Sponge Filters

[H]-[H]

How are people keeping their fish healthy and fat with just one sponge filter in the tank?
Most of the vids I watched on youtube are using sponge filters and their tanks are clean no detritus no nothing and pristine water even with heavy feeding.. I'm baffled..

Even my DIY wet/dry mini filter can't keep up with my normal feeding regime and water becomes cloudy in two/three days time.. smh...

 

[FreshyFresh]

I'd guess their tanks look great from lots of large water changes.

Although, at the end of the day, clear looking water doesn't mean it's healthy water.

 

[tlindsey]

Sponge Filters work just as well.

 

[Fat Homer]

Probably lightly stocked bare bottom tanks and very dilligent tank cleaners...

 

[duanes]

Sponge filters work great to filter out fine particulate, and can be biological as well.
I used them in tandem with other filter media, but i must admit with certain species I had to squeeze them out multiple times per day, or the flow rates on my pumps could be severely restricted.

 

[FishEZ]

Probably lightly stocked bare bottom tanks and very diligent tank cleaners...

Yes, this is how I do it. When not so lightly stocked, I change the water more often. I have regimen to change 50 - 60 % of the water weekly, sometimes more often, twice weekly. Also, since i use bare-bottom, when excrement collects in corner, I merely siphon it out quickly without a full water change.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Water becoming cloudy in 2-3 days to me indicates that something is wrong. Even with inadequate filtration, there would be more detritus floating, but the water should remain pretty clear. Cloudiness can mean a bacterial bloom or an excess of harmful chemicals in the water.

I have run sponge filters always with another filter, I find the sponges do work but are inferior to canisters/large hob's because they don't have adequate room for bio material.
I cant recall seeing anybody running them on large tanks without another filter

 

[Allan01230]

I like AC 110s I run 2 on my 85 gallon the bestfilter out there for me. I also use double sponges in both filters don't need carbon as tank been set up for 10 years plus

 

[H]-[H]

Wow a lot members here use sponge filters.. Do you guys use heavy duty air pumps to power them?

 

[Vampire fish]

A lot of gravel keeps water clear.

I use a small/medium sized air pump on a timer that powers two sponge filters rated 75 and 125 gallon. At the moment though I dont have a particularly large amount of fish or large sized fish in the 125 gallon tank though.