# Sponge filter for Fluval 406 canister?



## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Do you mean a sponge prefilter? Or a sponge filter driven by an airpump/powerhead in addition to your fluval filter?


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## haley (Nov 22, 2006)

Sorry, just a prefilter.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I would recommend this: http://www.amazon.com/Pre-Filter-Sp...sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334281325&sr=8-2-spell

Or as a more pricey maintenance-free option go with a stainless steel prefilter.


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## epiphany (Oct 8, 2011)

Depending on how particular you are about looks, the easiest/cheapest way would probably go down to your LFS and grab a chunk of foam, slice an x in the foam and stick the intake into the foam.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

epiphany said:


> Depending on how particular you are about looks, the easiest/cheapest way would probably go down to your LFS and grab a chunk of foam, slice an x in the foam and stick the intake into the foam.


I have done this or just taken a body wash mesh thingy and cut it apart and wrapped the mesh around the intake. The Fluval prefilter sponges clog on me too fast, I hate trying to clean like 8 tanks worth of prefilters every 3 days. The mesh has been working for 2 weeks without cleaning now. Much easier.


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## epiphany (Oct 8, 2011)

GeToChKn said:


> I have done this or just taken a body wash mesh thingy and cut it apart and wrapped the mesh around the intake. The Fluval prefilter sponges clog on me too fast, I hate trying to clean like 8 tanks worth of prefilters every 3 days. The mesh has been working for 2 weeks without cleaning now. Much easier.


Yeah, that fluval spec prefilter on something with as much flow as a 406 would clog at least a few times a week, possibly almost daily. If having a bulkier looking intake doesn't matter in the OP's tank a nice sized chunk of foam/loofah/etc would work much better.


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## haley (Nov 22, 2006)

Thanks. I've got a ~4" one sitting in a box I might try for now and see how it goes.


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## James (Western Canada) (Mar 25, 2012)

All I have ever used is the foam block intended for an aquaclear filter. Poke it with something sharp from the top down into the block, then slip it up over the intake tube for your Fluval, voila!! instant prefilter.

James


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## fusiongt (Nov 7, 2011)

You'll want a harder sponge rather than a soft one like the fluval edge one. The above post by james is good ^ that's what I do. I just searched at petco for something that was a hard sponge and you can just poke a hole in it then slide it over the filter. If you get a soft one like the fluval edge, it'll eventually get sucked up by the intake and drastically kill the flow. With a harder one, that won't happen as bad or as fast (it may allow smaller debris in the filter but that's why you have a mechanical filtration in there first so it's not a big deal.


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