40 Gallon Tank Old sponge filter won’t work help!

I had two sponge filters in my tank and took one out for a quarantine tank, now I’m trying to put a second one back into the original tank and no matter what I do the old sponge filter won’t work. I tried replacing the t splitter, switching the tops where the tubes are for the filters, the old one works by itself but no matter what it won’t work when I put the new one on with it????

 

I am assuming you have a splitter going to two different sponge filters, but no adjustable valve in there.

Air always takes the path of least resistance, no matter what. So if you have one sponge filter that has been running and it doesn't have to fight water pressure in the line to push out, it will continue to go out that one filter.

Try pinching the line on the running filter and see it will flow into the non running sponge. Let go and you'll see which one the air goes to. Sometimes it works out as both, but its pretty much a gamble.

Go buy some air control valves and put them in line. Should be less than 5 dollars for a pack of 6-10 of them. Little plastic things with a screw knob on them.

 

I am assuming you have a splitter going to two different sponge filters, but no adjustable valve in there.

Air always takes the path of least resistance, no matter what. So if you have one sponge filter that has been running and it doesn't have to fight water pressure in the line to push out, it will continue to go out that one filter.

Try pinching the line on the running filter and see it will flow into the non running sponge. Let go and you'll see which one the air goes to. Sometimes it works out as both, but its pretty much a gamble.

Go buy some air control valves and put them in line. Should be less than 5 dollars for a pack of 6-10 of them. Little plastic things with a screw knob on them.

I have one but not using where should I put it?

 

Ideally you want two, one for each sponge filter.

Put it after the T splitter between the filter that is getting air. When you tighten it down, it will force air to go into the filter not running.

 

Ideally you want two, one for each sponge filter.

Put it after the T splitter between the filter that is getting air. When you tighten it down, it will force air to go into the filter not running.

It’s working now, thank you and I will get another, I do believe you are legally my dad now cuz you saved me