Sponge Filter

[Myuu]

Well, I bought a sponge filter about a week ago, and put it in one of my tanks so I could use it for a fry tank, as I just bought a pair of rams two weeks ago. They have spawned twice, and both times the eggs were devoured by my kuhli loaches. The filter is an ATI hydro-sponge 1 filter and I was wondering if the long tube on the top is totally needed? As I would like to lower the water level in my potential fry tank but th etube reaches almost to the top. Halp?

 

[OldMan47]

Myuu, if the filter is being run with an air stone, it will have lower flows if you shorten the riser tube. (that is the large diameter one not the air tube) If you are using it with a power had then it is best to make the tube short enough that the power head can discharge near the water surface for good aeration. Since you can't uncut a riser tube, I would cut it no shorter than necessary to fit it to your tank.

 

[helterskelter]

If it's air powered and and strong enough the up lift can be above the water and as long as the water is flowing out your have some filtration. However the higher above the water you go the lower the flow rate and the poorer circulation.

With the power head you have to remember that it's water cooled so if u have that above the water level it may over heat.

 

[Rooster]

...or install it at a slant ?

 

[Amerce]

From what I can see it is like a Huey Hung discus filter, you can trim the tube to the level you require, or reduce the air flow. Depends on if you have an airline attached or if you have a powerhead attached.

If you get rid of the tube altogether then you have have more water disturbance below the water level, which is not very good if you plan on breeding with it in the tank. But as I said you can reduce the airflow to give you a more gentle water movement until the fry get bigger.

Is this the filter you are talking about -

Sponge filter

 

[Myuu]

Yeah Amerce, that's the filter I have. And it's air powered, btw

I guess I could just fill up the tank all the way, does it matter that much for the fry? ~___~

 

[Amerce]

Got to admit that I never use the tube, I always remove it and just reduce the air input, then as the fry get bigger I increase the level of movement.

I'm sure that other people do it diff. but each to their own.

Normally as the fry are small (by the way which fry are you talking about), I would keep the water level low, and top up as they get bigger.

 

[helterskelter]

For rams it's not quite so important as they stick with the parents at first. The parents help to find food and the filter i one good place.

Newly hatched brine shrimp are a great fry food and daphina too, they will also eat crushed flake foods.

 

[MHunt]

I've got a simple sponge air powered filter, which i've attacked with a hack saw to make it fit my small hatchery when I use it. Sponge filters are easy enough to modify yourself as long as you are comfortable using basic tools.