Upgrade Your Filter Intake

Load image into Gallery viewer, Pre Filter Sponge - Aquarium Co - Op

Pre Filter Sponge

Regular price: $4.99
Sale price: $4.99
Regular price
Unit price: per

Quantity:

Quantity must be 1 or more

Prevents small animals and debris from getting sucked up
Increases filter capacity
Uses coarse foam to extend time between cleaning

The pre-filter or intake sponge is a simple foam cylinder that is designed to slip over the intake tube of hang-on-back (HOB) and canister filters. The filter intake tube often has large openings, so use a pre filter sponge to prevent fish, shrimp, and sizable debris from getting sucked up and ruining the filter motor. Not only does an intake sponge clear up your water, but it also provides valuable surface area to grow beneficial bacteria.

Find out which sponge size to get and how to properly fit it to your hang-on-back or canister filter intake by viewing the Sizing Chart and Video below. (Click the "Show More" button to expand the Directions/Specifications section.)

1

Increased Filter Efficiency

Increase the capacity of your filtration. A pre filter sponge provides valuable surface area to grow beneficial bacteria, which purify waste chemicals in the water and make it safe for your fish to live in. It also adds mechanical filtration that keeps bulk debris from clogging your finer filter pads and extends the life and efficiency of your filter media.

2

Prevent Fish, Snails, and Food From Being Sucked Up

The filter intake tube often has large openings that allow sizable objects to get sucked up by the filter, potentially ruining the motor, so use a pre-filter sponge to help prevent baby fish, long-finned fish, dwarf shrimp, snails, plant leaves, fish food, and other debris from entering the filter.

3

Easy To Clean and Reusable

Put a ziploc bag around your pre filter sponge when you remove it from the aquarium. Squeeze it until the water turns brown. Dump the dirty water on your favorite houseplant. Then get another bag of water and repeat until clean. Afterwards, place it back on your filter's intake. This reusable, re-washable prefilter will last you many years.

4

Proper Fitment

In general, a larger pre-filter sponge is always better because it gives you more time between cleanings and increases your filtration capacity. Use a zip tie or O-ring on the filter intake tube when you need a snug friction fit to keep the sponge from falling off, as shown in the picture. A rubber o-ring can be found at hardware stores or Amazon.

small_4_panel_filter_intakes_update_fluval

5

Fits Most Filters

Most hang-on-back and canister filters can be fitted with a pre filter sponge. With some filters like the Fluval 409 series, it slides right over the intake and is a direct fit. With other filters, you can use one of our specially designed intake modifications to upgrade filters like the Fluval FX series, Marineland hang-on-back series, or Fluval Tidal series.

Pre Filter Sponge (Mini)

Regular price: $4.99
Sale price: $4.99
Regular price
Unit price: per

Qty

These are great for keeping a lot debris out of your filter, an extra filtration step. Plus they hold on to some of your bio-bed for a healthy tank.

Great coarse sponge - goes great with the intake tube

Had the medium pre filter sponge on the regular inlet of my Fluval AC70, tight fit but did the job. Decided I wanted to upgrade and got the large pre filter sponge. It is so much larger than the medium and fits over the stock inlet so much better. It does squish against the back glass a little at this size in my 40 gallon breeder; however, it seems to be a non-issue.

So I came back and bought their AC70 intake tube to go with it. Immediate increase in water flow from the larger intake slots on the Aquarium co-op intake tube. The large sponge is a perfect fit for it as well. I combined used 1 inlet tube extension that came with my AC70 and stuck the Aquarium co-op intake tube on the end of that. Positions it at the perfect height for my tank, just about an inch off the substrate.

Overall a wonderful upgrade with the large pre filter sponge and double so with with Aquarium co-op intake tube.

Filter sponges

Game changer for my x4 canister filter

Works great on my tidal 35 filter

Does everything Cory says it does. Attracts stuff in the tank for my fish and snails to pick at, protects the filter from some things getting in, protects smaller fish/snails/shrimp from getting sucked in, provides some intake separation from the glass, and so on. Been going strong for over a month without needing to clean it out, I just nudge it and vac a little when I do water changes. I have some doubts over whether meaningful amounts of bacteria actually live on it (would be cool to see that tested in a variety of setups), but that’s okay and not what I need from it. Have even seen my Medaka laying eggs inside the hole right above the top of the intake!

Really great product.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shipping Policy

We process and ship out 98%+ of our shipments next business day.

Live plants will ship using an appropriate service and typically arrive in 2 to 5 business days. Transit times do not include weekends, holidays, or weather delays. To avoid delays in the shipping network we recommend ordering live plants on Saturdays and Sundays for a Monday ship out.

Dry goods such as fish food, medication, filtration products, etc. can be ordered any day and will ship the next business day with an appropriate service. Typical shipping times are 1 to 7 business day transit time, depending on delivery location.

Faster shipping options available at checkout for an additional charge.

Alaska and Hawaii have a $17.99 surcharge. We do not ship to Puerto Rico currently.

90 Day Return Policy

90 Day Return Policy

At Aquarium Co-Op, our goal is to have satisfied customers. We make every effort to inform our customers about how our products work, and what is  to be expected. We recognize that sometimes a product may not completely  meet the expectations of a customer. We take pride in having a  no-hassle 90 day return policy. If you have purchased an item and are not  satisfied, we will take it back.

To start a return, email our customer service team at shipping@aquariumcoop.com. Please note that the shipping cost of returning an item is not covered by Aquarium Co-Op.

Items being returned may be sent to:
Aquarium Co-Op
Shipping Team
800 Enterprise Dr.
Lexington, KY 40510

Still Have Questions? Contact Us

Email: Shipping@aquariumcoop.com

Contact form: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/pages/contact-us

Visit our physical store:
Aquarium Co-Op
9661 Firdale Ave
Edmonds, Wa 98020

Send mail to our Warehouse:
Aquarium Co-Op Warehouse
800 Enterprise Drive
Lexington Ky, 40510