I need your advice! Sponge/ Corner / Single?

[eternity302]

I need your advice...
I've been draining my battery and water like crazy!
The only way to reduce this that I can think of is splitting the filtration system into sponge or corner!
Definetely I know that if all the tanks with independent filters are best. But which would be best choice!

My solution is down to a corner filter or a sponge filter! Reason being is cuz I'm not only raising my bills from water usage, but also electricity! I don't want to give up on my tanks! So I'm going to end up with two GIANT air pumps, pumping into small tanks! My big tanks will be left alone! My small tanks for now will be 4 x 5 Gallons, and 5 x 10 Gallons!

Which would u pick... the corner filter, or the sponge filter?
Advantages of the corner is that I can add carbon at the bottom, every little bit helps! But as for the fliter floss... it doesn't seem to be washable... which will actually add cost in replacing for more, I know it doesn't cost much, but I want this to cost next to nothing, why? cuz not only I want the best for my fish, I want the best for the bills as well!

Second is the sponge filter, they're washable, and always been highly recommended by everyone, but there ain't carbon! I can easily buy a giant box of carbon to add to the corner filter instead, but what would u choose?

I know all the MFKer's have the most exp.. i need ur exp to guide me through this decision!

Thanks in advance

 

[FSM]

You don't need carbon.

 

[zennzzo]

I vote Sponges...just swish in w/c water and squeeze out...bio stays there, and no Ammo/NitrItes to leech back into system like carbon when you don't stay on top of changing it...

 

[zoologist100]

I agree with the above. Carbon is good for removing unwanted medications from your tank, and that is about all. 'Crystal-clear water' – forget it! You can manage that by regular water changes and keeping your sponges clean. As Zennzzo says, squeeze out the mulm from your sponge in water from the tank when you do a water change – never do it in tap water, or you'll kill off the bacteria you want to keep.
An air pump doesn't cost much to buy or run. In a nano tank for shrimp, a sponge is enough. A duel-outlet pump will let you run a sponge and an under-gravel filter in a small tank. There are more powerful [albeit expensive] multi-outlet pumps that will run six small or one large 4 foot tank!
Just do not over-stock your tank, and six cheap blow jobs will beat an expensive external suck every time..!

 

[eternity302]

Thanks guys! Will be converting all tanks to sponge filter by end of next month hopefully!

 

[zoologist100]

The best ones around are 'huey hung' sponge filters, IMO, if you need something powerful.