Sponge filter media

[joeyjoelyjoepro]

Hi everyone, I am planning on making a sponge filter for my 15 gallon aquarium and was wondering if I could use airsoft bbs and cut up straws as media. Would this work?
Thanks

 

[BillD]

Are you making a sponge filter or something else?

 

[Laeris]

As a general rule, filter media should be porous, that's where the bacteria is going to live.
Sponges take care of mechanical and bio filtration because bacteria will live in the sponge. What are the beebees and straws for?


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[joeyjoelyjoepro]

So I should just have the water pass through a large price of sponge then?

 

[joeyjoelyjoepro]

Just the tutorials on how to make a sponge filter on you tube tell you to use stuff like K1 kaldness which is basically cut up straw and other materials like ceramic rings that bacteria will grow on. would airsoft bbs and straws work the same?

 

[Laeris]

Bacteria can hold onto smooth surfaces like straws and such, but are harder to shake off porous like ceramic rings. I have a foam sponge corner wall (15" high by 10" wide, 2" deep) in one of my tanks that provides roughly150 sq in of ammonia and nitrite munching bacteria goodness living space. The water gets pulled through by a pump that powers a spray bar. I was going to put ceramic rings in, but why bother? Do I really need trailers (straws, ceramic rings, etc.) for bacteria to live in when they've got a high rise (giant piece of foam sponge)?

Maybe we're talking about two different things! Would you mind sharing a link to the video or citing site/title so we can be on the same page? ?


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[joeyjoelyjoepro]

I can't post a link but I can tell you what it is called, "HOW TO: Build a simple aquarium filter TUTORIAL" by the king of diy on you tube. What do you think of this?

 

[Fresh2o]

I can't post a link but I can tell you what it is called, "HOW TO: Build a simple aquarium filter TUTORIAL" by the king of diy on you tube. What do you think of this?

Here is the link to this DIY filter http://youtu.be/ROkhHGIPwj4 . A traditional sponge filter uses the sponge material as the mechanical and biological media. This is more than a sponge filter. Basically it is an inverted plastic bottle filled with buoyant plastic media with a sponge on the bottom (at the bottle opening). Large air bubbles are introduced at the neck drawing in water through the sponge. In the bottle it mixes with the kaldness media and exits at small openings at the top. I've seen this used in more complex moving sand bed filters.
What I would change with the original design is to add an extension to the neck (or get a wine bottle shaped container) to allow a "channel" for the air and water to mix in the neck to produce more lift.
You would have to experiment with the cut up straws to see if the water movement will keep them in motion if you want to duplicate this filter. As for the beebees not sure if they are safe to use (non-toxic) and you would need to produce a mesh or screen to prevent them from escaping.
The only maintenance would be periodic rinsing of the sponge.


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[Laeris]

I'm so relieved at this clarification. I thought one of us was going mad! I'm with Fresh, it could work I'd leave out the beebees and just use 4-6 mm cuts of straw. Beebees have the potential of getting into the straws and blocking water from going through, which defeats the purpose.

 

[Fresh2o]

An alternative to cut straws is cut up cubes of sponge. Within the bottle it should tumble easily with little flow and offer much more surface area for the BB.


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[joeyjoelyjoepro]

Ok, thanks for the advice!