# sponge filters



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Hi, I am still fairly new to fish and trying to set a tank up the best I can. I was told by a few people that adding a sponge filter to the tank helps keep the tank clean and adds air to the aquarium. Most of the people I talked to said that it would benefit any fresh water tank. A couple of people I spoke to said they should really only be used if breeding. 

What are your thoughts on adding a sponge filter to a 60 gallon tank with a emperor 400 bio filter? Any negatives to using such a filter in addition to the other filter? I thought too it would keep the tank balanced when I am changing the other filters as the sponge stays there and only needs to be rinsed in the fish tank water from time to time.

Who uses them? Why? How much benefit do they offer?


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

nice filte.the beneficial bacteria would love this =)


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Anyone else here use sponge filters in addition to their other tank filters? I am wondering if there is any downside? Is there actually any benefit at all? It seems to make sense to add it but I am not sure. I was hoping to get more feedback.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Inga said:


> Anyone else here use sponge filters in addition to their other tank filters? I am wondering if there is any downside? Is there actually any benefit at all? It seems to make sense to add it but I am not sure. I was hoping to get more feedback.


 I use the Hydro IV sponge filters in addition to Emperor filters on my large tanks, and smaller sponge filters on smaller tanks.
They provide extra aeration, some mechanical filtration,and hold tons of beneficial bacteria.
Some folks don't like them for aesthetic reasons, and they would be detrimental with regards to planted tanks by driving off CO2. 
When I need to set up a new tank, or start a quarantine tank, i just use one of the sponge filters from my tank and this provides all the biological filtration needed to make the tanks safe for fish. Hope this helps.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

1077 said:


> I use the Hydro IV sponge filters in addition to Emperor filters on my large tanks, and smaller sponge filters on smaller tanks.


Will you give me the brand name/model of a smaller sponge filter? The Hydro IV is the bomb but way too large for the tank I want to use it in. Thanks!


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

aunt kymmie said:


> Will you give me the brand name/model of a smaller sponge filter? The Hydro IV is the bomb but way too large for the tank I want to use it in. Thanks!


 Hydro makes smaller sponge filters as well but I shall go and see if I can find the ones more suited for smaller tanks. I can't remember the name of the small ones I use.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

1077 said:


> Hydro makes smaller sponge filters as well but I shall go and see if I can find the ones more suited for smaller tanks. I can't remember the name of the small ones I use.


Ahh, now I remember. Go to DrsFosterSmith.com and look under aquarium supplies (filters) The ones I use in ten and twenty gallon tanks are .. Oxygen Plus biofilter 3 or 5.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

1077 said:


> I use the Hydro IV sponge filters in addition to Emperor filters on my large tanks, and smaller sponge filters on smaller tanks.
> They provide extra aeration, some mechanical filtration,and hold tons of beneficial bacteria.
> Some folks don't like them for aesthetic reasons, and they would be detrimental with regards to planted tanks by driving off CO2.
> When I need to set up a new tank, or start a quarantine tank, i just use one of the sponge filters from my tank and this provides all the biological filtration needed to make the tanks safe for fish. Hope this helps.


 
Thanks so much, this is exactly what I was looking for. This is what I found online, does this sound like a decent price?

*Filter Kit #5C (For 40-60 Gallon Aquariums).*
Includes: Via Aqua 480 Pump, Hydro Sponge 5 PRO Filter (higher flow rates!), and Jungle Start Right Water Conditioner._ONLY $24.99 _








Is this the filter you were referring to? Also, I saw something on that site about stacking the filters. Do you think that is something I should think about doing in a 60 gallon tank, or is the 5 PRO enough?


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Inga said:


> Thanks so much, this is exactly what I was looking for. This is what I found online, does this sound like a decent price?
> 
> *Filter Kit #5C (For 40-60 Gallon Aquariums).*
> Includes: Via Aqua 480 Pump, Hydro Sponge 5 PRO Filter (higher flow rates!), and Jungle Start Right Water Conditioner._ONLY $24.99 _
> ...


 
Should work well without stacking additional filters.
I use mine with Luft air pumps and airstones, but have also used them with powerheads that have reverse flow capabilities.
The photo of the one you found as mentioned,should work well. Once every couple weeks,,squeeze the sponge out in old aquarium water to clean it, and stick it back in the tank .


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Oh Thanks for sharing that. I didn't know you had to squeeze them out into old aquarium water. If I ever start another tank, I could squeeze it into there to help cycle that tank, right? Yup, I have the fish bug, I might think about a second tank....soon.


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

The whole point of squeezing them out its to get all the fine particulates out of the filter so they don't clog to much so all that work the filter did to get those out of your other tank you would just be adding back to this tank, and it probably wont help any with the bacteria you want to seed to the new tank as the bacteria stay on the surfaces of objects and are not readily washed off with water.

When you do your water change just siphon some tank water into a bucket and squeeze it in there, same thing with your HOB filter cartridge, swish and tap it in the old tank water to get all those catched particles out of the media so water will flow better through them.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Inga said:


> Oh Thanks for sharing that. I didn't know you had to squeeze them out into old aquarium water. If I ever start another tank, I could squeeze it into there to help cycle that tank, right? Yup, I have the fish bug, I might think about a second tank....soon.


 Would squeeze the sponge into the filter compartment of the new tank to help seed the new filter but as mentioned earlier,I simply move the established sponge filter to the new tank and leave it for a few weeks until the filter on the new tank also develops a bacterial colony. then i move the sponge filter back to the large tank from whence it came.
The pourus material of sponge filter along with large surface area, allows tons of bacteria to gather on the surface and through out the sponge. 
Simply squeezing the sponge out into the tank would not be nearly as effective as squezzing it out into the filter compartment of the new filter or placing the entire sponge filter in the new tank as mentioned.
Should note,, That bacteria need constant food source to continue to thrive. Placing the sponge or squeezings into the new tank will jumpstart the bacteria, but fish food or fish Waste is needed or bacteria begins to die off within hours.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Ok, I will do that. I think that is why my cycle process might have taken so long. When I got live filter media from the fish store, a young guy took over the task of getting it for me. The owner had been helping me and then got busy. Right before I left I asked if I should put the filter media in the tank or in the filter. He said, "Oh, you can just squeeze it into the tank" . I am guessing it would have been more helpful to put it directly in the filter where it could take root, so to speak.

Thanks again everyone for all of your hellp. I really do learn something new each day on this forum and I am sure my fish will be better off for it.


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