Sponge Filter Logistics

Ok so I currently have a 4 inch long axolotl in a 10 gallon tank with this filter And this air pump I know this is at or above my stocking limits and I am having trouble maintaining water quality but he is just so sensitive any sort of other filter stresses him out. Because of this, I ordered a second one of the same filter and the same airpump to add to the tank too. My question is, If the flow of two sponge filters with two air pumps is too much for him, I assume it will be, would it be more efficient to have both sponge filters off of one airpump or have one sponge filter with one pump? I know that having two filters on one pump would harbor more bacteria but the flow would also be reduced by half.... So what would you advise???

 

Sponge filters create very little flow, so I don't think that'll be an issue. Two filters on one pump will not have more bacteria than two filters on separate pumps, all else being the same.

I would get a second air pump. Your flow would be too low if you split the one you currently have, I think.

If you're having trouble with water quality, increase your water change frequency and amount.

 

If you're having water quality issues, you may want to think about getting a larger tank. Otherwise, I don't see why you can't run two filters off one pump... just make sure the pump you get is powerful enough

Edited to add: whoops didn't see what air pump you had.. go with TexasDomers suggestion.. her reply wasn't there when I typed mine up!

 

Sponge filters create very little flow, so I don't think that'll be an issue. Two filters on one pump will not have more bacteria than two filters on separate pumps, all else being the same.

I would get a second air pump. Your flow would be too low if you split the one you currently have, I think.

If you're having trouble with water quality, increase your water change frequency and amount.

I meant that two filters on one pump would have more bacteria one filter on one pump.I already do two 50% WC per week. I can't get a larger tank because I am about in my senior year and when I go to college I can't have over a 10 gallon. I am just in a pickle in general

 

That's still not true. You'll only have enough bacteria to consume the waste produced by the organisms in the tank (ammonia and nitrites); you won't get more bacteria simply by adding a sponge filter.

If you can't get a tank bigger than a 10 gal, don't keep an axolotl. Stock appropriately for your tank size.

 

That's still not true. You'll only have enough bacteria to consume the waste produced by the organisms in the tank (ammonia and nitrites); you won't get more bacteria simply by adding a sponge filter.

If you can't get a tank bigger than a 10 gal, don't keep an axolotl. Stock appropriately for your tank size.

The problem is my relative stocking size to the filter size he will tolerate. While he is small I will keep him with a sponge but as he grows I am going to continue to up the size of his filter and eventually reach a hob or 10 gal canister. I am also considering doing a DIY 10 gallon sump if I can get the flow low enough. For the first year of college, you are required to live on campus but after that I am getting an apartment that allows fish and I am getting him his own 40 gallon.

 

A sponge filter can do just as good a job as any hob (although in all honesty, I'm not sure how it compares to canisters). I don't know much about axies, but I don't remember seeing them kept with any other type of filter.. I could be wrong tho! I'd say just stick with a sponge filter, until doing a sump or getting a larger tank. The sponge will give plenty of surface area for BB, and hob's (for that size tank & with the gph/flow constraints) will most likely not have as much surface area for BB available as compared to a sponge. Also, look into a Hamburg Mattenfilter.. they make them for 10gal tanks.

Mattenfilter Shop - SWISSTROPICALS

I was actually thinking about recommending you doing a 10 gal sump... he would still be much happier with a larger tank, but if you don't wanna re-home, and you can't get a larger (even a 20 long?) tank, then I guess you've (we can help) gotta figure out a way to make the best out of what you've got. I think a sump would be the best choice.

I don't know much about sumps.. you may wanna start a new thread if you've got any questions, like how to get a lower flow.. but honestly, I'd google first, I bet there is tons of info out there for a low-flow sump. It just depends on the pump you buy. (I've been looking into/researching sumps, b/c I would like to use one for my 40B & since I have an extra 20H laying around... But I've never actually used one, no first-hand experience, so I wouldn't feel comfortable giving advice about it.. if that makes sense? I can help with what I've read, but that's it - sorry!)

Even a 10 gallon sump would give you that much more water volume - which gives your axo that much more.. not any more room to swim & live in, but it does give more stable params. Which is better than not having it at all, & its better than any filter you could add for a tank that size (& quite frankly, a tank that is that overstocked - no offense! but that is the problem at hand). I can't think of any canister that would give you a low enough flow.. and I have looked for that, because I have Betta fish, & an interested in other fish that require low flow.. so I've looked. Having used an Eheim classic, I don't think you could find a canister that would have a low enough flow for a 10gal tank. I think a sump is your best option. Look into poret foam sumps (similar to HMF - Hamburg MattenFilter - you just use sheets of foam, no siliconing dividers in place, and you can reuse the tank in the future if you didn't need it as a sump) I'll look and find a link to what I'm talking about. Can't find the thread that had the best example tho.. looked the other day.

Edited to add links

How to setup mattenfilter sump for superior filtration

Here's a sketch of one way to do a mattenfilter sump.. (the other way is turn the sponge sheets vertical (as opposed to horizontal like in this pic below), and the water passes through different "grades" of foam - they are graded by pore size - called "ppi" = pores per square inch. (You can read about it on the website in the first link Swiss Tropicals, if you explore the website.) Water passes from one end to the other, & then the filtered water is pumped back into the aquarium. Hopefully I can find the sketch/pic of the simpler way that I'm referring to.. still looking!)
http://www.swisstropicals.com/Web pictures 600 dpi/Poret wet-dry sump filter.pdf

Ok, here's the "vertical" poret foam sump design I was talking about.. go about halfway down the page.. shows a pic (and you can just buy a sheet of foam & cut it up if you didn't want to order foam cubes.. but foam cubes (DIY or bought) work very well) Poret®aqua Media Shop - SWISSTROPICALS

Sorry for the novel-worthy length of my post. Hope I helped at least a little!

 

Here's the best info on it I've found:
Poret filter foam is a high quality open cell foam that removes debris and provides biologically stable water.

Read through this page, it gives a lot of great info.

Edited to add: there's more sump info (in addition to what's at the beginning) a little more than halfway down.. after the canister & hob filter info

 

you have a chiller or constant winter or something. Don't they need below 15 degrees celcius to live? I never kep these so correct me if i'm wrong

 

I don't have a chiller. They need between 60-66 F and my tank holds constant 62.5 with a fan. I only have him in a 10 gallon because that is the biggest size I can have in college and he is very small ( 4 inches) and you have to live on campus for your first year. After that I am getting an apartment and a big tank for him. I will definetely look into the sump as he gets bigger obviously his waste out put will increase and I will have problems. Right now that one sponge filter is holding everything at 0 but every few days it will register 0.25 Nitrite or Ammonia which is why I am looking to upgrade.The second sponge filter should be here in a week and if he doesn't mind the flow, I can use that for a while too. If he wasn't so sensitive to flow I would have had a sump or a canister a long time ago...

 

If he starts to outgrow the tank, I would rehome him and get another when you can get a larger tank - it's not fair to him to stay in a small tank for a year until you can upgrade. Physical space is also very important, and a sump or larger filter won't make up for that.

Upgrading your filter won't remove ammonia or nitrites - your tank will need to finish cycling to do that.

 

Yeah, he's producing too much waste for that small tank and sponge filter. When doing water changes make sure you're doing a GOOD vacuuming job. You might even need to vacuum the tank every 3 days. A 4 inch axo in a 10 gallon tank is tough.