Sponge Filters

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Rxblade123

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Nov 28, 2003
Messages
339
Location
Texas USA
I decided to use two sponge filters in my 46 gallon, but I'm not sure what air pump I should use. I've never used a sponge filter before. I had an old Elite 800 and I connected it to them both, but its not able to put enough air out. Since I have two sponge filters should I get an air pump rated for a larger tank or just an air pump rated for 50 gallons or so?
 
Tetra Deep Water air pumps are good for pushing air into a taller tank, and have a lifetime guarantee. They use a rubber diaphragm and silicone flapper valves, but the design is more effective for some reason. Alternatively, a Whisper 20-60 is a decent dual-outlet pump too. I use one on a 30 long to run 2 sponge filters.
 
and remember to use a check valve to prevent a back flow into the air pump.
 
I'll go to my LFS in within a few days so hopefully I can get one of those air pumps. Anyways I have another question. Are there suppose to be bubbles in the sponge? When I first put them in the tank, I squeezed out as much of the air in the sponge as I could, but when I woke up today, one of them was floating and it had tons of air bubbles on it. It did have a weight in it too.
 
It's normal for a new sponge to have air bubbles in/on it. It will become saturated with water and no bubbles will be visible in a few days, depending on how big the sponge is. I've only run sponge filters in my 5 gallon betta tanks. I do agree that the Tetratec Deep Water airpumps are good.
 
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