What is a Sponge Filter?

[aakane47 1]

What is a sponge filter? Is it easy enough for me to make one for my pleco tub while they are seperated from the main tank?

[kortniee 452]

A sponge filter is basically just a large sponge with a fairly large tube sticking out the top. They look like this. You insert an airline down into the tube, with or without an airstone on the end, and hook it up to an air pump. The bubbles rising up through the tube draw water up through the tube as well, which pulls water into the sponge.

I don't know if there is much to be gained by making one, unless you absolutely cannot find one to buy. They're very cheap. But if you wanted to make one yourself, you'd just need a length of tube (maybe about 1 inch diameter?) and a sponge to stick it in. Make sure the sponge you use does not have any chemicals in it; this would probably be the hardest part about making it yourself. A lot of kitchen sponges, for instance, have some kind of anti-ick chemical in them to prevent them from getting gross. You'd also have to find some way to make a hole in the sponge to stick the tube into. But it seems doable, reasonably.

Either way you go, you'll also need to buy the air supplies to make the water move through it, which would be the more expensive and not diy-able part of it, if you don't already have a spare air pump and some airline around somewhere.

[aakane47 1]

Ok thanks, i'll probably just let my plecos go without one.

[doddmatic 56]

It's funny, I was just wondering the same thing. I was researching a cheap filter for my QT and these ones kept popping up, they seemed very crude. Most of my local fish shops seem to use them in their small tanks.

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[tithra 4,917]

It's funny, I was just wondering the same thing. I was researching a cheap filter for my QT and these ones kept popping up, they seemed very crude. Most of my local fish shops seem to use them in their small tanks.

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They are great for QT if you have a sick fish that cannot handle much current since they provide a very gentle source of filtration. Also good for fry tanks

[dnalex 13,633]

These are sponge filters

and they go in the tank like so

[ashlee18 1,169]

I have the hydor sponge filters on my butterfly qt tank. They are ugly but work well.

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[dankriscurly 43]

I would prefers airstone driven corner filters over the sponge filter...

As it works like internal filter and trap food/fish waste etc..

And its cheap too

Edited March 9, 2013 by dankriscurly

[Danielle Roberson 0]

I would prefers airstone driven corner filters over the sponge filter...

As it works like internal filter and trap food/fish waste etc..

And its cheap too

I just bought these! Two of the larger double stacked corner filters. I got them off of ebay for $11 each and you can easily customize them. How do you like them (if you have them)? I'm setting up my tank soon so I'll post my review of them later on. Has anyone else used these corner filters?

[MissFree 40]

I would prefers airstone driven corner filters over the sponge filter...

As it works like internal filter and trap food/fish waste etc..

And its cheap too

I just bought these! Two of the larger double stacked corner filters. I got them off of ebay for $11 each and you can easily customize them. How do you like them (if you have them)? I'm setting up my tank soon so I'll post my review of them later on. Has anyone else used these corner filters?

What size tank are you putting these into if you don't mind me asking. I was thinking on doing them for my 90 gallon tank (something tells me it's probably a 72 gallon) in addition to my fluval 406. I'm trying to weigh out any extra filtration that may be needed so I can get it up and running. Edited April 8, 2014 by MissFree

[Danielle Roberson 0]

I would prefers airstone driven corner filters over the sponge filter...

As it works like internal filter and trap food/fish waste etc..

And its cheap too

I just bought these! Two of the larger double stacked corner filters. I got them off of ebay for $11 each and you can easily customize them. How do you like them (if you have them)? I'm setting up my tank soon so I'll post my review of them later on. Has anyone else used these corner filters?

What size tank are you putting these into if you don't mind me asking. I was thinking on doing them for my 90 gallon tank (something tells me it's probably a 72 gallon) in addition to my fluval 406. I'm trying to weigh out any extra filtration that may be needed so I can get it up and running.

I have two of the larger sizes. Each large states is good for a 40 gallon so I thought two would be good for my 35 gallon. I haven't tried them out yet. As soon as I do, I'll let you know how it went.

[*Amanda* 556]

Not sure if this is properly called a sponge filter or not but this is the one I use: https://www.google.com/search?q=corner+filter+aquarium&client=ms-android-verizon&hl=en-US&source=android-browser-suggest&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Zi1xU-_fCc6DogT164HwDA&ved=0CFkQ7Ak&biw=360&bih=615#facrc=_&imgrc=MsqeUtL2n6LgzM%253A%3BM7Wope7tHZhpZM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fecx.images-amazon.com%252Fimages%252FI%252F31JlSD58FwL.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.amazon.com%252FLee%252560s-Aquarium-Quick-Corner-Filter%252Fdp%252FB001F9942U%3B273%3B350

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[Phil B. 215]

My goodness. Those things remind me of the sort of aquarium filters that were in use when I was a kid (about 40 years ago). I had no idea they were even still in use.

 

Since my new aquarium came with a couple of power heads, I was thinking of hooking one up to one of these sponges for a bit of suplimental filtration. Seems to me that with enough water flow they'd make pretty good bio filters.

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

Sponge filters are made of awesome.

And beneficial bacteria.

But mostly awesome.

I drive them with powerheads and airstones, it just depends on the tank. The greater depths I like powerheads but you have to secure them in place very well or knocking them over can be an issue. With airstones they have almost no appreciable current but still remove s fair bit of waste if properly installed.

[Shahbazin 1,110]

Along with my other filter, I got a sponge & powerhead from this place http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Filtration.html & really liked their explanation & comparison of different kinds of filters. Very economical, & it sounds like they're quite effective - I haven't tested it with my fish yet, since my tank's still cycling.

[Phil B. 215]

Not to mention you'll have a big sponge in your tank that's covered with biological material for your kids to nibble and peck at.

 

 

I should be picking up my AQ110 tomorrow if all goes well. I've been considering modding it a bit. Getting one of these http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/PreFilter.html to attach to the intake tube, and filling the media chamber full of Biohome or some other high end bio filter media. I even picked up some sheets of plastic needlepoint mesh in order to make a little cage.

Edited June 6, 2015 by Phil B.

[Joshua's Goldies 247]

I use lots of these guys.... I have one in evenly tank and couple in each my raised ponds. I always keep extra around for fry tubs, and quarantine tanks.

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