# Filter and Fry compatibility



## Aegolius99 (Oct 20, 2018)

Hey,
What do you guys do with your filters when you get baby fish in the tank? I have an Aquaclear filter and the holes in the tube are big enough that I'm concerned babies might get sucked up. I have a small mesh container for keeping violent fish separate, and I was thinking of putting that around the filter tube, but I was wondering if anyone had less unwieldy suggestions.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

I used these to keep small livestock from getting sucked in the intake tube.

Fluval sponge prefilter


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## martelvis (Oct 31, 2015)

Aegolius99 said:


> Hey,
> What do you guys do with your filters when you get baby fish in the tank? I have an Aquaclear filter and the holes in the tube are big enough that I'm concerned babies might get sucked up. I have a small mesh container for keeping violent fish separate, and I was thinking of putting that around the filter tube, but I was wondering if anyone had less unwieldy suggestions.


 What I did was take an extra Aqua Clear foam sponge and burn a hole , in the middle, with the tip of a soldering iron, 3/4 the way down, and slip it over the intake. Make it a tight fit so that it does not slip off. Did not loose any fry.


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## Fisheye (Jan 13, 2015)

I use this on my Aquaclear intakes

https://www.petsmart.ca/fish/filter...ia/fluval-edge-pre-filter-sponge-5147341.html

They are easy to find at pretty much any lfs.

Jackie


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## youngt3 (Oct 17, 2017)

I use 200 micron mesh cloth to cover the intake hole.
Any fine mesh cloth (food strainer kind) will do.


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## CoryDory (Nov 13, 2018)

I cut up the center of a sponge and slip it over as a cover.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

corl said:


> Those sponges that cover the intake are a pain in the ass. They clog up easily and restrict a significant amount of flow.


Agreed, those fluval prefilter sponges are too fine and clog easily.

What I do is buy a coarse sponge filter, cut it to size, then cut an "X" shape in the middle. This will let me fit the sponge on the filter intake.

It still gets clogged eventually, but mine can last 2 weeks before needing to be cleaned.


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