Super simple 5 minute sponge filter

[LiveLifeGoJump]

Hi there all,

Great post.

I had lost 25 platty fry due to powerful filter, did alittle mod & stopped losing fry but they were still having dificulty with flow near filter. Then I saw this topic.

Made mine with a Nutrafin Cycle 250ml bottle with top cut off, Fluval 3 blue filter element (old style, long round with central hole), 20mm white plastic water pipe & two heater suction clips (lugs cut off & cable tied to bottle). No need for gravel as suckers keep it in place.

Haven't had it set up long enough to see it it keeps the stats right but water flow seems good.

Will be making another for my second tank as that could have fry in it shortly.

Thanks for the ideas.

Norman

 

[neovector]

Hi all, just want to say thanks, this just may well save my fry which came as a bit of a surprise.

I didnt have time to be able to go my nearest LFS to get equipment, so i used a small food container from asda that i had laying around, with a couple of snippets of mature filter foam and gravel from my big tank (240 litres).

I used a piece of sleeving from an old rounded ide cable that i had kept after snapping a connector off of it.

It works beuatifully, i can see its drawing water in because theres small bits of food trapped on top.

The top of my tube is about 3mm below the water surface and is turned down really low via a inline control valve.

The fry aren't being battered about and hopefully, they'll grow up to be big and strong guppies.

Thanks again, absolutely brilliant idea and thanks for sharing.

 

[Night Crawler]

Hi. Im quite new to this site. I had a read of this topic and noticed a lot of people asking questions about how the water gets in...
Hopefully this quick pic will help others.
The central pipe is the outlet for the air and filtered water.
When the air is pumped into the central pipe, it rises. When it rises, it pulls some water with it. This water is then replaced with water that has come from the tank, down thru the filter and gravel then up the central pipe again.
Note that the top of the central pipe is below the water line. This makes the water flow out into the tank easier.
Well, here goes.

If this is totaly wrong, please delete this post.

 

[Dannyc]

how about just filling it with floss to keep your warter crystal clear (no floties)

 

[samyboy]

TRAGEDY


woke up this morning to find a bronze corry had swam down the outlet pipe got stuck and died in the night


might be an idea to have something covering the top so fish cant swim down

 

[: )]

Hi. Im quite new to this site. I had a read of this topic and noticed a lot of people asking questions about how the water gets in...
Hopefully this quick pic will help others.
The central pipe is the outlet for the air and filtered water.
When the air is pumped into the central pipe, it rises. When it rises, it pulls some water with it. This water is then replaced with water that has come from the tank, down thru the filter and gravel then up the central pipe again.
Note that the top of the central pipe is below the water line. This makes the water flow out into the tank easier.
Well, here goes.

If this is totaly wrong, please delete this post.

hi, would it also work like this

so the gravel keeps the air tube in place also and the air will be coming out at the same spot at the bottom of the wider tube

 

[Zafirah]

could you also use your empty declorinating bottes, or your stress zyme bottles
hehe mine is like 32oz
and when its done i shall wash it alot and use it...dun dun dun

 

[olly24]

that is a brill idea just made 1 and it works spot on

 

[chibi]

Another testimonial from a happy person... IT WORKS!

 

[tmack]

Wow! I'm glad I was looking around & found this. I'll have some fry in the near future & wasn't seeing any of of the sponge filters online at Petsmart or Petco. I used them years ago in my cichlid fry tanks and was wondering if they even offered them anymore. Now it doesn't matter. I'll probably cut up one of my Eheim coarse filter pads for that top sponge. Thanks!

 

[connorsbala]

Is the hose like the stuff you use for air pumps or like something else? Im real confused!!! I had ago,filled the tub 3/4 with gravel and added filter stuff. But i used air pump tube instead of 'hose'.
Please help ASAP

 

[connorsbala]

^^^^ The lift tube hose thing...can i get oen of a gravel vac?

 

[DeepSeaFishin]

is this safe to use in a fry tank or will they get sucked in?

They will not get sucked in, as there is sponge on the top to prevent this and other materials getting sucked in (thats the idea of the filter lol). I must say this is a GREAT idea for a sponge filter, I really love this idea and I get you a 10/10 for creativity and ease of creation.

 

[jmaster]

hey
i think this is great idea
and would like to make one for my fry tank but i havnt no flake pots around atm
so what wondering could i use a different kinda pot instead?
thanks alot

 

[sammydee]

hey
i think this is great idea
and would like to make one for my fry tank but i havnt no flake pots around atm
so what wondering could i use a different kinda pot instead?
thanks alot

yes you can use any type of pot you want as long as you are sure it is safe to put in an aquarium. any food safe plastic is fine