About the sponge filter

hmm key so im dumb. and i bought the sponge filter for the 20 gallon(medium) and the tank i bought this for was for a 10 gallon only i thought it was a 20 because i didnt double check. it currently has a hob on it, but i thought a small sponge filter on the opposite side might help. but given the actual size of my tank. this thing is ginormic(compared to what i thought it was i guess) so i had to find out where to put it without stirring everything up. so it ended up in the middle of my tank. other than it just being a giant eye sore. would having a sponge finger focused on tanks 10 gallons up become a problem? keep in mind i still have the hob on there of course this is a temp tank.

once i can successfully pluck out all the males and place them in my main tank. i understand how to do that its just my vision sucks and they move around way too much so ill just have to wait until they color out and it would be easier. but by that time there would probably be a billion inbred fry and have to continue the process

but yeah. the filter thing, though i cant imagine that they would be much different performance wise. as they are just different sponge sizes and the pump is adjustable. but i figured id ask in a panic before thinking logically >.>

 

Sponge filters are among the very best filters for supporting the bacteria responsible for denitrification. I also fully support your idea to have an HOB plus a sponge filter as that allows you to clean one filter at a time and keep the nitrogen cycle stable.

Many folks shun sponge filters because they do take up a lot of room in the tank. They do come in various sizes ranging from under 10 gallons up to 60 gallons or even larger.

You have a few options:

1. Keep the sponge you have and hide it behind some of your plant or decorations.

2. Purchase a smaller sponge filter to replace the current one and save the current one for later when you decide to get a larger tank. They are quite inexpensive. Be sure to get the small size.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquaneat-Aquarium-Sponge-Filter-Breeding/dp/B078HDL21V/

3. Purchase a larger tank now to go with the current filter. If you wait for a Petco sale, they used to sell tanks for $1 per gallon or half price. If you have to upgrade other equipment, that can get expensive.

 

Maybe just convert the HOB filter into an external sponge filter.
All my HOB's are simply stuffed with sponges. No real need to have an in tank sponge.

 

Maybe just convert the HOB filter into an external sponge filter.
All my HOB's are simply stuffed with sponges. No real need to have an in tank sponge.

Sponges are great media for HOB and canister filters, but I still think every tank needs two filters so you can clean one at a time without disturbing the other. The two can be two HOB, a HOB and a sponge, a HOB and a canister, or a canister and a sponge.

 

I would just keep that sponge filter but put it in one corner behind the plants. As RayClem pointed out, it is useful to have two filters, and if you ever need to set up a new tank in a hurry you can use the sponge filter and replace it with a new one without disturbing the original tank.

 

I agree. Both my tanks have two oversized HOB's.

 

A small sponge filter works just about the same as a large sponge filter. I have a small and a medium both in a 20g. Both were capable of maintaining a bacteria colony for 200+angelfish all the way though dime size and probably could have gone much further if the nitrates weren't becoming too much and needing a larger volume of water for the group. As far as the bacteria colony goes it populates the entire sponge and it's really effective at it due to the air source running through it. The small for a 10 gallon worked the same as the medium for up to 30 gallon,
So I'd say the size of one doesn't even really matter except if it's too small for the tank volume then it won't pull from the entire tank.

Sponge vs. HOB, I'd take a sponge filter every time. I would have never said this before I tried a sponge filter though. Running both a sponge and your HOB, you can even get by with a nano tank sponge filter in there really.
Even one like this that's like 4" tall and 2"wide will have plenty enough surface area for a 10g sized colony of bacteria. It just might not pull from the entire tank.

I wouldn't even use a HOB personally it's how much I trust a sponge filter to do the job at this point. Plus with that small sponge filter it can be powered with one of those battery powered air pumps for bait buckets and if you did have a Power outage you'd still have filtration during it with a quick switch over of the airpump.

 

A small sponge filter works just about the same as a large sponge filter. I have a small and a medium both in a 20g. Both were capable of maintaining a bacteria colony for 200+angelfish all the way though dime size and probably could have gone much further if the nitrates weren't becoming too much and needing a larger volume of water for the group. As far as the bacteria colony goes it populates the entire sponge and it's really effective at it due to the air source running through it. The small for a 10 gallon worked the same as the medium for up to 30 gallon,
So I'd say the size of one doesn't even really matter except if it's too small for the tank volume then it won't pull from the entire tank.

Sponge vs. HOB, I'd take a sponge filter every time. I would have never said this before I tried a sponge filter though. Running both a sponge and your HOB, you can even get by with a nano tank sponge filter in there really.
Even one like this that's like 4" tall and 2"wide will have plenty enough surface area for a 10g sized colony of bacteria. It just might not pull from the entire tank.

I wouldn't even use a HOB personally it's how much I trust a sponge filter to do the job at this point. Plus with that small sponge filter it can be powered with one of those battery powered air pumps for bait buckets and if you did have a Power outage you'd still have filtration during it with a quick switch over of the airpump.

Sponge filters are great at supporting nitrifying bacteria. The reason I also use HOB filters (and a canister on one tank) is that the HOB is easy to clean. I use sponge prefilters on my intake tubes which is a great way to have both a sponge filter and HOB.

 

Sponge filters are among the very best filters for supporting the bacteria responsible for denitrification. I also fully support your idea to have an HOB plus a sponge filter as that allows you to clean one filter at a time and keep the nitrogen cycle stable.

Many folks shun sponge filters because they do take up a lot of room in the tank. They do come in various sizes ranging from under 10 gallons up to 60 gallons or even larger.

You have a few options:

1. Keep the sponge you have and hide it behind some of your plant or decorations.

2. Purchase a smaller sponge filter to replace the current one and save the current one for later when you decide to get a larger tank. They are quite inexpensive. Be sure to get the small size.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquaneat-Aquarium-Sponge-Filter-Breeding/dp/B078HDL21V/

3. Purchase a larger tank now to go with the current filter. If you wait for a Petco sale, they used to sell tanks for $1 per gallon or half price. If you have to upgrade other equipment, that can get expensive.

my hob filters are all already sponge filters, i probably should have mentioned that in original post and its behind the plant, along with a pre sponge filter. i thought a small sponge filter would be nice for what my now realize is 10 gallon, a little extra filtration and surface agitation. but mostly for the surface agitation. but the one for the 20 is pretty darn big as you can see. i mean if its not a problem thats fine i guess. it just makes it kinda weird to look at.

I would just keep that sponge filter but put it in one corner behind the plants. As RayClem pointed out, it is useful to have two filters, and if you ever need to set up a new tank in a hurry you can use the sponge filter and replace it with a new one without disturbing the original tank.

i was worried that it would suck in the plant. but if you say its fine. im okay with that

also the "rock" was in the way. maybe i move that in the middle?

A small sponge filter works just about the same as a large sponge filter. I have a small and a medium both in a 20g. Both were capable of maintaining a bacteria colony for 200+angelfish all the way though dime size and probably could have gone much further if the nitrates weren't becoming too much and needing a larger volume of water for the group. As far as the bacteria colony goes it populates the entire sponge and it's really effective at it due to the air source running through it. The small for a 10 gallon worked the same as the medium for up to 30 gallon,
So I'd say the size of one doesn't even really matter except if it's too small for the tank volume then it won't pull from the entire tank.

Sponge vs. HOB, I'd take a sponge filter every time. I would have never said this before I tried a sponge filter though. Running both a sponge and your HOB, you can even get by with a nano tank sponge filter in there really.
Even one like this that's like 4" tall and 2"wide will have plenty enough surface area for a 10g sized colony of bacteria. It just might not pull from the entire tank.

I wouldn't even use a HOB personally it's how much I trust a sponge filter to do the job at this point. Plus with that small sponge filter it can be powered with one of those battery powered air pumps for bait buckets and if you did have a Power outage you'd still have filtration during it with a quick switch over of the airpump.

that hob has been on there a long time. i figured that after a period of time and i feel the sponge filter has collected enough. i would just take it off

i think if i take the intake part off i can move it all the way to the corner and reattach it. but ill try that later.

 

my hob filters are all already sponge filters, i probably should have mentioned that in original post and its behind the plant, along with a pre sponge filter. i thought a small sponge filter would be nice for what my now realize is 10 gallon, a little extra filtration and surface agitation. but mostly for the surface agitation. but the one for the 20 is pretty darn big as you can see. i mean if its not a problem thats fine i guess. it just makes it kinda weird to look at.

i was worried that it would suck in the plant. but if you say its fine. im okay with that

also the "rock" was in the way. maybe i move that in the middle?

that hob has been on there a long time. i figured that after a period of time and i feel the sponge filter has collected enough. i would just take it off

i think if i take the intake part off i can move it all the way to the corner and reattach it. but ill try that later.

Generally, the water flow through a large sponge filter is not all that much different than for a small sponge filter if it is driven by an air pump. The difference is that the larger sponge has a lot more surface area for colonizing bacteria. That is why a larger sponge is recommended for a larger tank with more fish.

Pick up some of the small sponge filtersa designed for a 10 gallon tank, or if you are adventurous, you can probably adapt a prefilter sponge to fit over the existing sponge filter tube to replace the larger sponge.