Sponge Filter And New Tank Questions

HI guys,

I've been having trouble lately with keeping my water lettuce alive and have a feeling it is due to the current. So as a solution, I'm looking into getting my first sponge filter (since they create less current), but have some questions on it. Is the sponge a single piece or multiple? I was reading on how you clean the sponge and it seems like you squeeze out debris in tank water until clean. What about when you have to replace the sponge altogether? I'm afraid of ruining my Nitrogen Cycle. I probably wouldn't get the sponge filter until 2-4 weeks from now, but do you guys have any recommendations on brands? I have a 4 gallon tank.

On a different note, I'm also looking into getting myself a new tank! I'm very excited for this as I anticipate on getting my first rimless tank where I have the freedom to customize lighting and do lots of aquascaping ! I have my eyes on a long 5 gallon tank for a (hopefully) yellow betta that I'll name Grif. Ideally, I'll get a sponge filter in my current tank, get plenty of BB in it and then transfer it to the new rimless tank to help establish the Nitrogen Cycle. My question is how long should the sponge filter be in my current tank before it gets BB? I anticipate on having it run and my traditional HOB filter. Also, how long will it take for my new rimless tank to cycle if I 1) get BB in my sponge filter, 2) add some gravel from old tank and 3) add plants from old tank (water lettuce, anubias nana petite, marimo moss ball)? The impatient child in me wants to hurry up and get my next betta, but I want a solid home for him to come to.

 

Hello, Anya!
Well, typically they will come in one piece, you may have to put the extension tube on, but usually, that's all.
Yes, you squeeze it in the tank water to clean it, and you need to vacuum the substrate well because sponge filters don't pick up as much debris as regular power filters.

You only would have to replace the sponge mostly, but it's very hard to ruin a sponge.

Congrats on the new tank!
You need to leave established media in with new media for at least two to three weeks before it strongly establishes itself.
If you have established media already, you can introduce it into the filter, and you are instantly cycled.

 

HI Fanatic,

Thank you for all the insight! I'm very excited for these changes as I've been working hard all summer to save up and plan

Sorry, my question wasn't all that clear in the original post, but I was confused on the physical sponge itself rather than the whole filter set up. Is the physical sponge itself a single piece or is it multiple pieces? From your response, it sounds like it may be several pieces which is what I'm hoping for, but I just want to double check. It'd seem odd for it to be one solid ring of spongy material since every time you throw it out, you'd also be throwing out all the BB.

 

I would recommend "Hydro Sponge" brand made by ATI. You can get parts and replacement sponges from various distributors online. The pictures are from Ken's Fish online site. Not all sponge filters "come apart". Also recommend you research replacement parts prior to buying the brand of sponge filter you decided to go with.

 

Never thought about that, but I'll be sure to look into that throughout the week! From the s you attached, it looks like the sponge is a single piece. So how do I avoid ruining my BB when I need to toss out the sponge? I feel like you can't just rinse it out forever. Shouldn't you replace it once a month or so?

 

I don't see why you would ever replace it. They're pretty stinking durable!

 

Never thought about that, but I'll be sure to look into that throughout the week! From the s you attached, it looks like the sponge is a single piece. So how do I avoid ruining my BB when I need to toss out the sponge? I feel like you can't just rinse it out forever. Shouldn't you replace it once a month or so?

you probably will never have to replace the sponge. maybe after a few years if it's falling apart. disregard the myth that you have to replace filter media once a month, that's how the companies get their money.

 

you probably will never have to replace the sponge. maybe after a few years if it's falling apart. disregard the myth that you have to replace filter media once a month, that's how the companies get their money.

Swindled again!

 

Swindled again!

lol, yep. for hobs, use the cartridge until it's falling apart. a lot of people just toss the cartridge and use different filter media (sponges, polyfill, ceramic rings, etc.) because it's cheaper and more effective. to get the bb from the old cartridge to the new, put the new stuff next to the old cartridge/media and let it run for a few weeks, then get rid of the old one.

I currently use double sponge filter. it would be way too big for a 4 gallon tank though, so you could try a smaller double sponge filter (sticks to the glass) or just a single sponge filter (sits on the substrate). my local lfs mostly carry the hikarI bacto-surge sponge filters, which come in small, large, and corner.

just remember that you need to connect the filter to an air pump with airline tubing. to dial down the flow, you will either need an air pump that controls flow rate or a knob dial that you attach to the airline tubing (got mine for a buck at petco).

Aquaneat Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter Breeding Beta Shrimp Nano Fish Tank Water Corner Filter 10 Gallon

AQUANEAT Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter Breeding Fry Betta Shrimp Nano Fish tank 10 Gal (1 PCS)

got this one for my 5 gallon tank: XINYOU XY-2835 Fish Aquarium MinI Cylinder Soft Sponge Water Filter, Black

 

lol, yep. for hobs, use the cartridge until it's falling apart. a lot of people just toss the cartridge and use different filter media (sponges, polyfill, ceramic rings, etc.) because it's cheaper and more effective. to get the bb from the old cartridge to the new, put the new stuff next to the old cartridge/media and let it run for a few weeks, then get rid of the old one.

I currently use double sponge filter. it would be way too big for a 4 gallon tank though, so you could try a smaller double sponge filter (sticks to the glass) or just a single sponge filter (sits on the substrate). my local lfs mostly carry the hikarI bacto-surge sponge filters, which come in small, large, and corner.

just remember that you need to connect the filter to an air pump with airline tubing. to dial down the flow, you will either need an air pump that controls flow rate or a knob dial that you attach to the airline tubing (got mine for a buck at petco).

Aquaneat Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter Breeding Beta Shrimp Nano Fish Tank Water Corner Filter 10 Gallon

AQUANEAT Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter Breeding Fry Betta Shrimp Nano Fish tank 10 Gal (1 PCS)

got this one for my 5 gallon tank: XINYOU XY-2835 Fish Aquarium MinI Cylinder Soft Sponge Water Filter, Black

This thought just occurred when you mentioned hobbyists don't use the sold filter cartridges. Could I use filter floss on a sponge filter? I have a huge bag for my HOB filter that will never be used up if I change to a sponge filter. I've debated the idea of just having two betta tanks, but I felt a better practice would be to keep the old betta tank as a quarantine tank for when want to add new plants/critters to my rimless tank.

I also never thought of establishing BB on a filter pad by placing the new one next to the old one and letting them run simultaneously for a couple weeks! Genius and I'll definitely start doing that as I have screwed up my nitrogen cycle plenty of times by not doing this lol

 

HI guys,

I've been having trouble lately with keeping my water lettuce alive and have a feeling it is due to the current. So as a solution, I'm looking into getting my first sponge filter (since they create less current), but have some questions on it. Is the sponge a single piece or multiple? I was reading on how you clean the sponge and it seems like you squeeze out debris in tank water until clean. What about when you have to replace the sponge altogether? I'm afraid of ruining my Nitrogen Cycle. I probably wouldn't get the sponge filter until 2-4 weeks from now, but do you guys have any recommendations on brands? I have a 4 gallon tank.

On a different note, I'm also looking into getting myself a new tank! I'm very excited for this as I anticipate on getting my first rimless tank where I have the freedom to customize lighting and do lots of aquascaping ! I have my eyes on a long 5 gallon tank for a (hopefully) yellow betta that I'll name Grif. Ideally, I'll get a sponge filter in my current tank, get plenty of BB in it and then transfer it to the new rimless tank to help establish the Nitrogen Cycle. My question is how long should the sponge filter be in my current tank before it gets BB? I anticipate on having it run and my traditional HOB filter. Also, how long will it take for my new rimless tank to cycle if I 1) get BB in my sponge filter, 2) add some gravel from old tank and 3) add plants from old tank (water lettuce, anubias nana petite, marimo moss ball)? The impatient child in me wants to hurry up and get my next betta, but I want a solid home for him to come to.

I normally like to run multiple sponge filters just to have something to pull out to start new tanks, but that's a little much in a 4 gallon I'm using the HikarI Bacto-surge Mini's ( my 10 gallon tanks, and like it because it has the corner cut-out to be as unobtrusive as possible. As long as your aquarium isn't completely sterile (has decorations, etc), removing the sponge once in a while to squeeze out in the water you just removed during your water change will not affect your cycle.

 

I don't see why you would ever replace it. They're pretty stinking durable!

You might want to replace it if you had a diseased tank.

 

I normally like to run multiple sponge filters just to have something to pull out to start new tanks, but that's a little much in a 4 gallon I'm using the HikarI Bacto-surge Mini's ( my 10 gallon tanks, and like it because it has the corner cut-out to be as unobtrusive as possible. As long as your aquarium isn't completely sterile (has decorations, etc), removing the sponge once in a while to squeeze out in the water you just removed during your water change will not affect your cycle.

You might want to replace it if you had a diseased tank.

Thank you, thank you! I've been also looking into getting a media bag for BB to grow on. Do sponge filters traditionally have a spot for that? I figured I could just plop the media bag in anywhere in the tank for it to grow BB, but it'd look nice to me if it was with the sponge filter, too.

 

Thank you, thank you! I've been also looking into getting a media bag for BB to grow on. Do sponge filters traditionally have a spot for that? I figured I could just plop the media bag in anywhere in the tank for it to grow BB, but it'd look nice to me if it was with the sponge filter, too.

Sponge filters are just a literal chunk of foam sponge, with an airline running into them. There is no room inside the filter for anything--it is not like a HOB or even in-tank corner filter.

Here are two videos which helped me understand them at first--Lifewithpets does a great job explaining HOW they work as she does a tutorial on building your own 'sponge' (really more of a corner filter)--which, btw, you CAN put cycled media into, bio-balls, etc. This isn't a true sponge since it has multiple components, but it can help you visualize the air/water flow:

And the ever knowledgeable Rachel O'Leary, talking true sponge filtration, when to know it needs to be cleaned, and her favorite kinds:

 

I think there is a sponge filter that has a compartment for media, but I don't know what it's called. I saw it in a thread not too long ago.

you can probably wrap or superglue the filter floss around your sponge filter if you want to.

 

Sponge filters are just a literal chunk of foam sponge, with an airline running into them. There is no room inside the filter for anything--it is not like a HOB or even in-tank corner filter.

Here are two videos which helped me understand them at first--Lifewithpets does a great job explaining HOW they work as she does a tutorial on building your own 'sponge' (really more of a corner filter)--which, btw, you CAN put cycled media into, bio-balls, etc. This isn't a true sponge since it has multiple components, but it can help you visualize the air/water flow:

And the ever knowledgeable Rachel O'Leary, talking true sponge filtration, when to know it needs to be cleaned, and her favorite kinds:

I finally had a chance to watch these videos and I'm seriously considering creating my own sponge filter. It seems fun and I get to customize it!

One question I have now is how is the vacuum created? My understanding at this point is this:

1) The tube connected to the pump pushes air into the filter
2) This creates bubbles
3) The bubbles rise in a gentle manner

But at what point is the suction occurring? I'm having difficulty understanding what about the air creates a vacuum that draws in the water from the tank through the sponge itself.

 

I finally had a chance to watch these videos and I'm seriously considering creating my own sponge filter. It seems fun and I get to customize it!

One question I have now is how is the vacuum created? My understanding at this point is this:

1) The tube connected to the pump pushes air into the filter
2) This creates bubbles
3) The bubbles rise in a gentle manner

But at what point is the suction occurring? I'm having difficulty understanding what about the air creates a vacuum that draws in the water from the tank through the sponge itself.

As the air rises, it pushes water up, and the water current draws from a vertical section of the filter (which is why both a tall bubble pipe and having the filter straight up and down help a lot). That current creates the vacuum around that column, and draws water in from the sides, through the filter media/sponge.

If you are making a DIY, you will need the airstone at the bottom, as close to the center as possible, because the water has to be drawn in from the top (I assume you're doing this in a glass container like in the video I shared), and adding something to confine and funnel the bubbles up will help. Look at the on the far right for ideas

 

As the air rises, it pushes water up, and the water current draws from a vertical section of the filter (which is why both a tall bubble pipe and having the filter straight up and down help a lot). That current creates the vacuum around that column, and draws water in from the sides, through the filter media/sponge.

If you are making a DIY, you will need the airstone at the bottom, as close to the center as possible, because the water has to be drawn in from the top (I assume you're doing this in a glass container like in the video I shared), and adding something to confine and funnel the bubbles up will help. Look at the on the far right for ideas

View attachment 468097

Lol that answered my question beautifully, thank you! I wasn't sure if I was making sense.

I do want to use a glass container, but I'm trying to think of fun alternatives. I don't know if you saw my other thread, but I'm shooting for a rustic/nautical theme in my tank so I'm wondering if I can do some variations on the glass container. A mason jar seems to do the trick, but what if I went for a couple specific themes? For example, if I wanted to do some aquascaping around a rum bottle, what if I did the sponge filter in a rocks glass? Lol there's just so many possibilities!