I love this. Lasts 3 times longer than the proprietary filter media. I keep goldfish, which are pigs. They leave a lot of waste which clogs up most filters. With this filter media not only does it last longer, it also polishes the water better. I will use it from now on.

I finally did it.... After experimenting with different kinds of media, I thought I was doing something wrong. Watched a million YouTube videos on how to and finally bought this filter pad as a last ditch effort. My water is crystal clear and my fish are very happy. There is a ton of filter and it will last a while I am sure. This will save me lots of money. Ive learned to clean it in the discarded aquarium water and am sure these will last a while. This was a wise and money saving purchase. I could not be more pleased!

It works well on top of your sponge filter. I don’t use charcoal but use this filter pad with the polish pad. My water is very clear compared to not using these filters. I rinse and squeeze them once a month and change them every other month, when flow decreases noticeably. How often you change them depends on your bioload (how many fish per size of tank, generally). So the rate may be different for everyone. At about the 2 month mark, the filter pad starts to separate into 2 layers and i know it is time to change it. The amount in each package is very generous. I am glad i found this item and recommend it to others.

Definitely use both the media pads together and make sure the fine is on the bottom. They clean up well when dirty so you can reuse them.

UPDATE: I’m still using this product and you can’t beat it. Best value for the money. Can’t help posting pictures of the Plecos Ive been using this filter pad for a year now and couldnt be happier. This filter pad is being used in the sump for my 220 gallon African Cichlid show tank thats running a Sicce Syncra 5.0 pump 1321 GPH. To answer the question Ive seen several times now, Yes this filter pad plugs up faster when you first start using it or if you over feed. Thats because its a dual density filter pad and its grabbing all the extra crap your other filter was missing. No, I dont work for this company and I really dont care if you buy this filter or not. If your on the fence its a great product and works well. Ive uploaded a picture to give you an idea of how clean my water is.

I have a mutha of a tank to keep clean. It’s a 180g maintank with a 45g sump. For fish in that maintank, there are two 16” Oscars, two 10” silver dollars, one 14”pleco,and one11” banjo cat. No need to tell you the filtration and upkeep is a choir at the very least. Yo have to think out of the box to keep it clean and the tenants, I’m in hopes Dyson will come up with a waterproof remote vac some day, it alone requires a 1400 gph in line pump to handle the bottom, the python tank vacuums would require 100 psi to lift and remove the waste, this is where the Experts-at ‘Aquatic Experts’ shine, they have the various types of media tools separate, the mung, the mass, while plowing the good bacteria to continue its journey keeping the waters in check. You need to go no further than here, to get total satisfaction.

Good

This is a really great filter media. I use it in an above tank wet-dry filter for both mechanical and bio filtration. I only have to replace the top layer when it gets dirty, while the lower layers stay colonized with beneficial bacteria and free of debris. It has a good density and stiffness for a media. Filter floss that is too soft and fluffy becomes packed down as soon as water begins to flow through it, but this bonded media keeps it shape much better. This is especially important with a wet-dry filter where I want it to resist compressing, because the air space withing the media stack is needed to optimize oxygenation and elimination of ammonia. At the same time it is flexible enough to cut easily with ordinary scissors and bend to any shape needed. It also is perfect to disperse water flow through a filter so that channeling does not result in dead spaces in the media. One side of the media is slightly stiffer and more dense than the softer side. I have water flow into the soft side, and then the more dense side ensures that the flow spreads out and does not go straight through lower layers. Many DIYers suggest alternatives to traditional filter media such as plastic pot scrubbers or fluffy bath sponges. This is cheaper than those cost saving alternatives, it works much better, and it is easy to cut and fit for any shape needed. For my filters, I make a sandwich of generic ceramic rings between two layers of this poly material, which Ive found to be the best balance of effectiveness and affordability.

Although package arrived with a knife slice clear across the bag, with dirt in that portion of the padding, I just cut that section out & dont use it. As for quality, yeah - these are better than Fluval Quik Clear & slightly thinner, allowing me to use 2 of them at the top of each of my Fluval Edge filters to be sure all the small particles are grabbed. Definitely cheaper than Fluval too, so as long as seller doesnt get greedy & jack the cost Ill continue to buy these for a long time. I go through this type of filter fast with 3 large frogs.

I use this to make my own pre-filter “socks”. Keeps my canister main filter cleaner for much longer and the water stays crystal clear. I can make about 20-30 socks out of one 72” roll and they last about a week. I also use it to make filter pads for my cat water fountain. Great product, but wish it was cheaper.