When to Use Sponge Filters for Aquariums

Using Sponge Filters for Gentle Filtration

Sponge filters are ideal for use when gentle and safe filtration is required, for instance in the case of a fish tank where fish that are young could be taken in by the intake of filters that are standard. Fish species like bettas that don’t like strong flow can have the benefit of sponges.  Birds Of Virginia Shrimp are another fish species that require delicate filtration instead of an aggressive intake that will take them out. Sponge filters are great for tanks in hospitals, as the fish are usually weak and cannot take the more powerful suction of the standard inlet of a filter.

Sponge Filters for a New Aquarium

Another purpose for sponge filters can be to help to jumpstart an aquarium. A sponge filter could be installed on a previously established aquarium for a few months or weeks to create colonies of biological organisms. After the aquarium has been established in the new tank, the matured sponge could be placed in a container of water and then transferred onto the aquarium, conserving the biologicals. The new tank will get an immediate boost to its biological health that in turn helps the fish living in the new tank by cutting down on any ammonia and spikes in nitrite encountered in a brand new tank. A few aquarium owners maintain the mall sponge filter in operation throughout the day on one or two of their tanks so that they’re prepared to build a brand new tank or an emergency tank in the event of an emergency.

Pre-Filter Use

Sponge filters can be used as a pre-filter to the canister’s inlet filter. The filter removes most of the bigger particles that help keep the canister from getting clogged. It’s much simpler cleaning or replacing the pre-filter regularly, as opposed to dismantling the canister filter. Additional biological filtration can also be offered by this method and the sponge can be used for the setting up of an emergency aquarium in the event of necessity arise.

If you are using sponge filters by using an air pump canister, powerhead, or another filter, be aware that multiple sponges can be employed. This is not just a way to increase biological and mechanical filtering capability but also has the benefit of the ability to schedule maintenance to ensure that not all sponges are damaged simultaneously. This also provides the owner with an additional sponge to start the tank should they wish to.

Downsides of Sponge Filters

The main drawback of sponge filters is their absence of chemical filtering. The sponge filters are unable to incorporate chemical media, so they are able to filter biological and mechanically. Some experts consider this to be an issue since they believe that chemical filtering isn’t what it’s claimed to be. Certainly, an aquarium with solid biological and mechanical filtering has no need for chemical filtering. More

Another issue that is evident in filtration using sponges is that they’re not visually attractive. Who wants a huge old sponge that is affecting the beauty of the aquarium? If the location is planned properly when establishing the aquarium, the appearance of the aquarium can be greatly reduced. This is particularly true for a properly planted aquarium that can hide the majority of the equipment which includes the sponge filter.

Sponge Filter Maintenance

Sponge filters are relatively simple to maintain. The trick is to ensure that you perform the maintenance routinely. The best method of cleaning the sponge is to do the replacement of water and keep the bit of water you have taken out. All Birds Lay Eggs The sponge should be submerged in the water from the aquarium after which you gently squeeze and let the sponge go multiple times to remove the particles that have collected. If you do this every couple of weeks it will not get completely clogged and last for a long period.

Sponge filters are usually utilized in multiples, either using two inlets or by stacking one over another. If there are several sponges, it is recommended to stagger the cleaning process so they do not have to be cleaned simultaneously. This reduces the impact on the colonies of bacteria, and decreases the chance of spikes in ammonia or nitrite after cleaning.Minute, 19 secondsVolume: 0%01:19 Dwarf Gourami (Flame Gourami): Pet Care Facts