# Hamburg Mattenfilter versus the sponge



## ahud (Aug 22, 2009)

Anybody willing to share their experience comparing HMF to the tried and true sponge? I currently use spongers, but like that the HMF creates a little water flow. Just an assumption, but it seems like the HMF filter would do a nicer job of providing oxygen? It's a tough call to decide if the HMF are worth the added expensive, you are looking at roughly $25-30 bucks for a 55g filter versus a $7-8 sponge.

Thanks a lot,
Aaron


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## ahud (Aug 22, 2009)

On a side note:

Could I put a 90 on the uplift tube of a sponge filter and get the same type of low flow? I like a little flow, disperses food, collects the really fine detritus, ect.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

There is no comparing a HMF versus a sponge filter, because a HMF *is* a sponge filter. The sponge in a HMF simply has a different shape than the one in a box sponge filter ;-)

The advantage of a HMF is that the sponge is much bigger than in a box sponge filer, which means you can stretch out maintenance intervals way beyond what's possible with box sponge filters. It's for you to decide what it's worth to you having to do filter maintenance only once or twice per year.

An added benefit I can see is that in fish rooms where tanks are installed with the small side towards the front, a HMF can act as a kind of background. If you use brown sponge material and let it overgrow with Java moss and other plants, that can look quite attractive. I think Stefan Tanner has done that in his fish room. I have yet to see a box sponge filter that looks attractive 

The flow created by an air driven sponge filter depends mostly on the shape and design on the uplift tube. If you use the same uplift tube with a box sponge filter and a HMF, you should get the same flow regardless of the shape of the sponge - unless the filter is clogged up. That happens faster with a smaller sponge, which is usually that of the box sponge filter.


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## ahud (Aug 22, 2009)

Ah, the wise words of Fmueller.

Thanks bud, I think I will save myself some cash and try some DIY uplift tube designs to get that flow I want out of standard sponge filters. Embarrassing to admit, but I only just recently learned how much water those air driven uplift tubes can move from watching some you-tube videos.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

As they say, you can learn from a wise man and a fool. I am afraid in this thread so far you had to make do with the latter 

That said, air driven filters are mostly used in fish rooms with many tanks. All I have in that regard is a tank rack with three 10G and two 20G in the laundry. My personal experience with air driven filters is limited to that, but should I ever get a fish room, air driven sponge filters (especially HMFs) would certainly be my top choice for filtration.


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