Sponge filter

[Ceez]

I was just thinking about seeing if I could shove some green scrubbies into a sponge filter to add surface area.

How would you do it? Trying to imagine this, like between the post the sponge slides down on or....?

 

[MaloK]

The green scrubbers will lose microscopic parts of plastics in the water... I'm convinced of that. You can test it by crushing them in a clean bucket of water. and look at the bottom.. I prefer to use mesh scrubbers. like this.

 

[Ceez]

The green scrubbers will lose microscopic parts of plastics in the water... I'm convinced of that. You can test it by crushing them in a clean bucket of water. and look at the bottom.. I prefer to use mesh scrubbers. like this.

These are the exact pot scrubbers I use, they work wonderfully. I use netting around them to hold them together in a row for my HOBs. Cleaning them is a bit more difficult like that but fitment is spot on

 

[sharkweek178]

How would you do it? Trying to imagine this, like between the post the sponge slides down on or....?

Just take the top off where the airline goes into and then roll up a some green scrubbie cut to size. Just one layer. I don't want to fill up the space.

On edit. I'll use mesh scrubbers instead.

 

[sharkweek178]

The green scrubbers will lose microscopic parts of plastics in the water... I'm convinced of that. You can test it by crushing them in a clean bucket of water. and look at the bottom.. I prefer to use mesh scrubbers. like this.

Thanks for the info. I'll try those instead.

 

[Oldspartan]

Just returned home from the not so lfs.

Bought the Seachem, sponge filters and prefilters.

Got clipped by another driver on the way home. Took my telescoping electronic towing mirror off and scratched my door. Young fella sped around UPS truck that was parked half in his lane. I moved as far off the road as possible onto the muck but it was not enough. Linda and the dogs are fine. I have some wounds where pieces of mirror flew into the cab. Fortunately had sun glasses on. Could have been worse, like head on, so all is well.

 

[Archerfish]

So sorry to hear of your traffic incident. Such events just strip away our outer coating. Glad you are not seriously injured.
Getting back to your OP::
"Ok, as an experiment I added a cheap sponge filter to the 37 and hooked it to an air pump. It has been operating about 3 weeks. The past few days I observed a steady.decrease in bubbles. Today sporadic. Pulled the filter and rinsed it in some tank water. Filthy."
My question: Was it filthy as when you squeeze it, coffee colored water emits? Or, was the sponge so fouled that it was gooey/slimy feeling?
I have used sponge filters since living in Germany years ago and have never quit since then. They work.

 

[Oldspartan]

So sorry to hear of your traffic incident. Such events just strip away our outer coating. Glad you are not seriously injured.
Getting back to your OP::
"Ok, as an experiment I added a cheap sponge filter to the 37 and hooked it to an air pump. It has been operating about 3 weeks. The past few days I observed a steady.decrease in bubbles. Today sporadic. Pulled the filter and rinsed it in some tank water. Filthy."
My question: Was it filthy as when you squeeze it, coffee colored water emits? Or, was the sponge so fouled that it was gooey/slimy feeling?
I have used sponge filters since living in Germany years ago and have never quit since then. They work.

Dirty not slimy. Water was grayish brown to my eye. Probably normal but it took me by surprise. Probably should not have though.

 

[Archerfish]

Normal. Yeah, it is surprising at first to see what they capture. I have sponge filters in all of my tanks. Actually, my 90-gallon Archerfish tank only has four sponge filters of various types for years and they work well. Simplicity.

 

[Boundava]

I always modify HOB and canister filters to remove carbon, disposable media and add more biological media in the form of sponges or Matrix; though the Eheim bio media is very good as well (substrat is what it's called, I believe). Sponges tend to clog and are a bit harder to get clean so I like to lean towards Matrix or substrat.

You have to remember that you may have a lot of bio media but there will only be enough bacteria in the tank to handle the bioload. Building a condo for 1000 doesn't mean it will have 1000 occupants when there are only 150 people looking to move in. Not the best analogy, but there you are.

 

[KANGS]

Ok, as an experiment I added a cheap sponge filter to the 37 and hooked it to an air pump. It has been operating about 3 weeks. The past few days I observed a steady.decrease in bubbles. Today sporadic. Pulled the filter and rinsed it in some tank water. Filthy.

The tank has a Top Fin pf40 hob. It came with the tank. Today I looked over. The bag has charcoal only. So I guess the bag serves as the main filter. I question how much it is actually filtering.

My ? …. Should I add media to the bag? Switch the bag to a sponge? Add good air driven sponge filers? Or something else.

Is your filtration system too small? In addition, no matter how good your filtration system is, it is important to change about 1/4 of the water weekly. Could you send the photo of your tank, it is eaier to see where the problem is ...

 

[plebian]

I only ever use sponge - does the job.

^^^This. Sponge/foam filters are simply better (more efficient not to mention cheaper) than any other filter material available. The distinction between mechanical and biological filtration is arbitrary and misleading, they do both.

 

[Oldspartan]

Is your filtration system too small? In addition, no matter how good your filtration system is, it is important to change about 1/4 of the water weekly. Could you send the photo of your tank, it is eaier to see where the problem is ...

Filter is TopFin 40 sized for the tank. Sponge is driven by tetra pump dual outlet. Water change of about 25 percent every four days. Gravel vac every third water change

Since original question I have put Seachem in the HOB, added a sponge to the HOB drop leg and changed the sponge filter to a TopFin 40 sized to the 37 gallon tank.

In hindsight I do not think there was actually a problem. Rather I was surprised by how much the sponge accumulated.