[jentralala]

I'm thinking of using a sponge filter on my 10 gallon planted betta tank, and I've been looking through brands and came across this. Does anyone think this would work, or is it just a gimmick?

Air Driven Bio Corner Filter Sponge Fry Shrimp Nano Fish Tank Aquarium 40 Gal | eBay

I'm not even sure if I understand the concept.

There are also the classic cylindrical ones, and then corner ones. Any difference in performance?

Also, should I use one rated for 10 gallons, or should I use a higher rated one? I'm trying to keep as much tank space as possible.

 

[MoneyMitch]

that would work, a filter or sponge is just a spot where water is forced through the bac. most of your bb live on surfaces inside the aquarium like your substrate and décor. I would just get a sponge for a apprapiately sized HOB and attach a tube to it then a airstone. boom insta sponge filter to fit your tank.

 

[JDM]

sponge is a sponge, like Mitch said, push water through it and it filters the water. You're going to have plants and only one fish and maybe some shrimp so you don't even need any bio stuff... not that most of it really does much more than a sponge anyway.

Jeff.

 

[jentralala]

My main worry is that the sand I'm going to use is so light that it can get really cloudy really fast and I'm not sure if sponge filters are the best at clearing water.

Then again I suppose it's the wool and sponges in a canister that pull those particles out of the water column....

 

[Boredomb]

My main worry is that the sand I'm going to use is so light that it can get really cloudy really fast and I'm not sure if sponge filters are the best at clearing water.

Then again I suppose it's the wool and sponges in a canister that pull those particles out of the water column....

You would be surprised at how much/how fast a sponge filter can clean the water of stuff. I use a sponge filter on both my 5 and 10 gallon. A sponge is a sponge like others have said but I personally like the Elite sponge filters. Through in my 5 gallon I just have an air stone in the sponge cause of me havering a Saul and single housing and only having 2 sponges when I am suppose to have 3. LoL
The point is that by shoving the air stone in the sponge it still works like the one in my 10 gallon that's on a housing.

 

[Byron]

The little corner filter linked in post #1 is OK, but I would myself prefer just a sponge. I use the Hagen Elite sponges, someone mentioned them, a single in my 10g and dual in my 20g and 29g tanks. And as someone said, they keep the water sparkling clear. Air pumps can be a bit noisy, unless you buy a good quiet one, if that matters; but as a filter, nothing much beats a sponge.

The Hagen Elite take up very little space. Here's a photo.

 

[jentralala]

Does the single just lay on the sand? Or can you place it anywhere?

 

[Boredomb]

Does the single just lay on the sand? Or can you place it anywhere?

The single makes the "L" shape and there's no changing that but you can change the direction of the sponge so that you can place it on any wall of the aquarium. Now for it laying on the sand that's going to depend on the height of the tank and the depth of your sand.

 

[fish monger]

I'd stick it low on the glass. You can get a very good / quiet air pump at a very reasonable price. A model suitable for a 10 gallon would probably run under $10. We purchased a Millionaire for my son's glofish tank and it is very quiet. We paid around $7 through Petmountain.com.

 

[Byron]

Does the single just lay on the sand? Or can you place it anywhere?

Boredomb answered, but I'll just add that the single will work in a 10g height (whatever that is), with the lift tube fully compressed. It can be extended to lengthen the tube for a deeper tank. In my 10g I had this stuck on the left rear wall with the sponge horizontal to the substrate, and I placed a chunk of wood in front which hid the sponge but doesn't impede water flow.

 

[Hallyx]

Running a sponge filter (and/or airstone) will raise your pH by injecting O2 into the water and out-gassing CO2.

 

[JDM]

Running a sponge filter (and/or airstone) will raise your pH by injecting O2 into the water and out-gassing CO2.

Water has a normal equilibrium concentration level of CO2 that will determine how much it can contain based on various factors, one of which is the concentration in the ambient air. Normally excess CO2 will be exchanged through the surface contact of the water with air and the reverse is also true. Agitating the surface or introducing air through a bubbler will speed the process of bringing the CO2 to it's respective equilibrium level but will not depress it further nor increase it past this equilibrium.

The same holds for O2.

This should serve to stabilize the pH and reduce the tendency for it to swing over the course of the day as it might in a more still water aquarium.

If the air being bubbled has a higher or lower concentration than the ambient air (injecting CO2 for example) then it will change the concentration of dissolved gases and can affect the pH accordingly.

Jeff.

 

[jentralala]

What air pumps do you guys use? Mine was broken, then fixed, and now it's broken again, so I'm thinking of just getting a new one altogether.

 

[Boredomb]

What air pumps do you guys use? Mine was broken, then fixed, and now it's broken again, so I'm thinking of just getting a new one altogether.

The cheapest model I can find! LoL

 

[Freshcatch]

The most quiet I can find!

 

[jentralala]

If only those two answers could combine xD

Got the air pump fixed again, hoping it stays that way but I'd like to get a backup to have on-hand.

 

[Byron]

I have two Elite air pumps. The smaller I bought back in the 1990's, and it is very quiet. [I haven't been running it continually since then, just so no one things that.] A year or so ago, having set up another tank with a sponge, I decided to get a larger size to more safely handle the three/four tanks, and got another Elite. It works fine, but after a few months it is making a fair amount of noise. In the fish room I really didn't care at first, but then it got to me so I put the smaller Elite back on, and it is silent.

I think Elite are reliable pumps, but obviously not always quiet.

 

[fish monger]

Noise is in the ear of the beholder; however, I have an Elite 800 that is very quite and a Millionaire pump that is also not obnoxious. Actually, I haven't purchased what I would consider a noisy air pump in quite a while. I started in the hobby when air pumps drove most if not all filters, so maybe I've become immune. Their steady hum has never really bothered me. I did have some that could scamper across a tabletop and had more of a growl than a hum.

 

[Boredomb]

Noise is in the ear of the beholder; however, I have an Elite 800 that is very quite and a Millionaire pump that is also not obnoxious. Actually, I haven't purchased what I would consider a noisy air pump in quite a while. I started in the hobby when air pumps drove most if not all filters, so maybe I've become immune. Their steady hum has never really bothered me. I did have some that could scamper across a tabletop and had more of a growl than a hum.

Haha I have some that hums but they are not loud and I have gotten use to them. Now if they get pumped, pinned or knocked over they growl. That's when I have to fix them. I have 3 different pumps ranging for a cheapo from walmart to a Tetra Whisper that all sound the same to me. So I just go for cheap now. As long as it works I don't care anymore. LoL

 

[fish monger]

Haha I have some that hums but they are not loud and I have gotten use to them. Now if they get pumped, pinned or knocked over they growl. That's when I have to fix them. I have 3 different pumps ranging for a cheapo from walmart to a Tetra Whisper that all sound the same to me. So I just go for cheap now. As long as it works I don't care anymore. LoL

I go for the cheap side also. To me, air pumps are one of the most reasonably priced of aquarium accessories. Like anything else, you can spend as much as you want though. I tend to think along the lines of what's good enough.