Do sponge filters circulate the water enough?

[Hobgob]

A power filter will probably circulate the water more then a sponge and air pump. But I thought you asked if the sponge was enough. That's why I went and said all that stuff about sponges not being junk and how you can easily increase there flow.

 

[freshfindles]

While we're speaking of sponge filters... would a sponge filter be the best idea for a 20g long, planted, with African dwarf frogs? They're all I plan on keeping.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[trinifella]

Yeah Hob, I was wondering if they were enough in terms of circulating the water in a planted tank. I should have been more clear. Guess you could say lightly planted as well. I'm getting the stronger air pump and going to try to extend the sponge filter tube so I can try it myself

 

[Brookster123]

I ran the sponge filter in combination with a canister that was cleaned regularly. The canister was mechanical filtration and the sponge was biological filtration. No issues with parameters anywhere in the entire process. It goes along with sponge filters not circulating much water which was the original question asked by the OP

+1 I run two hob's and a small sponge in my 20 and 29, water is like glass and parameters stay good with weekly 35% wc, stocking is heavy in both.

 

[ArtistGardener]

A sponge in a 20 gallon certainly is enough to have safe water, but it does take up some room. If all you want to keep is the pair of gouramis, you should be fine with clarity, too. You wouldn't need lots of movement with a pair of labyrinth fish. If you want to add to the tank, then getting some movement would be necessary, in my opinion. I'm a fan of HOB filters because I can keep my water incredibly clear and because I don't want a filter taking up space in the tank. I have a heavily planted 20 gallon with an AquaClear 30 and love it. I've never had an issue with this tank (knock on wood) and it is a fully stocked tank with two honey gouramis, three otos, nine neon tetras, five glowlights, and lots of shrimp.

I do love my sponge filter for my fry tank!

 

[pip walters]

I run many tanks at work on sponge filters made from a third of a car sponge, a piece of pipe with hole drills and airline. I will try and get some pics if I can. I keep over 100 guppies in a 60 litre tank.... granted, we sell them regularly, but no water quality issues and some fish are with us for two weeks or more.... I even have marines that I have kept perfectly well in 23 litres for over three weeks like this. My opinion is this.....

Sponges have an enormous surface area - this can be seen by the amount of muck they deposit when cleaned every week or two weeks........ rinse them regularly in water from the tank and you maximise the surface area for beneficial bacteria. Obviously as we sell fish we regularly change water by default, but not as much as you.may think.

A good flow of air through the pipe.will.draw water through the sponge. You can move unexpectedly high volumes usin air.

 

[trinifella]

A good flow of air through the pipe.will.draw water through the sponge. You can move unexpectedly high volumes usin air.

This is what i'm hoping to find out. Thanks for the responses guys

 

[trinifella]

Update. Got my new air pump (Tetra Whisper 100) and using the same Classic Aquatop Sponge filter CAF-60, I haven't really seen much difference in terms of water being sucked into the sponge. Plant debris are free flowing right by the sponge and not sticking to it at all, not even a little. Think I might just have to make my own sponge filter like Pip, as I haven't been able to extend the tube on this one (pvc doesn't fit)

 

[cfosgate]

The taller the tube the more water you will move. To make tubes fit to the sponge heat them quickly with a hair dryer before fitting to the sponge if the pipe is too small. Add teflon tape to the outer part of the sponge before fitting the tube if it's too large. Good luck.

 

[trinifella]

Hmmm I could try that heat idea. I am using pvc which is just slightly too large for my filter and was going to sandpaper it just a little to fit. But I can try heating it, great idea!!

 

[gilpi]

Trust me you don't need a power head for the sponge. My discus tank just has the sponges ran by air. I've ran my 35g off one. And two in a 40g and it was amazing I went out and bought 5 more. I've kept a 33g with a corner filter the water was just as clear when I added the ac hob.

I guess to each there own but if you don't use them that often you can't really not them. I'm basing this all on my experiences with them. If you have one use it as see how it looks to you.

I would take advice from a discuss grower.

 

[gilpi]

The sponge filter is fine for two small fish in a twenty gallon. Things to consider are, frequent water changes and to not over feed.

 

[pip walters]

This is what i'm hoping to find out. Thanks for the responses guys

I measured the flow of air-lifted water through one of the sponge filters last week and jt measured 120 l/hour. Without an airstone, it is.even higher! Just noisier. Haha

 

[Hobgob]

Update. Got my new air pump (Tetra Whisper 100) and using the same Classic Aquatop Sponge filter CAF-60, I haven't really seen much difference in terms of water being sucked into the sponge. Plant debris are free flowing right by the sponge and not sticking to it at all, not even a little. Think I might just have to make my own sponge filter like Pip, as I haven't been able to extend the tube on this one (pvc doesn't fit)

Wouldn't it be easier to keep the tank clean with you plant debris not going into the sponge otherwise it will sit there and decay until you clean it. Typically I remove any plant debris by hand as not to fowl my water.

 

[Hobgob]

I measured the flow of air-lifted water through one of the sponge filters last week and jt measured 120 l/hour. Without an airstone, it is.even higher! Just noisier. Haha

How did you measure it? Im really curious and would love the knowledge of being able to do it myself.

 

[pip walters]

How did you measure it? Im really curious and would love the knowledge of being able to do it myself.

Simple - use a stopwatch to measure how many seconds it takes to fill a measuring jug to the one litre mark. Divide the result into 60 to give you litres per minute, then multiply that by 60 for litres per hour.

Eg... 30 seconds to fill to 1 litre
60 / 30 = 2 (litres per minute)
2 x 60 = 120 litre per hour.

Hope that helps.

 

[trinifella]

I measured the flow of air-lifted water through one of the sponge filters last week and jt measured 120 l/hour. Without an airstone, it is.even higher! Just noisier. Haha

How did you measure it? Im really curious and would love the knowledge of being able to do it myself.

I myself was wondering. Good technique Pip!!!

 

[pip walters]

Wouldn't it be easier to keep the tank clean with you plant debris not going into the sponge otherwise it will sit there and decay until you clean it. Typically I remove any plant debris by hand as not to fowl my water.

The interesting thing here is heterotrophic bacteria break down the waste plant material and release ammonia.in the process.... food for the sponge dwellers

 

[Hobgob]

The interesting thing here is heterotrophic bacteria break down the waste plant material and release ammonia.in the process.... food for the sponge dwellers

That's fine, it's also extra waste which is raising nitrates for no reason. And my food is the waste my fish produce only.

 

[pip walters]

That's fine, it's also extra waste which is raising nitrates for no reason. And my food is the waste my fish produce only.

Good to know you have no heterotrophic bacteria at all in your tank

I said it was interesting, I didn't say it was necessarily a good thing.