Building and Using my Hamburger Matten Filter in a new shrimptank

[Niels]

Hi All,

I only recently joined this club and am also only six months of a shrimp enthousiast. My brother gave me this virus

After careful reading I decided to buy a newer and bigger tank and filter it with what is called a Hamburger MattenFilter or HMF. So this was to become a decent DIY project.

I like to use this post to inform you of the way I built the HMF and how it performs so far. The interesting part is that I tried to overcome the downsides of the typical HMF:
- it has multiple filter chambers
- it is not glued tot the tank ('removable' in a way)
- the mat itself is easily removed

For details I would like to refer you to my blog: hmf-shrimptank.blogspot.com
( I somehow can't make this a clickable URL, even though this is my 2nd post)

I have attached three pictures of both design and implementation. I am really curious to hear what you think. I believe there is also a way to respond to the blog directly, but I haven't tested that yet.

[madness]

Interesting.

I am digging the introduction (re-introduction?) of some of the lower tech or older filtration methods into the shrimp keeping hobby. UGF are becoming more wide-spread outside of Asia and I was waiting for HMF to get some love as well.

As a general rule I would think that filtration methods that work really well for breeding sensitive fish would also work well for keeping softwater shrimp alive.

[Niels]

Interesting.

I am digging the introduction (re-introduction?) of some of the lower tech or older filtration methods into the shrimp keeping hobby. UGF are becoming more wide-spread outside of Asia and I was waiting for HMF to get some love as well.

As a general rule I would think that filtration methods that work really well for breeding sensitive fish would also work well for keeping softwater shrimp alive.

I'm more than happy to do so

Thanks for the response.

Sometimes less is more and in this case it doesn't take much more than a matt and a pump in the simplest of solutions. I'm more than happy with the filter thusfar. Funny as well that visitors to my house don't really see it as an old-school filter, but just as 'a filter' that apparently keeps the water 'really clean'.

I'll be updating my blog asap by the way.

[Frank]

Hello Nils,

Well done. HMF filters are very effective.
I use them in nearly all my tanks.

Regards,
Frank

[Niels]

Hello Nils,

Well done. HMF filters are very effective.
I use them in nearly all my tanks.

Regards,
Frank

Thanks Frank!

I already have some improvements up my sleeve for future revisions

I'm wondering though how long I can use the same filter? Mine is currently running for 4-5 months now. I'm trying to grow java moss on it at the moment, so it would be a pity to have to change the mat in a later stage.

Cheers,
Niels