Sponge Filters

[OrandaLover1028]

ok guys i need some advice. I see a lot of you use sponge filters and i was wondering just how they work. I mean i get the basics you hook them up to air pumps and they are a bio filter. but do you use them alone? or do you use them in addition to other mechanical filtration or chemical filtration? do you want to use the largest size possible or one of a specific size for the tank? Like i use HOB filters in my main tank now. Im running 140+ gallons worth of filtration on a 75gal tank would i do something similar with sponge filters? Please school me on the ins and outs of sponge filters! lol ;)

[Virginia ranchu]

Hi Lisa,

If you have a large display tank with HOB filters, and your water is clean and clear, then I wouldn't worry too much about sponge filters. There is lots of surface area in a tank with gravel, so you should have decent bacterial growth already. There are also sponges that can be placed over your intake tube. This will increase your biofiltration, but will prevent any large debris from entering the HOB filter.

I like sponge filters in my fish room because they are effective and inexpensive, and several sponge filters can be run off of a single air pump. Also I have small fry in many tanks, and the sponges are safe for use with small fry. I have bare glass bottoms, so I still need to siphon off debris about once a week.

Rob

[OrandaLover1028]

Thanx Rob! Ive been expanding my collection which means more tanks & more $ on filters and a lot of people here seem to use sponges so i thought id ask. Is there any benifet (other than the bio-load increase) to using sponges over HOB or other filter types? is there a need for chemical filtration are bio-filters enough?? soo many questions lol

[small_ranchu]

Is there any benifet (other than the bio-load increase) to using sponges over HOB or other filter types?

I would say sponge filter is cost effective. It will do the job with an air pump and sponge is very cheap compare to the others.


is there a need for chemical filtration are bio-filters enough??
I don't use chemical in my filter except some emergency situation.

[suphi]

I would say sponge filter is cost effective. It will do the job with an air pump and sponge is very cheap compare to the others.

I don't use chemical in my filter except some emergency situation.

Other benefits over other types of filters include low likelihood of bad bacteria overgrowth/outbreak from inside a contained space/filter--can cause mass death typically after cleaning if left unnoticed, minimal water current in tank which is good for (grooming) fat-bodied fish, and easy cleaning--rinse and squeeze.

The disadvantage is that you rely more on water change and can't take long vacation.

[Bliasuk]

i am guessing sponge filters still need to be 'cycled'. Does it still take about 6-8 weeks like a mechanical filter?

[suphi]

Nothing needs to be cycled if you're keeping goldfish the traditional way.

I tend to think of sponge as a mechanical filter (as opposed to chemical or biofilter). Yes, bacteria will grow inside but it's not an ideal medium for bacterial culture if you have to clean and rinse every few days. For biofiltration purpose, you'll have superior results with specialized substrates that have enormous surface area for bacteria to grow.

If you plan to cycle the tank, a powerfilter or canister type is better.

[Bliasuk]

Thanks Suphi.

When you say ''keeping goldfish the traditional way'' how do you mean? daily water changes and scooping out poop a few times a day?

[Fishman43]

Bliasuk-
I use sponge filters in all of my tanks (multiples in some) and only have a couple of power filters in a box as backup if they are ever needed. I

t is WAY cheaper to run one large air pump that runs all of the sponge filters then it is to run many power filters. For example you can get a luft pump that uses ~100 watts of power and will run ~20 sponge filters (I have a significantly larger piston pump), as compaired to ~20 power filters at 35-100 watts each.

Sponge filters need to cycle just like any filter does. As far as maintanace I treat mine to a cleaning slightly more often then I would a power filter, but a cleaning is very simple! When I do a water change (100% twice a week on my GF, ~50% once a week on most of my tropical tanks), I take the filter out squeeze it out a few times in some of the drained tank water and it is good to go.

[suphi]

Thanks Suphi.

When you say ''keeping goldfish the traditional way'' how do you mean? daily water changes and scooping out poop a few times a day?

That depends on your setup; the number of fish, the amount of water and how much you feed them. For me, it's what is needed to keep my fish healthy. Daily WC is probably not needed if your fish to water ratio is good/low but poop extraction is a good practice to keep water clean.

[nygold]

I have 2 dozen fry in a 40 gallon with just a sponge filter I feed them pretty heavily and I need to change the water once a week. Now that they are getting bigger it's more like every 4 or 5 days.
Like suphi said it's all about how big the tank is, the amount and size of fish, and your feeding regimen.

[fantail1]

I have used a sump for the first time this year mainly with fry. By having a stand pipe with a sponge on the top, the fry didn't end up in the sump (though a very few did) and water stayed in excellent condition, even when feeding heavily, and the fish grew better than in previous years. I also changed less water.

The sump has a lot of mechanical and biological media, but nothing for chemical filtration. I would strongly recommend it.

All methods can work, the questions are time, money and effort. How much of each do you want to invest?

[suphi]

Remember that the true goal is to achieve and maintain water condition so that your fish can thrive long-term in that particular setup. You can do whatever you want as long as you can consistently reach and maintain that goal.

[Ranchufan16]

quick question about sponge filters, mine keeps floating even with the heavy base on it...any suggestions?

[small_ranchu]

It happens when the filter is new. You can glue the base with a piece of glass or ceremic tile.

[Hondataeg6]

quick question about sponge filters, mine keeps floating even with the heavy base on it...any suggestions?

have you tried squeezing it while its underwater???

[Ranchufan16]

have you tried squeezing it while its underwater???

Yeah I did that...seems to be working now, I used to use an off the back in my quarantine tank but I just got a really nice sponge filter from Ken's Fish and thought I would try it out....it finally sank, but before it was floating...very annoying.

Thanks for the tips!!

[TheTruth]

ok guys i need some advice. I see a lot of you use sponge filters and i was wondering just how they work. I mean i get the basics you hook them up to air pumps and they are a bio filter. but do you use them alone? or do you use them in addition to other mechanical filtration or chemical filtration? do you want to use the largest size possible or one of a specific size for the tank? Like i use HOB filters in my main tank now. Im running 140+ gallons worth of filtration on a 75gal tank would i do something similar with sponge filters? Please school me on the ins and outs of sponge filters! lol ;)

angels plus has the best sponge filters virginia has the good advice