Poret filter foam is a high quality open cell foam that removes debris and provides biologically stable water.
Its the best product we have found for providing clean and biologically healthy water for your fish on a continual basis.Every aquarium owner can use Poret foam, it can be used mechanically or biologically to keep your tank looking great.
It doesn't degrade or perish. If used wisely it only needs cleaning every 4 months to a year. In fact the filter of the aquarium featured on at the bottom of this page has never been cleaned and has now been running since March 2013. When used biologically the longer it is left alone the more efficient it becomes.
"Water quality comes first and everything else follows"
Poret foam has been the driving force behind our success in the aquarium industry. We use it solely to provide the best environment possible in all of our aquariums. Whether it's in our African cichlid hatchery or one of the aquariums we maintain, you will only find Poret filter foam.
Without a doubt Poret filter foam is best known for its ability to remove particles from the water column. This is known as mechanical filtration. Not only does Poret clean your water, if it`s staged correctly it will extend the time between cleaning. Most setups I see has the water polisher at the start. It works great but for a short time. Needing regular cleaning.
Now imagine staging it the way pictured below. Have the coarse foam take out only the large bits of debris. This means that nothing blocks up overly quickly. Basically using the right tool for the job. Makes sense doesnt it?
Cleaning period when used in a sump or canister is dependent on stocking density but if staged is around every 4-8months. Cleaning is easy. Simply smack the dirty sheet of foam against an outside wall. Just remember to wash the wall off.
If you bought your aquarium from your Local Fish Shop it can easily be improved with Poret foam.
If your aquarium has a built in filter like the the AquaOne AR620T for example you can definitely use Poret foam to keep the water clean. This type of aquarium has a filter that sits above the tank. Water is pumped up into it and flows through some sponge then a carbon pad and finally some ceramic rings before returning to the tank. You want the water reaching the ceramic rings to have as little debris as possible. This is where Poret foam becomes a legend.
We suggest the layout below for best results. By setting your filter out with this layout you will have longer cleaning intervals. The water reaching the ceramic noodles will be as clean as possible. Keep the carbon handy for removing medicines added to the aquarium. This means that all of the available surface area is available for your beneficial bacteria. Its easy to combine this setup with with a single sheet of foam to create a Hamburg Matten Filter, which in our opinion is the ducks nuts*.
* Ducks nuts-expression of complete satisfaction, height of goodness
If you own a canister filter you can use Poret Foam. Less cleaning and more efficient.
Canister filters are very common and are highly efficient as long they are cleaned regularly. A canisters effectiveness is based on the amount of water passing through it. If the media in the canister becomes too clogged the flow rate will diminish and affect its performance.
This is where Poret is so good. By staging the mechanical filtration, IE the 10ppi takes out large debris, the 20ppi takes out the next etc... This prevents clogging and increases the time between cleaning.
It`s easy to enjoy the benefits of a Hamburg Matten Filter if you have a canister on your tank. Simply place a single sheet of foam into your tank. Position the suction end of the canister behind the foam sheet and the return into the main body of water. Its pretty hard to beat this configuration for biological stability.
Check out our Canister filter page to find out how to super charge your canister.
If your aquarium has a sump filter, Poret foam will keep your water crystal clean.
A sump system is normally broken up into two sections. Mechanical and biological filtration. Forcing the water through 3 different densities of Poret foam and then Synfil water polisher takes out all the debris. The visually clean water can then pass over you biological media. This is where your beneficial bacteria will convert Ammonia into Nitrates.
This is very important when using materials like Seachem`s Matrix or ceramic noodles. The Poret removes the debris which would otherwise cover your biological filter media and limit its ability to operate. It doesn't matter how amazing the surface area of a material is, if its covered with mulm. That surface area becomes unavailable because the water cannot pass through anymore.
If you use Poret foam biologically, your aquarium can look this healthy.
This amazing stuff is made in a Germany and is the highest quality open cell foam that we have found. It is so good that we guarantee its lifespan for 5 years when used as a biological filter. This guarantee will continue to grow as long as we are still using our original pieces.
We use Poret filter foam mechanically and biologically. This means Poret foam takes out the debris ,making the tank look great, and converts toxins into plant food.
We Purely use Poret foam to provide the best possible environment for our fish.
Biological Filtration is the process where Ammonia, fish waste, is broken down into Nitrite and then Nitrate. This process is done by beneficial bacteria that live in your aquarium. Biological filtration is the single most important factor when it comes to keeping fish.
I have seen the most beautiful fish being caught out of a large pond with pea green water. The water might look dirty but it is very healthy.It is a biological stable environment and this is what every fishkeeper should be aiming for. Cleaning period when used biologically such as in an HMF or Sump is based on stocking density but in our experience is around 12 months.
If you are whip smart then you will want to use Poret to biologically filter your aquarium.
I know that the internet is full of promises so I`m going to back up claims of awesomeness of Poret with tangible examples. I'm going to elaborate on an aquarium that is located in our home.
The aquarium featured in the photo to the right is filtered with 2 sheets of different density foam of 5cm thickness. The foam is bent into a 90 degree angle and folded into place in the corner. The foam is held in place with 2 small strips of glass, siliconed on the side and back panel respectively. The water is pumped from behind the foam sheet into the main body of water with a cycle rate* of 2.5times per hour. This method is called the Hamburg Matten Filter and does the job of both mechanical and biological filtration. It keeps the water visibly clean and biologically healthy.
This aquarium has been running since March 2013. The filter has never been cleaned in all of that time. In that time period the aquarium was home to a pair of Discus then a colony of Neolamprologus brichardi cichlids and now the current inhabitants, which is various tetras and 2 colonies of breeding whiptail catfish (Royal and Rhino). We believe the reason this tank is so successful is simply that the filter has not been interfered with in all that time.
Check out this graph below, every time you clean the filter you wash away the mulm and beneficial bacteria. This is why filters that need regular cleaning to function well, will always have a less mature population of beneficial bacteria. Certain species of bacteria take months of inactivity to become established.
The beneficial bacteria has built up to far surpass that of any filtration systems whose performance is based on cleanliness. The only maintenance you need to do is use a MAG Float algae cleaner to keep the glass clean and your regular water changes. Make sure you put the water from your tank onto your garden as it will be an excellent fertilizer.