Sponge Filter Help

Cosmic Charlie · 07-18-2005, 06:21 AM

I just set up a 10 gallon tank with a sponge filter yesterday. There's a few things that I don't understand about these filters. The first is: Why won't it stop floating around the tank? Secondly: Why did it spit out bits of charcoal? Thirdly: I guess I now need to clean my tank out because it's just sitting in the gravel.

I don't like these things so far.

Huugs · 07-18-2005, 07:18 AM

What do you mean by a sponge filter?

**Damon** · 07-18-2005, 07:56 AM

Is it a sponge filter or a corner filter?

**Cichlid Man** · 07-18-2005, 09:30 AM

Whatever it is, make sure that their is no air trapped inside it as this can make it float, and in power filters cause a very irritating noise!!!!!!!!!!

Cosmic Charlie · 07-18-2005, 04:28 PM

Well the guy at the LFS told me that I needed to get a sponge filter for very small fish because they could get sucked up into a bio wheel filter. Then he handed me this filter. Now that I look on the box, I see nothing that says sponge filter. It has something that kind of looks like cotton on top of activated charcoal. It says in the instructions to place it in an unobtrusive back corner (which I did) but it won't stay there. There are a few tiny bubbles in it. I can't get them out.

Will they take this thing back now that it's been used?

Cosmic Charlie · 07-18-2005, 04:48 PM

Hagen Filtration Kit for 5-10 gallon aquariums
It says "Elite 799" on the pump

Cosmic Charlie · 07-18-2005, 04:57 PM

Been doing some research... I was sold a box filter. Makes me kind of mad

Orbital · 07-18-2005, 06:48 PM

I use the ATI hydro sponge filters and the jungle dirt magnet types. The ATI are alot nicer. Weighted at the bottom so now worry about it floating.

This is what they look like, the ATI type..
http://www.jehmco.com/PRODUCTS_/FILT...e_filters.html

Lydia · 07-18-2005, 08:08 PM

oh cool! now i know what a sponge filter is! i figured it was just a sponge that floated around the water and i could never figure out how that would filter anything!

do they work well? do you think it would be a good supplemental filter for a 15 gallon tank? also, do they make ones small enough for a 2.5 gallon tank?

**Damon** · 07-18-2005, 09:36 PM

You can use sponge filters on just about any small tank. 15 may be pushing it depending of what the tank inhabitants are. They are great for fry tanks. I personally use penn-plax corner filters (kinda like the one you have). They have charcoal in the as well as filter floss. They also come with suction cups to attach on the tank wall.

Lydia · 07-18-2005, 09:39 PM

well i would want to use the sponge in the 15 just as a supplemental filter. I already have a filter in there, but i wanted to get a sponge one just in case the other one fails, which has happened before

also, would a sponge filter work with sand?

Orbital · 07-18-2005, 09:47 PM

I use them as extra backup bio filteration for larger tanks, and for my 10-20 gallon fry/juvi tanks. They work great once established. There are many models and types of sponges made. The dirt magnets I mentioned are little triangle shaped sponges that are meant for 5-10G tanks mostly. They work fine with sand tanks. They are handy for seeding new tanks too, skip the cycling process or speed it up anyway. Power goes out or surges and the power filters impeller stops, these just run off air.

I think this is the models that I have two of in a couple 10 gallons, says its rated for up to 20 gallons.
http://www.petsolutions.com/Jungle+S...100036-C-.aspx

fishboy · 07-20-2005, 04:56 PM

theres a article somewhere on making sponge filters i'll see if i can put in in the DIY section and pull up a link to it in this post

judya · 07-24-2005, 04:51 PM

I use sponge filters on all my tanks, in place of or in addition to hang-on or internal power filters. They are for biological filtration (cycling) primarily. I don't clean them, unless they get really gunky, then just squeeze them out in a bucket of tank water from water changing. Love them!

as do many serious fishkeepers. There are sizes for any tank. Excellent for babies, cause they pick at the filter for bits of food, and the filters don't suck the babies up.

Corner box filters work well too, but sometimes need rocks in the box to hold them down.

Gunnie · 07-24-2005, 09:53 PM

I have a dual sponge filter in my multi 10 gal. tank. It's a little overkill, but my tank always looks like it's just been set up. It has a sand substrate and is working great.

Cosmic Charlie · 07-25-2005, 01:21 PM

Got my sponge filter today. Much better. Thanks for the help.

07-18-2005, 06:21 AM	#1
Cosmic Charlie Phish lover Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lilburn, Georgia Age: 34 Posts: 96 User Feedback: (0)	Sponge Filter Help I just set up a 10 gallon tank with a sponge filter yesterday. There's a few things that I don't understand about these filters. The first is: Why won't it stop floating around the tank? Secondly: Why did it spit out bits of charcoal? Thirdly: I guess I now need to clean my tank out because it's just sitting in the gravel. I don't like these things so far.

07-18-2005, 07:56 AM	#3
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982 User Feedback: (0)	Is it a sponge filter or a corner filter? __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-18-2005, 09:30 AM	#4
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100 User Feedback: (0)	Whatever it is, make sure that their is no air trapped inside it as this can make it float, and in power filters cause a very irritating noise!!!!!!!!!! __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

07-18-2005, 06:48 PM	#8
Orbital Pimpin' fish ain't easy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Quad Cities, IA/IL Age: 30 Posts: 138 User Feedback: (0)	I use the ATI hydro sponge filters and the jungle dirt magnet types. The ATI are alot nicer. Weighted at the bottom so now worry about it floating. This is what they look like, the ATI type.. http://www.jehmco.com/PRODUCTS_/FILT...e_filters.html __________________

07-18-2005, 08:08 PM	#9
Lydia Ichthus Owner Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: FL Posts: 1,907 User Feedback: (0)	oh cool! now i know what a sponge filter is! i figured it was just a sponge that floated around the water and i could never figure out how that would filter anything! do they work well? do you think it would be a good supplemental filter for a 15 gallon tank? also, do they make ones small enough for a 2.5 gallon tank? __________________ Vote for FishForums!

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07-18-2005, 07:18 AM	#2
Huugs Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London UK Age: 23 Posts: 251 User Feedback: (0)	What do you mean by a sponge filter?

07-18-2005, 04:28 PM	#5
Cosmic Charlie Phish lover Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lilburn, Georgia Age: 34 Posts: 96 User Feedback: (0)	Well the guy at the LFS told me that I needed to get a sponge filter for very small fish because they could get sucked up into a bio wheel filter. Then he handed me this filter. Now that I look on the box, I see nothing that says sponge filter. It has something that kind of looks like cotton on top of activated charcoal. It says in the instructions to place it in an unobtrusive back corner (which I did) but it won't stay there. There are a few tiny bubbles in it. I can't get them out. Will they take this thing back now that it's been used?

07-18-2005, 04:48 PM	#6
Cosmic Charlie Phish lover Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lilburn, Georgia Age: 34 Posts: 96 User Feedback: (0)	Hagen Filtration Kit for 5-10 gallon aquariums It says "Elite 799" on the pump

07-18-2005, 04:57 PM	#7
Cosmic Charlie Phish lover Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lilburn, Georgia Age: 34 Posts: 96 User Feedback: (0)	Been doing some research... I was sold a box filter. Makes me kind of mad

07-18-2005, 09:36 PM	#10
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982 User Feedback: (0)	You can use sponge filters on just about any small tank. 15 may be pushing it depending of what the tank inhabitants are. They are great for fry tanks. I personally use penn-plax corner filters (kinda like the one you have). They have charcoal in the as well as filter floss. They also come with suction cups to attach on the tank wall. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-18-2005, 09:39 PM	#11
Lydia Ichthus Owner Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: FL Posts: 1,907 User Feedback: (0)	well i would want to use the sponge in the 15 just as a supplemental filter. I already have a filter in there, but i wanted to get a sponge one just in case the other one fails, which has happened before also, would a sponge filter work with sand? __________________ Vote for FishForums!

07-18-2005, 09:47 PM	#12
Orbital Pimpin' fish ain't easy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Quad Cities, IA/IL Age: 30 Posts: 138 User Feedback: (0)	I use them as extra backup bio filteration for larger tanks, and for my 10-20 gallon fry/juvi tanks. They work great once established. There are many models and types of sponges made. The dirt magnets I mentioned are little triangle shaped sponges that are meant for 5-10G tanks mostly. They work fine with sand tanks. They are handy for seeding new tanks too, skip the cycling process or speed it up anyway. Power goes out or surges and the power filters impeller stops, these just run off air. I think this is the models that I have two of in a couple 10 gallons, says its rated for up to 20 gallons. http://www.petsolutions.com/Jungle+S...100036-C-.aspx __________________

07-20-2005, 04:56 PM	#13
fishboy Custom User Title Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 16 Posts: 1,656 User Feedback: (0)	theres a article somewhere on making sponge filters i'll see if i can put in in the DIY section and pull up a link to it in this post __________________ It is only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

07-24-2005, 04:51 PM	#14
judya Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Columbus, Ohio Age: 55 Posts: 223 User Feedback: (0)	I use sponge filters on all my tanks, in place of or in addition to hang-on or internal power filters. They are for biological filtration (cycling) primarily. I don't clean them, unless they get really gunky, then just squeeze them out in a bucket of tank water from water changing. Love them! as do many serious fishkeepers. There are sizes for any tank. Excellent for babies, cause they pick at the filter for bits of food, and the filters don't suck the babies up. Corner box filters work well too, but sometimes need rocks in the box to hold them down.

07-24-2005, 09:53 PM	#15
Gunnie Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 156 User Feedback: (1)	I have a dual sponge filter in my multi 10 gal. tank. It's a little overkill, but my tank always looks like it's just been set up. It has a sand substrate and is working great.

07-25-2005, 01:21 PM	#16
Cosmic Charlie Phish lover Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lilburn, Georgia Age: 34 Posts: 96 User Feedback: (0)	Got my sponge filter today. Much better. Thanks for the help.

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