# New Aquaclear Sponges



## hatsoff389 (Feb 28, 2012)

Has anyone used the new aquaclear sponges? Mine has fallen apart in 2 months. The older sponges last 7-8 years! If anyone has an idea on where I can purchase one of the older sponges please send me a pm. Thanks


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

you can buy the aftermarket versions of them on ebay at a reasonable price.


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## hatsoff389 (Feb 28, 2012)

Guess Hagen caught on that the quality of the original sponges were too good, and people were learning not to toss them after a couple of months. Now they are gonna make there money with these newer sponges that fall apart in a couple of months. 

I tried eBay, just not sure if the ones being sold are the older sponges.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

same problem here. cheapos !!!frown.. wish people would just stick to quality. all bout da money!


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

was gonna add,,,, thanks for fabric stores, they have EVERYTHING


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Just buy some of the blue/white bonded pads that come on a roll for around $12. Rolls are something like 18" X 12' so they are rather large. You can rinse and reuse them as well and probably work better than the sponges IMHO.


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## hatsoff389 (Feb 28, 2012)

Thanks Razorback. Problem is, when I tossed the old sponge, I immediately had a bacteria bloom in my tank. Even though I only had the sponge for 2 months, the sponge contained plenty of beneficial bacteria. If i use the blue bonded filter material, I am going to be in the same position because that is going to have to be tossed as well after a couple of months.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

hatsoff389 said:


> Thanks Razorback. Problem is, when I tossed the old sponge, I immediately had a bacteria bloom in my tank. Even though I only had the sponge for 2 months, the sponge contained plenty of beneficial bacteria. If i use the blue bonded filter material, I am going to be in the same position because that is going to have to be tossed as well after a couple of months.


Just rinse the blue/white pads the same as you do the sponges. When they need to be replaced just replace one at a time. I think you could stack 3 plus the ceramic rings on top. If not using the rings you could stack 4. There is so much on a roll it will last what seems like forever. You could probably cut at least 50 maybe closer to 75 or more from one roll.


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## hatsoff389 (Feb 28, 2012)

Good point about tossing one at a time instead of all of them at once. Thanks!


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

hey 13razorbackfan. how do you get 50-75 sponged out of that roll?? curious. my ac110 needs a pad 9"x 4". so if a roll is 18x12? i dont get it


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

18 inches by 12 feet.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

ohhhhhhh.. 12 ft wowza. where do you get that stuff may i ask?


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## Andynater (Sep 23, 2012)

I use the same thing, if you go to a hvac supplier just ask for bonded filter media. It is used to ac filter racks in commercial jobs or any equipment requiring filters really.

You can buy a ton of sheets for cheap and cut them to size I just cut a bunch at once and have them in a bag for when ever I replace them, usually every 2 or 3 filter changes
or when ever needed.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

so i found this stuff called pinkyfilters on ebay. any thoughts? 10' x 18" x 1"thick


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

10' x 12"x1" sorry


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

B.Roberson said:


> so i found this stuff called pinkyfilters on ebay. any thoughts? 10' x 18" x 1"thick


I will pm you. It is 12" by 16 feet and 1.5" thick.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

Ty 13razorbackfan..very similar to the other stuff but a bit thicker.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

B.Roberson said:


> Ty 13razorbackfan..very similar to the other stuff but a bit thicker.


Yeah...I was thinking the 1.5" would be better if it were going to be stacked vertically in a AC110 filter. Maybe only 2 sheets equal the thickness of sponge. Actually it is a bit closer to 2" in thickness.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

What I have currently in mine is. I don't have the carbon obviously, bottom to top. Plain white filter floss 1" × 2. That is two sheets= 2". Then ceramic rings and course sponge on top. 
My course sponge nearly never has waste in it as I do weekly WC. The white pads get beat up literally with waste and cleaning. I usually change them every 3-4 weeks.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

B.Roberson said:


> What I have currently in mine is. I don't have the carbon obviously, bottom to top. Plain white filter floss 1" × 2. That is two sheets= 2". Then ceramic rings and course sponge on top.
> My course sponge nearly never has waste in it as I do weekly WC. The white pads get beat up literally with waste and cleaning. I usually change them every 3-4 weeks.


You should have coarse sponge on bottom, filter floss then ceramic rings on top. Otherwise your filter floss is trapping all the large debris and your sponge is only acting as a biological sponge as the floss would have captured most of the debris by the time it reaches the sponge. You always want, no matter the filter, for your media to go from coarse to fine following the flow of water.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

Wow. OK. That makes sense. Where did I miss that in my adventures?. I will change that next WC. Thanx. So my xp3 is backwards cuz the motor is on top. I understand why they put the media in it the way its setup.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

B.Roberson said:


> Wow. OK. That makes sense. Where did I miss that in my adventures?. I will change that next WC. Thanx. So my xp3 is backwards cuz the motor is on top. I understand why they put the media in it the way its setup.


Yeah...if the flow is going from top to bottom then you want coarse on top and fine on bottom. If flow is from bottom to top then you want coarse of bottom and fine on top. :thumb:


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## AlphaWild (Apr 9, 2009)

B.Roberson said:


> Wow. OK. That makes sense. Where did I miss that in my adventures?. I will change that next WC. Thanx. So my xp3 is backwards cuz the motor is on top. I understand why they put the media in it the way its setup.


Your XP3 is the same. Coarse on bottom, finer in middle, ceramics on top.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Around here, the Big Al's has their own version of AC filters made from reticulated foam, for a little less in cost than AC filter sponges. The reticulated sponge is one of the best filter mediums out there, and doesn't compact the way polyester floss types do.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

I had tried some foam I found at the fabric store but the foam was too dense and the water wouldn't pass thru it, the water would actually push it up out of the filter with my Bio media. BAD FOR MEDIA. They probably have something less dense but I went back to what worked.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

hey 13razorbackfan. the blue filterfloss you told me that you use. does it fall apart and does the die come off? 
I had got some pink stuff from a site that said it was better than the blue stuff, but after 2 cleanings, the pad is coming apart and the die is coming out. HMMM that is not good i dont think. removed it from another filter . . shoot the plain white stuff i was getting from the fabric store last about 2-3 months before it was not coming clean anymore and it was still intact. I ordered some of what you told me, i hope its ok,.?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

B.Roberson said:


> hey 13razorbackfan. the blue filterfloss you told me that you use. does it fall apart and does the die come off?
> I had got some pink stuff from a site that said it was better than the blue stuff, but after 2 cleanings, the pad is coming apart and the die is coming out. HMMM that is not good i dont think. removed it from another filter . . shoot the plain white stuff i was getting from the fabric store last about 2-3 months before it was not coming clean anymore and it was still intact. I ordered some of what you told me, i hope its ok,.?


I haven't had any issues with it.


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

I have used the sponges that razor told me about for awhile now the two ply pad works great and seems to hold up well. I have a girl here in town that buys the foam blocks used as firm stuffing in coach pillows and cuts them to size. They are available in any quilt shop.


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

I have used the blue/white for over 8 months in 406's, FX5, Fluval C, and Aquaclear I have found it at Kens in MA. Dosn't have the Marineland brand but it's the same stuff. Rinses great and the 2 ply gives you different levels of filtration.


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

B.Roberson said:


> I had tried some foam I found at the fabric store but the foam was too dense and the water wouldn't pass thru it, the water would actually push it up out of the filter with my Bio media. BAD FOR MEDIA. They probably have something less dense but I went back to what worked.


This stuff comes in many different levels of density according to the girls here in town. From soft which is very dense to harder which is much more course. Just my two cents I never argue with the Ladies!!!


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## Nubster (Feb 18, 2013)

BillD said:


> Around here, the Big Al's has their own version of AC filters made from reticulated foam, for a little less in cost than AC filter sponges. The reticulated sponge is one of the best filter mediums out there, and doesn't compact the way polyester floss types do.


These are good. They are already cut to AC filter sizes, a lot cheaper than the originals, and last a very long time.


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## smitty (May 7, 2004)

We have to start putting pen to paper or send plenty of emails to Hagen that there practice is not going to be tolerated. I bet many would have rather they raise the price some then to put such cheap sponges on the market.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

Another option is to get Poret filter foam and cut your own sponges...the foam comes in different porosities so you can choose how dense or fine you want the sponge to be...and then just cut to fit...works in all filters HOB's and canisters


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## theoryguru (Oct 11, 2011)

If you want to be SUPER trifty, you can buy the synthetic air furnace filter and $3 a sheet and cut to size. It the type that most HVAC installers use because that cost next to nothing and don't have a high MERV rating as with other fabric filters. 
I think I use it in every filter I have.


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