponges only is possible on some filter intakes
• Excellent to use with CO2 generators to better diffuse CO2 into the aquarium (you use these filters to diffuse the CO2 bubbles into the aquarium)
Sponge Filtration Overview
Sponge filtration is an often overlooked type of filtration for
both
large and small freshwater tanks and bowls, and even ponds or marine aquariums. Many aquarists look past these filters because of their simplicity, but therein lies their quality.
I have used these filters for my aquarium maintenance business for 32 plus years with excellent results in freshwater, saltwater and ponds.
(The picture to the left is a Hydro Sponge #1 in a 6 x 6 x 6 Betta tank
.)
The best sponge filters (such as the Patented Hydro Sponge Filters) can be used to compliment another filter, such as a power "hang on back" (HOB) or canister filter, or
even as a stand alone filter
, as per our extensive controlled tests. We found that only fluidized sand bed filters out perform sponge filters for aerobic bio filtration.
In fact I, and many other aquarium professionals, have used sponge filters as the
only
source of aquarium filtration.
With this in mind, people purchasing one of the many 'Aquarium Kits' sold at discount stores would be much better off with a superior bio-filtration such as our Hydro Sponge Filter Kits instead.
As a bio filter, most premium sponge filters (such as our Premium Hydro Sponge Filter) are
vastly superior to Under Gravel Filters
as per extensive controlled tests performed by us in the 1990s.
This is due to the very porous nature of a sponge filter that allows for extensive colonization of nitrifying bacteria, assuming your aquarium or pond is adequately circulated.
Please note that many "knock off" sponge filters made by a variety of brands are NOT made of the same patented sponge material as ATI's patented Hydro sponges and thus do not perform
nitrification
at the same level
. These lower end sponge filters also degrade much quicker, as many users can attest to.
A couple of the reasons for better test results when compared to an under gravel filter, is that a well designed sponge filter does not have “dead” spots, nor do sponge filters trap decomposing organic mulm in pockets, such as is the case with under gravel filter plates (which can lower KH/pH, increase nitrates, and even promote Aeromonas or Saprolegnia pathogens!)
In addition, these tests showed that these filters were also superior to most popular power (HOB) filters for bio filtration, including the use of Bio Wheels.
Bio Wheels are touted for their ability to host beneficial nitrifying bacteria and yet, this simple sponge filter outperformed them in my tests.