Dust Collector Filter Media
What 80/20, nanofiber, spunbond polyester and UltraLife cartridge media are, how they are rated, and how to pick one for the dust your collector handles.Updated November 14, 2026
Pick the media by the dust
A cartridge's size, end style and OEM part number decide whether it fits your collector. Media is the choice you make among the cartridges that fit the same slot, and our equipment pages list every cartridge a machine takes, including the economy and premium media options.
- Dry, coarser dust such as wood dust, grinding, sanding and general fabrication dust: 80/20, the economical media.
- Fine dust and fume such as weld fume, laser and plasma smoke, thermal spray dust and fine metal dust: nanofiber.
- Sparks from metalworking, grinding or welding that can reach the collector: choose fire-retardant (FR) media. If your collector came with fire-retardant cartridges, replace them with fire-retardant cartridges.
Cartridge media at a glance
| Media | Use it for | MERV on our listings | Fire-retardant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80/20 (cellulose/polyester) | Dry, coarser dust; general weld fume at a moderate cost | 11–12 | FR |
| Nanofiber | Weld fume, laser and plasma smoke, fine dust | 14–15 | FR and non-FR |
| Spunbond polyester | One of the media choices for Amtech AT / ATV, Plymovent BM and Airflow Systems PCH / DCH / DC units | 11 | FR and non-FR |
| UltraLife | Our non-OEM replacements for the Airflow Systems 7FR0-2020 and 7FR0-2016 and the Filter 1 FLCA20CCLFOF | 15 | FR |
| CLEAN-2, FIBERDUST, ULTRACLEAN-PLUS | Airflow Systems' own media, in genuine Airflow Systems cartridges | 14 where listed | ULTRACLEAN-PLUS is FR |
The media, one by one
80/20 cellulose/polyester
80/20 is a blend of cellulose and polyester. It suits dry, larger particulate such as wood dust and general manufacturing dust, and it is the lower-cost choice where a machine takes more than one media. It also handles general weld fume at a moderate cost: the genuine FumeVac 225 cartridge (50560) and our replacement for the Trion CA3000C cartridge (50590) are both fire-retardant 80/20. The 80/20 cartridges on our listings are fire-retardant and rated MERV 11 or 12.
Nanofiber
Nanofiber media puts a layer of fine fibers on the pleat surface, so fine weld fume and laser or plasma smoke stay on the surface, where pulse cleaning can release them. Our nanofiber cartridges are rated MERV 14 or 15. Most are fire-retardant; the ones that are not each have a fire-retardant twin in the same size: 50551 for the Donaldson Torit Downflo Oval (FR version 50552) and 50645 for the Camfil Farr Gold Series (FR version 50628).
Spunbond polyester
We carry spunbond polyester as one of the media choices for these machines, all rated MERV 11:
- Amtech AT / ATV series: 50550, fire-retardant, rated to 275°F.
- Plymovent MultiDust Bank (MDB) BM Series: 50556, fire-retardant, rated to 275°F.
- Airflow Systems PCH, DCH, DC-series and DTH units: 50575, our replacement for the Airflow Systems 7FR0-2029 spunbond cartridge (formerly 7FR0-2025); not fire-retardant.
UltraLife
UltraLife is the fire-retardant media in our non-OEM replacements for the Airflow Systems 7FR0-2020 (50698) and 7FR0-2016 (50697) and the Filter 1 FLCA20CCLFOF (52838), all rated MERV 15. It is not Airflow Systems' own media: the genuine 7FR0-2020 and 7FR0-2016 use CLEAN-2. In the Airflow Systems 1612 size it is the finer-capture step up from 80/20 (50541 and 50542, MERV 11).
Airflow Systems media: CLEAN-2, FIBERDUST and ULTRACLEAN-PLUS
These are the media in genuine Airflow Systems cartridges.
- CLEAN-2 is Airflow Systems' standard media: the 7FR0-2020 CLEAN-2 cartridge is the standard cartridge in its PCH, DCH, DC-series, TC-4 and HC-4 collectors. We stock the genuine 7FR0-2912 CLEAN-2 cartridge for PC and V2 / V4 units (50700, MERV 14).
- FIBERDUST is Airflow Systems' option in place of the standard CLEAN-2 cartridge: the genuine 7FR0-2021 (50699, MERV 14, not fire-retardant).
- ULTRACLEAN-PLUS is double-treated, fire-retardant media: the genuine 7FR0-5020 (53709) is the factory upgrade from the standard CLEAN-2 7FR0-2020, and the genuine 7FR0-5016 (50701, MERV 14) fits the PowerBooth, Dust Control Booth and DT-800.
Same slot, different media: two examples
Amtech AT / ATV series
All five fit the Amtech AT / ATV series, and their listings name each other as the same size. Media area is the square footage of media in the cartridge, as stated on each listing.
| Cartridge | Media | MERV | Media area | Fire-retardant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50549 | 80/20 | 11 | 256 sq ft | Yes |
| 50548 | Nanofiber | 15 | 254 sq ft | Yes |
| 50546 | Nanofiber | 14 | 190 sq ft | Yes |
| 50547 | Nanofiber | 15 | 175 sq ft | Yes |
| 50550 | Spunbond polyester | 11 | 120 sq ft | Yes |
Airflow Systems PCH, DCH and DC 4 / 6 / 8
All five fit the Airflow Systems PCH-1, PCH-2, DCH and DC 4 / 6 / 8. Airflow Systems' standard cartridge for these units is the 7FR0-2020 with CLEAN-2 media (150 sq ft).
| Cartridge | Genuine or replacement | Media | MERV | Media area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53709 | Genuine Airflow Systems 7FR0-5020 | ULTRACLEAN-PLUS, FR | — | — |
| 50699 | Genuine Airflow Systems 7FR0-2021 | FIBERDUST | 14 | 75 sq ft |
| 50698 | Replacement for 7FR0-2020 | UltraLife, FR | 15 | 140 sq ft |
| 50542 | Replacement for 7FR0-2020 | 80/20, FR | 11 | 140 sq ft |
| 50575 | Replacement for 7FR0-2029 | Spunbond polyester | 11 | 60 sq ft |
Other filter types
| Filter type | Media on our listings | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Bag filters | Fiberglass, MERV 11 to 15 | Main filter |
| Box filters | Fiberglass, MERV 14 | Main filter |
| Mist filters | Fiberglass | Main filter |
| HEPA filters | HEPA, 99.97% efficiency | After-filter |
| DOP filters | DOP and fiberglass, 95% efficiency | After-filter |
| Pleated filters | Synthetic, MERV 8 | Pre-filter |
| Poly filters | Polyester, MERV 10 | Pre-filter |
| Mesh filters | Aluminum mesh | Pre-filter |
Not sure which cartridge your collector takes? Search the part number from the old cartridge at the top of the page, look it up in the filter cross reference, or browse cartridge filters. You can also send the measurements and the machine model through the chat button, and we confirm the match before you order.
Amtech, Donaldson Torit, Plymovent, Trion, Camfil Farr and Filter 1 are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here for cross-reference only; Rx4CleanAir is not affiliated with them.
Frequently asked questions
- Is nanofiber better than 80/20?
- For fine dust and fume, yes: nanofiber holds weld fume and laser or plasma smoke on the pleat surface, where pulse cleaning can release them, and our nanofiber cartridges are rated MERV 14–15 against 80/20's MERV 11–12. For dry, coarser dust such as wood or grinding dust, 80/20 is the economical choice. Where we list both for the same machine, either one fits.
- Can I change media when I replace my cartridges?
- Yes, as long as the new cartridge is listed for your machine: size, end style and fit come first, and each equipment page lists every cartridge that machine takes. If your collector came with fire-retardant cartridges, stay with fire-retardant media.
- Do I need fire-retardant media?
- Choose fire-retardant media for metalworking, grinding, welding and anywhere sparks can reach the collector. Each listing states whether its media is fire-retardant.
- What is UltraLife media?
- UltraLife is the fire-retardant media in our non-OEM replacements for the Airflow Systems 7FR0-2020 and 7FR0-2016 and the Filter 1 FLCA20CCLFOF, rated MERV 15. Genuine Airflow Systems cartridges use Airflow Systems' own CLEAN-2, FIBERDUST and ULTRACLEAN-PLUS media.
- Which cartridge media is best for weld fume?
- Nanofiber, for fine weld fume and laser or plasma smoke. 80/20 also handles general weld fume at a moderate cost: the genuine FumeVac 225 cartridge and our replacement for the Trion CA3000C cartridge are fire-retardant 80/20. Choose fire-retardant media for welding.