Tempestuousfury
Fish Aficionado
Neither Petsmart nor Petco seem to carry sponge filters without carbon. Does anyone here know where I could buy one or how I could make one?
Sponge Filter
- Thread starter Tempestuousfury
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TwoTankAmin
Fish Connoisseur
Tempestuousfury
Fish Aficionado
Yay! Tolak to the rescue.
If all else fails (which is very likely, since I suck at making pretty much anything), I'll just use an algae scrubber and an air stone and home it works.
Or I might buy the 10 gallon sponge filter from that site, though I like my idea for a free filter much better.
If all else fails (which is very likely, since I suck at making pretty much anything), I'll just use an algae scrubber and an air stone and home it works.
Or I might buy the 10 gallon sponge filter from that site, though I like my idea for a free filter much better.
Tempestuousfury
Fish Aficionado
*looks around* Hmm... no DIY ideas or other suggestions. 
I suppose I could rip out the carbon... though it seems like quite the daunting task.
I suppose I could rip out the carbon... though it seems like quite the daunting task.Sorry, got tied up with relatives yesterday & part of today. Midnight water changes, yay!
What you need is a piece of pvc pipe, a cap, a length of airline hose, and open cell sponge. Closed cell sponge will hold water, open cell lets it run right through. I get the large pond filter sponges, you can use cushion foam if it hasn't been treated with fire retardants, it's the cheapest stuff Wal-Mart sells.
Here's a pic of one with the sponge slid up to show the holes that draw water through the sponge;
Another pic with the sponges I buy;
One with the sponge slid in place;
It's pretty easy, cut a piece of pvc pipe to a few inches shorter than your tank is deep. Drill a series of holes all the way around a little smaller than the sponge you plan on using. It's pretty much an eyeball deal, I drill a couple at each end 1/2" or so smaller than the sponge, then start driling them inbetween. Drill one at an angle at the top to hold the air line. Find a knife & poke a hole through the middle of the sponge. Put a little gravel in to weigh it down, pop on the cap, slide on the sponge & insert the air line through the hole.
I have numerous sponges like this running, some with shorter tubes, some with longer;
What you need is a piece of pvc pipe, a cap, a length of airline hose, and open cell sponge. Closed cell sponge will hold water, open cell lets it run right through. I get the large pond filter sponges, you can use cushion foam if it hasn't been treated with fire retardants, it's the cheapest stuff Wal-Mart sells.
Here's a pic of one with the sponge slid up to show the holes that draw water through the sponge;
Another pic with the sponges I buy;
One with the sponge slid in place;
It's pretty easy, cut a piece of pvc pipe to a few inches shorter than your tank is deep. Drill a series of holes all the way around a little smaller than the sponge you plan on using. It's pretty much an eyeball deal, I drill a couple at each end 1/2" or so smaller than the sponge, then start driling them inbetween. Drill one at an angle at the top to hold the air line. Find a knife & poke a hole through the middle of the sponge. Put a little gravel in to weigh it down, pop on the cap, slide on the sponge & insert the air line through the hole.
I have numerous sponges like this running, some with shorter tubes, some with longer;
Tempestuousfury
Fish Aficionado
Wow... the process you described sounds expensive (if not done in bulk) in comparison to the carbon/ sponge things from Petsmart, and seems to require much patience/ experience at handicrafts.
How much does it cost for setting up one tank?
I don't want to have wasted all your time posting all of this stuff, just to end up buying the sponge, but it seems to be the better option.
Actually.... only real problem, I suppose, with the setup is I need to know where to get the cap/ pipe, and how do I keep the airline tubing from falling out?
Wow, you've got even more tanks/ fry than I thought.
How much does it cost for setting up one tank?
I don't want to have wasted all your time posting all of this stuff, just to end up buying the sponge, but it seems to be the better option.
Actually.... only real problem, I suppose, with the setup is I need to know where to get the cap/ pipe, and how do I keep the airline tubing from falling out?
Wow, you've got even more tanks/ fry than I thought.
1/2" pvc pipe is around 50 cents per foot, the caps are around 50 cents each. The whole blue sponge costs $6, I usually cut them into 3 pieces. It ends up being around $3 per sponge filter. It isn't that hard, just cut the sponge with a good pair of sissors, and buzz some holes in the pvc. I imagine you could burn holes through with a soldering iron, bet it would smell just great. 
They work just as well with unevenly spaced holes, and a ragged cut to the sponge as you can see.
You can get any of the pvc pipe or caps at any hardware store or Home Depot, Menards, or that sort of place. If your lfs sells pond supplies, they should have the sponges.
If you look at the third picture, you will see the hole drilled in the side to feed the air line through. This holds it pretty securely.
They work just as well with unevenly spaced holes, and a ragged cut to the sponge as you can see.You can get any of the pvc pipe or caps at any hardware store or Home Depot, Menards, or that sort of place. If your lfs sells pond supplies, they should have the sponges.
If you look at the third picture, you will see the hole drilled in the side to feed the air line through. This holds it pretty securely.
onemisterchristian
Fishaholic
Tolak- how much tubing should be out of the tank? Also, it looks as though you have it set up on some fairly large tanks. What is it able to accomadate? What variables effect it's ability for larger amounts of filtration? Thanks in advance.
You need enough tubing to reach your air supply, weather it's a pump, or a gang valve controlling more than one device. I usually leave it pretty long & let any extra hang in back, but I switch filters, fish, tanks, etc. on a regular basis. I really need to get a linear pump & run pvc around the room for a central air supply. I've got little pumps buzzing everywhere.
The first tank pic is of a 10 gallon, it's the only filter for 263 angels & a cory. Those angels have since been moved to a 29, along with the sponge for bio filtration, and an ac 200 for mechanical filtration. You have to remember that sponge filters are mainly bio filtration, with low flow & turbulance that young fry need. That fry tank gets 50% water changed daily for the first week, along with the bottom & sides wiped & siphoned. Any build up of ammonia or nitrites would show up as dead fry, or fry with chopped dorsals & shortened ventrals.
The bigger tanks are a couple of 20's, they each have an ac mini for mechanical filtration, along with the sponge for bio filtration. Those are some older pics, I have since upgraded to 29's, the sponges did what they were supposed to, but the mini's started to choke with the increased mecanical filtration, so they got upgraded to ac 200's.
You could increase the mechanical filtration of the sponges by increasing the airflow, or even adding a powerhead to the top. You can increase the bio filtration by adding another sponge or 2, and drilling holes further up the tube to accomidate the larger sponges. More sponge gives you more surface area for bacteria to colonize, and more bio filtration. More water flow gives you more mechanical filtration.
The first tank pic is of a 10 gallon, it's the only filter for 263 angels & a cory. Those angels have since been moved to a 29, along with the sponge for bio filtration, and an ac 200 for mechanical filtration. You have to remember that sponge filters are mainly bio filtration, with low flow & turbulance that young fry need. That fry tank gets 50% water changed daily for the first week, along with the bottom & sides wiped & siphoned. Any build up of ammonia or nitrites would show up as dead fry, or fry with chopped dorsals & shortened ventrals.
The bigger tanks are a couple of 20's, they each have an ac mini for mechanical filtration, along with the sponge for bio filtration. Those are some older pics, I have since upgraded to 29's, the sponges did what they were supposed to, but the mini's started to choke with the increased mecanical filtration, so they got upgraded to ac 200's.
You could increase the mechanical filtration of the sponges by increasing the airflow, or even adding a powerhead to the top. You can increase the bio filtration by adding another sponge or 2, and drilling holes further up the tube to accomidate the larger sponges. More sponge gives you more surface area for bacteria to colonize, and more bio filtration. More water flow gives you more mechanical filtration.
Tempestuousfury
Fish Aficionado
Seems to be relatively cheap. Not to go about getting all of these things.
And as for the holes... I don't really have anything that I can think of to drill those holes. I might have a drill somewhere, or I might be able to borrow one from my uncle, but a knife or anything of that sort would no doubt result in many injuries.
Thanks for all your help and all the effort of taking pics/ showing the various aspects of the setup.
Oh, and now that I actually have money and might be free on weekends, I think I might actually be able to go to a swap meet someday. Any ideas on dates, so I can check out my schedule? Thanks, again.
And as for the holes... I don't really have anything that I can think of to drill those holes. I might have a drill somewhere, or I might be able to borrow one from my uncle, but a knife or anything of that sort would no doubt result in many injuries.
Thanks for all your help and all the effort of taking pics/ showing the various aspects of the setup.
Oh, and now that I actually have money and might be free on weekends, I think I might actually be able to go to a swap meet someday. Any ideas on dates, so I can check out my schedule? Thanks, again.
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