The Woefully Underappreciated Sponge Filter

[skjl47]

Hi,
I run a small fish house here in uk, in it I have 8 tanks, all are 200 liters, and roughly 48 x 15 x 18".

I run each tank with sponge filters, these vary in size, but all are pond sponges, which measure about 8" high 5" square. Some tanks have 2 sponges, some one, depending on type of fish, and stocking density.

I run all the sponge filters off a garden style airpump, which runs at 20 watts ph.but delivers 2000 lph of air.

I run back up of a Eheim internal filter, a Eheim 200, which are rated at 200 lph. I find these run well, I run them as mechanical filters, rather than biological filters. The spring filters provide excellent biological filtration.

I keep SA cichlids such as S.daemon and S.lilith, fish which must have good water

I find sponge filtration is superb, and thanks to the original poster for raising the subject.

I continue to look for better and cheaper ways of filtering my tanks, and at the moment am considering fitting sponge squares into the rear corners of my tanks, air driven of course. I will post some pics once I've completed one.
Graham

Hello; Back in the 50's, 60's and part of the 70's air operated filters were very common. From internal types thru outside HOB types. Most were plastic. I have a few survivors and bits and peces of others. I do not see them any more in stores. Perhaps other older forum members will have some hints on how to build one.
Good luck

 

[Satanoperca3298]

Ah skj, but I am old my friend, been keeping SA cichlids since the 80s so remember well the first time I came across sponge filters. I also remember all the people who transfered across to under gravel filters.
Having looked at sponge filters which are for sale these days I decided they were not large enough. You see I believe in having a large bio mass which to me gives more stable water. As I keep Satanoperca and Dwarf Crenicichla, I need a very stable biological environment. So I had a look at pond sponge filters, and found some around 8 to 10 inch long, by about 5 inch square, these have a 3/4 inch hole through the center. I use some old under gravel uplift tubes I have, and cut these to length, use the old tops and put an airline through, the sponge once filled with water is very stable, and bubbles away quite happily.
Graham

 

[Landoes]

I just bought, what I think is, the biggest sponge filter on the market. It cost me $11 on amazon, it is made by hikari and filters up to 125g.

 

[sherrod833]

Got a link?

 

[Landoes]

Got a link?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GOFS8YK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
It went up to 13 bucks.
It comes with an air stone already in, so the noise isnt bad at all. It comes with an extra stone and some sample hikari food

 

[sherrod833]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GOFS8YK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
It went up to 13 bucks.
It comes with an air stone already in, so the noise isnt bad at all. It comes with an extra stone and some sample hikari food

Thanks.

 

[convict360]

I bought this recently for £9, or 12 dollars roughly; its a beast. It's pretty big for a sponge filter, but cause its black and fits neatly into the corner, I don't even notice it.

Running that with two circulation pumps on my 90 gallon, that's it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/XY-2893-Driven-Biochemical-Corner-Aquarium/dp/B00KRZSAGO

 

[Ihsnshaik]

I bought this recently for £9, or 12 dollars roughly; its a beast. It's pretty big for a sponge filter, but cause its black and fits neatly into the corner, I don't even notice it.

Running that with two circulation pumps on my 90 gallon, that's it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/XY-2893-Driven-Biochemical-Corner-Aquarium/dp/B00KRZSAGO

Hell yeah! I love sponge filters. People I know or I meet with the hobby always get surprised by sponge filters. They either think they can't just use it as their main filer or think its just for fry. Anything under 125 I would just do sponge filters anything bigger you need more media for water clarity and bio load depending on what you stock.

 

[Landoes]

Hell yeah! I love sponge filters. People I know or I meet with the hobby always get surprised by sponge filters. They either think they can't just use it as their main filer or think its just for fry. Anything under 125 I would just do sponge filters anything bigger you need more media for water clarity and bio load depending on what you stock.

If you watch videos of those old school fishkeepers on youtube, they all have like 50+ tanks and every single one of them has a sponge filter.
I can't imagine getting filtration for a 100+ gallon tank for under 15 bucks.

 

[Ihsnshaik]

If you watch videos of those old school fishkeepers on youtube, they all have like 50+ tanks and every single one of them has a sponge filter.
I can't imagine getting filtration for a 100+ gallon tank for under 15 bucks.

Welcome to MFK!

Most people who have 50 tanks just don't keep fish to just have its usually multiple tanks breeding. They all are plumbed for quick water changes or a drip system with that many tanks. I've seen huge tanks with drip system with just a sponge filter. So 15 bucks can go a long way.

I don't have a drip system and do water changes the old school way. I used to do with buckets lol now with a hose connected to faucet.