sponge filters

[aclockworkorange]

I know, the other user was implying that I've probably never used one as my main source of filtration. I was comparing it to what I currently use for filtration. I guess I said it too bluntly.

I use canisters on 4/5 of my tanks. I use a sponge system on my 20 gallon. That's like comparing a John Deere to a non powered push lawnmower. Are canisters more effective? In a sense yes, they are obviously superior in design. Can a tank be run on sponge filters alone? Absolutely. If you have a lot of tanks and are on a budget, they are a great choice.

 

[fishbum]

If used in a bare tank, a sponge filters should have no problem providing enough filtration,no matter the tank size or stock. As long as you use the appropriate size and number of sponges for the tank size.

If you have substrate,a sponge could still be used as the sole filter,but it will require more work from you with gravel vacs, and cleaning out the sponge.

 

[Morledzep]

If you have substrate,a sponge could still be used as the sole filter,but it will require more work from you with gravel vacs, and cleaning out the sponge.

no matter if you have substrate or not.. you still need to squeeze out the filters periodically and replace them every once in awhile. but you do the same with the canister filters, more often and at greater expense.

 

[JC_P]

Thought I would share these then:
(the first pic is all 40 gallon breeder tanks, the second is 29 gallon tanks)

These are photos of my old work... Huge wholesale freshwater fish distributor. As of last year, they changed ALL their tanks to sponge filters as the sole method of filtration. There are four rows of tanks like this 40-90 gallons in size), plus 3 other rows of smaller tanks (most 55 to 20 long), housing everything from neons to stingrays, and an entire row of breeding African cichlids that are not for sale and never move (tanks anywhere from 220 gallons to 75 gallons).
So if sponge filters cannot act as the sole method of filtration in a tank, someone might want to give them a call and let them know.

I'm not saying they're bad, just that you shouldn't assume things simply because someone else has stated an opinion. BTW, nice looking shop; looks very well stocked.

 

[JC_P]

I use canisters on 4/5 of my tanks. I use a sponge system on my 20 gallon. That's like comparing a John Deere to a non powered push lawnmower. Are canisters more effective? In a sense yes, they are obviously superior in design. Can a tank be run on sponge filters alone? Absolutely. If you have a lot of tanks and are on a budget, they are a great choice.

I agree with that statement.

 

[knifegill]

I'm just starting to play with them. Currently filtering a 10 and a 20 with one sponge in each. The finer pores are good at clearing/polishing the water but I think I'll be using the larger pores since I do a weekly water change of about 75% in my breeding tanks anyway and that removes most particulate matter right then. The larger pores are just fine for bio and don't clog as soon, and since I help with constant vacuuming it seems to be working out just fine. Seeded them so haven't seen any ammonia but I don't know why I even would.

Is it safe to assume that an air pump powering four sponges is cheaper on power than four separately running motor-driven filters?

 

[JK47]

no matter if you have substrate or not.. you still need to squeeze out the filters periodically and replace them every once in awhile. but you do the same with the canister filters, more often and at greater expense.

Sorry to shoot you down, but I have tried it. I don't rely on it as my main source of filtration because you have to constantly rinse it off. Aside from that a canister filter is much more reliable than any sponge filter you can find, I will give you credit for hospital/rearing tanks though.

Why rinse it off? I never clean my sponges unless seeding a new tank.. When talking more than a few tanks, anything beyond sponge's or UGF's is not always an option. Go find heaters in breeder facilities.. lots of things can be more efficient but to answer the OP's question, sponge filters are more than capable of handling a tank as sole filtration. I am no planted tank guy to to my knowledge most plants appreciate the lesser flow anyway..

Go for it

 

[RedDwarf]

Sponge filters are great, they work well as your main filtration if you do weekly WC's. Now for a planted tank, your going to run into the problem of the bubbles breaking the surface of the tank is going to dissipate the CO2 that the plants need to grow.

The reason you would rinse off your sponge filter is if it's your only filtration in the tank, it will act as both biological and mechanical filter so if it clogs up to much it's biological filtering capacity will diminish.

 

[Morledzep]

Sponge filters are great, they work well as your main filtration if you do weekly WC's. Now for a planted tank, your going to run into the problem of the bubbles breaking the surface of the tank is going to dissipate the CO2 that the plants need to grow.

The reason you would rinse off your sponge filter is if it's your only filtration in the tank, it will act as both biological and mechanical filter so if it clogs up to much it's biological filtering capacity will diminish.

right, if you don't rinse them out in the used tank water periodically they WILL clog. you're going to do a weekly water change anyway, put some of the used water in a bucket, squeeze the sponges out a little bit and put them back in the tank. i naturally replace them after they have been in the tank for a year.. i do half of them in the winter and the other half in the summer so there is no danger of having to restart the biological filtration.

i know it seems strange, but even in the big tank that i just bought there will be sponge filters. probably 8 or 10, we'll see when the time comes. but they will be in addition to the sump that comes with the tank. i won't run a tank without sponge filters.

 

[JC_P]

The reason you would rinse off your sponge filter is if it's your only filtration in the tank, it will act as both biological and mechanical filter so if it clogs up to much it's biological filtering capacity will diminish.

Exactly.