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 NEW 10 ROLL AQUARIUM FILTER MEDIA WET DRY FILTERS PAD $7.95 Time Remaining: 15d 13h 18m Buy It Now for only: $7.95 |
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 SET OF 3 SUNSUN FILTER REPLACEMENT MEDIA PADS HW 302 $7.55 Time Remaining: 21h 5m Buy It Now for only: $8.55 |
 WET AND DRY FILTER MEDIA POND PAD 10 feet x 13 X 1 $8.98 Time Remaining: 2d 14h 57m Buy It Now for only: $8.98 |
 3 Pcs Aquarium Canister Filter Cotton Pad CF 500 Replacement Pad $9.99 Time Remaining: 23h 37m |
 BULK 10 WET DRY FILTERS POND MEDIA PADS AQUARIUM LOT $7.95 Time Remaining: 1d 9h 52m Buy It Now for only: $7.95 |
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 3 Pcs Aquarium Canister Filter Cotton Pad CF 300 Replacement Pad $9.99 Time Remaining: 23h 37m |
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 AQUARIUM Canister FILTER uses Eheim 2026 filter pads $79.95 Time Remaining: 1d 9h 44m Buy It Now for only: $89.95 |
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 SET OF 4 SUNSUN FILTER REPLACEMENT MEDIA PADS HW 304B $9.50 Time Remaining: 9d 19h 20m Buy It Now for only: $9.50 |
 Fluval FX5 A218 Canister Filter w Foam Carbon Pads $234.99 Time Remaining: 21h 14m Buy It Now for only: $234.99 |
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 10 AQUARIUM WET DRY FILTER FOR MARINELAND BONDED PADS $7.95 Time Remaining: 4d 10h 33m Buy It Now for only: $7.95 |
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 Eheim Media Blue Coarse Filter Pads for Classic 2213 $6.03 Time Remaining: 3d 21h 34m Buy It Now for only: $6.03 |
 12 Foam Filter Pads For Hagen Fluval FX5 BEST DEAL $21.95 Time Remaining: 11d 14h 51m Buy It Now for only: $21.95 |
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 8 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen Fluval Filter Canister 404 405 406 $6.19 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 22h 43m |
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 12 Foam Filter Pads For Hagen Fluval 204 205 304 305 $6.44 Time Remaining: 21d 20h 29m Buy It Now for only: $6.44 |
 3 HW 303B CANISTER FILTER PADS REPLACEMENT MEDIA HW 303 $8.49 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 44m Buy It Now for only: $9.49 |
 SET OF 3 SUNSUN PERFECT AQUATOP FILTER REPLACEMENT MEDIA PADS CF 300 HW 302 $7.55 Time Remaining: 25d 20h 11m Buy It Now for only: $7.55 |
 4 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen AquaClear 110 500 Aqua Clear $12.99 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 47m Buy It Now for only: $14.99 |
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 2 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen AquaClear 110 500 Aqua Clear Filter $6.59 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 52m Buy It Now for only: $7.49 |
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 2 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen AquaClear 110 500 Aqua Clear Filter $6.59 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 52m Buy It Now for only: $7.49 |
 4 STAGE JEBAO AQUARIUM CANISTER FILTER FREE FILTER PAD $45.99 Time Remaining: 8d 20h 2m Buy It Now for only: $45.99 |
 100 PONDMASTER FILTER PADS 4 FISH POND 12X12X1 12X24X1 $59.95 Time Remaining: 21d 17h 3m Buy It Now for only: $59.95 |
 8 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen Fluval Filter Canister 205 305 $3.98 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 55m Buy It Now for only: $6.49 |
 Eheim Professional 3 Prefilter Coarse Pad Fine Filter Pad Set 261670 5 Pack $9.95 Time Remaining: 3d 15m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
 8 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen Fluval Filter Canister 205 305 $3.98 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 56m Buy It Now for only: $6.49 |
 HBH Aqua Pure Cut Your Own Poly Fiber Filter Pad Aquarium Fish Filter Media $7.98 Time Remaining: 10d 22h 37m Buy It Now for only: $7.98 |
 4 XIN YOU REPLACEMENT FILTER PADS Fits Any Jebo Filters 828 838 829 839 $6.99 Time Remaining: 2d 1h 9m Buy It Now for only: $8.95 |
 Eheim 2616175 Media Fine Filter Pads for Classic 2217 $11.95 Time Remaining: 3d 20h 54m Buy It Now for only: $11.95 |
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 Eheim Ecco Filter Pad Set for 2232 2234 2236 $11.95 Time Remaining: 24d 20h 15m Buy It Now for only: $11.95 |
 AQUARIUM Canister FILTER 150g uses Eheim filter pads $84.95 Time Remaining: 2d 11h 12m |
 10 AQUARIUM FILTER MATERIAL MEDIA WET DRY FILTERS PAD $7.95 Time Remaining: 1d 10h 26m Buy It Now for only: $7.95 |
 Blue Bonded Bulk Cut Fit Aquarium Pond Filter Pad 12sf $19.95 Time Remaining: 5d 20h 55m Buy It Now for only: $19.95 |
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 44 Foam Filter Pads For Hagen Fluval 404 405 BEST DEAL $22.00 Time Remaining: 19d 5h 31m Buy It Now for only: $22.00 |
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 12 Water Filter Polishing Pads Fluval 304 305 404 405 A244 $9.95 Time Remaining: 18d 3h 27m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
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 3 SUNSUN PERFECT CANISTER FILTER REPLACEMENT PAD HW 302 $7.55 Time Remaining: 2d 21h 12m Buy It Now for only: $8.55 |
 50 Foam Filter Pads For AquaClear 30 150 Aqua Clear $24.49 Time Remaining: 6d 23h 20m Buy It Now for only: $24.49 |
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 Eheim Media Blue Coarse Filter Pads for Classic 2217 $11.95 Time Remaining: 3d 21h 14m Buy It Now for only: $11.95 |
 Marineland Rite Size Bonded Filter Pad Cut To Size 312 Square Inches Lot of 5 $9.99 Time Remaining: 3d 16h 58m |
 4 STAGE 320GPH AQUARIUM CANISTER FILTER FREE EHEIM PAD $59.99 Time Remaining: 5d 21h 42m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 Eheim 2616155 Media Fine Filter Pads for Classic 2215 $10.51 Time Remaining: 27d 20h 14m Buy It Now for only: $10.51 |
 Ehiem Ecco 80 two 2 EXTERIOR FILTERS w extra pads $75.00 Time Remaining: 3d 21h 21m Buy It Now for only: $140.00 |
 3 Poly Foam Filter Pads For Fluval C4 BEST PRICE $7.95 Time Remaining: 14d 11h 1m Buy It Now for only: $7.95 |
 60 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen Fluval Filter Canister 404 405 406 $32.99 Time Remaining: 3d 22h 14m Buy It Now for only: $43.99 |
 8 Foam Filter Pads For AquaClear 110 500 Aqua Clear $21.98 Time Remaining: 11d 14h 57m Buy It Now for only: $21.98 |
 Blue Bonded Bulk Cut Fit Aquarium Pond Filter Pad 6sf $9.95 Time Remaining: 5d 20h 55m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
 36 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen Fluval Filter Canister 404 405 406 $19.99 Time Remaining: 3d 22h 16m Buy It Now for only: $28.99 |
 Aquarium Fish Pond Tank Pump Filter Sponge Foam Mat Pad $3.69 Time Remaining: 13d 9h Buy It Now for only: $3.69 |
 4 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen Fluval Filter Canister 404 405 406 $3.59 Time Remaining: 3d 22h 20m Buy It Now for only: $4.88 |
 4 Water Polishing Filter Pads For Hagen Fluval 4 Plus $6.88 Time Remaining: 10d 2h 49m Buy It Now for only: $6.88 |
 15 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen AquaClear 110 500 Aqua Clear $40.99 Time Remaining: 3d 22h 22m Buy It Now for only: $47.99 |
 Marineland Polishing Filter Pads Rite Size T for C 360 $4.42 Time Remaining: 27d 20h 14m Buy It Now for only: $4.42 |
 4 Foam Filter Pads For Fluval C4 BEST PRICE $9.95 Time Remaining: 18d 4h 17m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
 8 pcs Filter Foam Pad Block for Hagen AquaClear 110 500 Aqua Clear $21.99 Time Remaining: 3d 22h 27m Buy It Now for only: $24.95 |
 12 Eclipse Rite Size Z Filter Cartridge Pad Marineland $27.89 Time Remaining: 4d 19h 9m Buy It Now for only: $27.89 |
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Filter Pad
What are Allergy Filters Anyway
There as been a tremendous increase in air cleaners and filters for the home introduced into the market over the last several years that are being sold as " Allergy Filters". Once something only purchased by people with chronic health conditions, more and more people are aware of the need for cleaner indoor air and are buying them.
There are several different types of air cleaners and filters that are marketed by their manufacturers as allergy filters. Some of these are of benefit to those with allergies and some do not. In this article, we will explore allergy filters that are installed in the air conditioning or heating system, units that actually attach to the air conditioner or furnace, stand alone allergy filters, ionizers and ozone machines that are marketed as allergy filters, and allergy filters used to filter the fresh air coming into your home.
There are several different types of allergy filters to use in place of your regular ac filter on your air conditioning or heating unit (HVAC). This is in place of the current filter you are using on the return side of your system. Most home owners use a filter made from a blue, spun polyester media. Unfortunately, these trap very few particles and actually have to be loaded up with dust to start trapping large particles. It's like throwing marbles at a tennis net. A step up from this level of filtration is the dry-tack polyester pad. These disposable ac filter pads fit into a permanent frame. Each change, you remove the old allergy filter pad and insert a new one. The pads are usually treated with an antimicrobial product to keep mold from growing on them.
The next step up in ability to trap particles is a pleated filter material. These ac filters are also disposable and the better made ones will last for up to three months at a time. The idea behind the pleated material to make the allergy filter is that by pleating the fabric you create more surface area. More surface area means more media to trap allergens. When looking at these filters, you want a MERV rating of 8 or better. The MERV scale ranges from 1 (least efficient) to 16 (most efficient), and measures a filter's ability to remove particles in the 3 to 10 micron size range. The higher the rating, the more particles removed. Also, higher rated filters trap more of the smaller particles. Last but not least in the HVAC filter category is the permanent filter. These allergy filters create an electrostatic charge by the friction created as air moves across the filtering media. These filters are usually very high in efficiency (that means they trap many particles) but may restrict air flow. This is true especially for older HVAC equipment. Once a month the permanent allergy filter is cleaned with water and reinstalled in the unit.
The next category of allergy filter for the HVAC system is a whole house HEPA filtration unit that attaches directly to the HVAC system. These units can be either HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) or TFP (turbulent flow precipitators). They work by drawing a portion of the air (usually about 30%) from the return side and passing it through the filter and then returning it back into the system to be either heated or cooled. These machines allow you to use one filtration system to clean all the air in a home. However, the HVAC system must be on at all times for the air to be filtered. This may not be an option in parts of the area where the heating or air conditioning system is not used year-around.
The filter that most people are familiar with is the stand alone HEPA air cleaning filter. HEPA is a measurement. It means that 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns are trapped by the filter. There are many makes and models on the market today. The most important consideration is getting the proper size allergy filter for the area to be cleaned. Most allergy filter manufacturers rate their machines in square footage. This is not a helpful measurement, as we live in 3 dimensions and not 2!
The first calculation to make is the volume of air you need to clean. This is expressed as the cubic feet of air in the room. Multiply length of the room in feet times the width of the room in feet times the height of the ceiling in feet to get the volume of air in cubic feet. (Length x width x ceiling height = volume). When you review the different makes and models of allergy filters, the most important number is the number of cubic feet of air moved per minute by the machines motor. The allergy filter can never clean any more air than the motor can move. You use this number to determine how quickly that machine can clean your volume of air. For example, if you have a larger bedroom that is 12 x 14 with 10 foot ceilings, you have a volume of air of 1,680 cubic feet (12 x 14 x 10 = 1,680). If you buy a machine that moves 100 cubic feet of air per minute, than it will take 16.8 minutes to turn over the air in that room one time. (1,680 / 100 = 16.8) That means that the air will pass through the filter less than 4 times an hour. You want a minimum of 6 and ideally at least 8 air exchanges an hour. In this instance, the machine is sorely undersized and would not be a good buy, no matter what the price. It is simply too small for the size of room. If you have such a large room, you would need to either purchase multiple units or look for an allergy machine with more power. Some of the best and most powerful units on the market are made by Austin Air and Airpura. They make several models that move 400+ cubic feet of air per minute. In our previous example, the higher powered machine would result in an air exchange every 4.2 minutes and over 14 air exchanges an hour.
There are also machines that are marketed as allergy filters that are not truly filters and most certainly are not for people with allergies. These “allergy filters” are ozone machines and ionizers.
Ozone units clean the air by utilizing a third molecule of oxygen as a free radical to destroy odors at their source. Ozone is not effective in removing particles from the air, but it is effective in controlling odors. Ozone is also a lung irritant and should not be used by people with allergies or asthma. Many of the manufacturers of ozone producing machines do not disclose this bit of information. Ionizers are also frequently marketed as allergy filters. They do not in fact contain a filter. Ionizers work off the basic principle that opposite charged particles attract. Some units work by the use of positive and negative charged rods. The particle enters the back of the unit, passes one rod and picks up a charge and then is drawn to the second rod with the opposite charge. The problem is once the second rod is covered in particles it no longer emits a strong enough charge to attract any more particles. The rods must then be cleaned, releasing particles back into the air where they are inhaled by the allergic person. The other type of ionizer uses radio frequency to send both positive and negative ions out into the room. The neutral particles pick up these charges, then stick to each other, and then fall to the first surface they hit in clumps. These machines work great to keep the particles knocked down, but as soon as there is any movement in the room, the particles are disturbed and become airborne again. Many manufactures of these types of ionizining machines fail to disclose they also produce trace amounts of ozone. One major manufacture was sued and lost over this issue.
The last type of allergy filter is not a traditional filter, but is a special screen used on your windows. These screens are called micro air screens and they can trap particles as small as 8 microns. These allergy filters fit into your windows and allow you to keep your windows open and bring in fresh outside air without bringing in mold, pollen, or other pollution.
So as you can see, there are many types of allergy filters made today. Which type of filter you use determines how clean your air will be.
About the Author
Mike has been in the indoor environmental business for over 10 years. He has owned and operated and air duct cleaning and decontamination business, a water purification business, and is currently one of the owners of
. He makes his home in South Florida.
Does this Betta tank come with a filter pad and what size filter pads should I get.?
http://images.hayneedle.com/mgen/digimarc.ms?img=master:PLX009.jpg&h=400&w=400 It has an under gravel filter. and how do I change it
The others are right. That's not suitable for one fish of any kind, let alone two. It's a glorified, pricey cup. Here's what you do need to keep a happy, healthy betta that will live longer than a month:
1) Heater: Bettas are tropical fish and need a steady temperature of 78 degrees, so he needs a heater. If the temp. is cooler he'll become stressed which can result in illness, lethargy, loss of appetite, poor digestion and/or death. Depending on tank size, he'll need the following: 1-gallon (7.5 or 10 watt heater: PetSmart and PetCo have them), 2.5-3 gallons: 25 watt heater (most pet stores have this size), 5 gallons: 50 watt heater (most pet stores have this size).
2) Food-Bettas are notoriously picky eaters. Spitting out food isn't uncommon: sometimes they do it to reduce it to a size they can eat more easily, sometimes they don't like the taste and sometimes they just play with it. If you can get it, the best choice is live food as it's similar to what they'd eat in the wild and they often like to "hunt" it. Frozen food is the 2nd best choice. PetSmart and Petco both carry frozen foods: brine shrimp, bloodworms, glassworms, etc. can be bought there. It's around $4-5/bubble pack of food. Flakes, pellets, and freeze dried food have lots of filler that goes right through them because they can't digest it and are the least nutritious choices. From best-to-worst in terms of nutrition: live, frozen, freeze-dried, flakes, then pellets, with Hikari pellets being the best brand of pellets.
3) Water conditioner: You need a water condtioner removes chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals. Not all do, and if it doesn't, take it back and get a brand that does: Prime and Novaquel together (PetSmart), AquaSafe (cheaper choice, Wal-Mart, PetSmart).
4) A cover: bettas are great jumpers so his tank needs a cover. Because they also breathe surface air, make sure the lid is slotted or has air holes; otherwise, the betta can suffocate.
5) Tank Size: the size of your tank is directly proportional to how frequently you need to change his water. Water changes remove ammonia, which is toxic and forms in the water from uneaten food, waste, and even his breathing. It's colorless and odorless, so you can't judge if the water's ok by just looking to see if it's dirty or not. For uncycled 100% water change tanks: 1 gallon or >: change 100% of the water (and rinse off plants, gravel, etc.) every 1-3 days; 2.5-3 gallons 2-3 times/week; 5 gallons 1-2 x's/week. For a cycled tank, change 10-15% of the water once a week, and vacuum 1/4 of his gravel (gently, so it doesn't disturb the cycle.) Looking at that schedule, you can see it's less work to keep him in a larger tank, and a 2/5-3 gallon tank (some people say 5 gallons) is really the absolute minimum he should be in. The bigger the tank is, the easier it is for you since the water changes are less frequent and if he's in a 5 gallon, you can cycle it which is even less weekly work. Regardless of size, if water changes aren't being done often enough it leads to illness. If $'s an issue, check on backpage.com and craigslist as people often sell tanks cheaply or give them away. You can also get a critter keeper instead. Most pet stores have then. They're acrylic, usually less $, have a lid, are safe to have heaters in, are lighter than glass tanks if you need to do frequent water changes and come in a variety of livable sizes for a betta.
6) Cycling: Cycling cuts down on the water changes you need to do, and you'll spend less $ on water and water conditioner. If you decide to cycle, it's best to have a 5+ gallon tank. You'll also need a filter and filter cartridge, a heater, substrate (gravel) and some kind of starter material (you can use some of his food if you don't have any established media). Your betta will need a temporary, heated home for the next 4-8 weeks while your tank cycles. Don't cycle the tank with him in it, as it damages their delicate fins, and worse, since the toxicity of the water reaches sky high levels it will sicken and/or kill your betta. Here's a decent description on how to fishless cycle: http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php
Frog Filter Pad Change.wmv
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