Help Me Understand Sponge Filtration

HI all. 29-gal tall, planted tank. Betta sorority, neons, corys, nerites. Sand substrate. Airstone set low. I'm running the Aquaclear 30 with sponges, charcoal, and biohome media; however, I have a few concerns. The downtube barely reaches halfway down; also, there's the flaw of it not self-priming if there's a power outage. I want to both provide emergency backup filtration, as well as to filter more efficiently the bottom areas on a consistent basis.

I've read numerous threads, trying to understand how sponge filtration works, also trying to figure out if it's a solution for filtering my tank more efficiently. I must be a little slow on the uptake, because I'm still not getting it!

Advice and explanations would be so appreciated. Thanks!

 

The internal sponge filter works when an air pump pushes air into the center of the sponge via tubing & sometype of air stone or stick. The air bubbles rapidly rise back to the surface, which creates a current drawing aerated water from outside the sponge into the sponge. Colonies of benificial bacteria grow inside the porous sponge & feeds on the ammonia & bio gunk drawn in. Your AC filter is more or less an external sponge filter. Btw, consider tossing the carbon media from your AC & replace with another sponge. The charcoal is really only needed to remove meds or tannins out of the water column.

 

HI all. 29-gal tall, planted tank. Betta sorority, neons, corys, nerites. Sand substrate. Airstone set low. I'm running the Aquaclear 30 with sponges, charcoal, and biohome media; however, I have a few concerns. The downtube barely reaches halfway down; also, there's the flaw of it not self-priming if there's a power outage. I want to both provide emergency backup filtration, as well as to filter more efficiently the bottom areas on a consistent basis.

I've read numerous threads, trying to understand how sponge filtration works, also trying to figure out if it's a solution for filtering my tank more efficiently. I must be a little slow on the uptake, because I'm still not getting it!

Advice and explanations would be so appreciated. Thanks!

Hello Green...

Sponge filtration is efficient and inexpensive. You need a decent air pump and a length of plastic tubing to complete the filtering system. Anyway, it goes inside the tank attached to the side with suction cups. You plug in the air pump and the pump pushes air through the filter tubing. The force of the air moving through the tubing draws the outside water through the filter and out the top. The sponges become a home for the beneficial bacteria that uses the dissolved nitrogen drawn into the filter. The bubbles also act as a means of moving the surface water and this mixes oxygen into the water.

Once a week, when I perform a large water change, I remove the sponges and squeeze them out in some of the old tank water and put them back. This is all you need to do. The sponge filters never need replacement media, so they're inexpensive to use.

Old

 

Here, give this a read. It has science and stuff.
http://www.swisstropicals.com/library/aquarium-biofiltration/

Also, you don't need an air pump. You can also run sponge filters with a powerhead. I haven't used an air pump on an aquarium in something like 10 years because the buzzing makes me twitch, and I run all of my aquariums exclusively on Poret foam, including my 75 gallon.

 

Here, give this a read. It has science and stuff.
http://www.swisstropicals.com/library/aquarium-biofiltration/

Also, you don't need an air pump. You can also run sponge filters with a powerhead. I haven't used an air pump on an aquarium in something like 10 years because the buzzing makes me twitch, and I run all of my aquariums exclusively on Poret foam, including my 75 gallon.

HI Mag...

A power head is going to cost twice as much as an air pump. I've used both, but the air pump is cheaper and just as efficient.

Old

 

HI Mag...

A power head is going to cost twice as much as an air pump. I've used both, but the air pump is cheaper and just as efficient.

Old

you are correct on that, but to me it's 100% worth it to have peace in my living room I am an incongruous aquarist - I hate the sound of airpumps only slightly less than the sound of water splashing or the burbling of an HOB return in a less-than-full tank. To each their own I suppose. Just pointing out that there are options besides air pumps.

 

It works based on vacuum drag. Displacement due to the air rising in a fluid column and the vacuum condition it creates in its wake.

 

You can buy a spongfilter that comes with a powehead for a similar cost has an air pump and separate peices. I als hat the sound of air pumps and even though I managed to keep it to a minimum buy hanging it up in the air, why bother if you can find similar prices.

 

Thanks everyone. I'm going to rig something up today using my airstone and sponge media. I'm going to order a downtube extension also, I guess. It's my plants that make such a darned mess; I addressed the black plaque on my sword, but one of my floaters seems perpetually afflicted with fuzzy, stringy algae. I'm taking advice given to me on another thread to start feeding my plants more. This tank was given to me by my mom; my next large tank will be a long for sure!

 

HI all. 29-gal tall, planted tank. Betta sorority, neons, corys, nerites. Sand substrate. Airstone set low. I'm running the Aquaclear 30 with sponges, charcoal, and biohome media; however, I have a few concerns. The downtube barely reaches halfway down; also, there's the flaw of it not self-priming if there's a power outage. I want to both provide emergency backup filtration, as well as to filter more efficiently the bottom areas on a consistent basis.

I've read numerous threads, trying to understand how sponge filtration works, also trying to figure out if it's a solution for filtering my tank more efficiently. I must be a little slow on the uptake, because I'm still not getting it!

Advice and explanations would be so appreciated. Thanks!

First it seems your filter is undersized for the aquarium. I'm not an expert, but what I have learned here and on other platforms indicates the AC 30 will not turn over the tank enough in one hour.
I would even think the AC 50 might be a bit undersized? I am asking the experts here on this.

Second. I thought all AC HOB filters came with two down tubes? This enables you to use one or both for your tank depth. I use both in my tall 20 gallon tank.

Third. Thanks for bringing up power loss and subsequent filter failure. AC says in their instructions to never let the pump run dry. If power goes out this is going to happen. I'm certain the tank can handle a few hours or days without a filter. But I would not want to ruin the filter in the process.
It would seem AC could come up with a fix for this issue?