Sponge Filters

[bunker_1]

I have read a few threads that talked about how easy this is to make. I am pretty dense, so please bare with me. Is it really as simple as running an air stone down a tube with a sponge at the bottom? I understand how to get the sponge fitted and cut to size and that you put a tube in the middle of the sponge. But the aerator in the tube is what pulls the water thru the sponge? If it is that simple, I am going to cry!!

 

[Pure]

yes it is that simple. But you do need to drill multiple holes in the tube, the end that goes into the sponge, then block off the opening of the tube in the sponge with some silicone. I found that this makes the sponge filter work best and forces it to pull water through the entire sponge not just the very bottom.

 

[bunker_1]

Holy Crap! I really like to over engineer things. I cannot beleive it is that easy. Thanks for the advice Pure. You seem to be there when I need you!!

 

[Pure]

Meh, Don't mention it..I don't have a life.

 

[Surprise_Clown_Loach]

Err.. Pics? or links to original thread/s?

 

[bunker_1]

I will put pics up when I get the material. I got a great deal on air pumps, 15 for $11 on aquabid.com. I already have the tubes. Now I just need to get the sponges and I heard the craft section at Wal-Mart was the best bang for the buck. I can't wait to see it work.

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

I made a sponge filter of sorts for my baby shrimp tank....

I just entailed a airline tubing rubberbanded to a piece of bio-bag and a medium sized air pump...

It works great

 

[bunker_1]

I am supposed to get my air pumps in tomorrow. I went today to find the sponges and had to go to 5 different places. I ended up getting car wash sponges. I hope they work. I will let you guys know.
Again, Thanks for all of the good info.

wrestlingfreak, if it doesn't work, I will give your idea a try. Thanks

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

when you get sponges, you gotta look at the material they are made of....


some sponges decay so be wary.

 

[Pure]

I used blue sump filter blocks cut in half with a UGF tube inserted in it. These blocks are made of a plastic of sorts so they last forever. I blocked the end of the tube in the sponge off with silicone, then drilled holes in 4 rows the length of the tube in the sponge. I then inserted the air line in a small hole I drilled at the top of the tube...This filter was enough biological filtration to filter a 55 gallon full of plecos and juvenile Severums. I did use a power head to add flow for the plecs and to prevent dead spots.

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

wow pure yours is intense. Mine is just enough for the tiny shrimp in the one gallon grow out tank.

 

[bunker_1]

Thanks for the advice freak.

I am only trying to filter a 10 gallon so what I have should work. As long as it actually works!!! lol

 

[Surprise_Clown_Loach]

Pictures!!! :O

So, I'm missing something basic. What is being used to suck the water though the sponge? Power head?

My mechanical filter (sponge) in my HOB filter is being used as my bio filter until the bio filter gets some growth on it. The clogged filter causes me all sorts of issues and this might be excellent alternative/addition to the bio-media in the HOB filter.

What do the fish do to the bacteria on the sponge. ? (Do i need to worry about it?)

 

[Pure]

What do the fish do to the bacteria on the sponge. ?

huh? What do you mean, explain a little better.

You use an air pump connected to tubing. The tubing is inserted in the uplift tube of the sponge filter. Bubbles going up the tube creates a suction pulling water through the sponge.

 

[iapetus]

So, I'm missing something basic. What is being used to suck the water though the sponge? Power head?

OK. I, too, am lacking some basic understanding about the sponge filter. If I understand correctly, the air pump is used to pump air into the tank. So, connecting the air pump tube to the sponge should force air out of the pump's tube and into the water through the sponge, which clearly won't serve as a filter. So, what aspect of this set-up is drawing water from the tank into the sponge? And, what happens to the water flowing into the sponge? It must return to the tank somehow. How?

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

here are some pics....

the first 2 are my current filter in the grow out tank.
the last one is a new prototype im working on for a little larger tank

 

[bunker_1]

This is the way I understand it. The tube goes half way into the center of the sponge. You drill small holes in the part of the tube that is in the sponge. Now the sponge/tube setup is in the tank and everything is full of water (sponge, tube inside and outside of the sponge). Then you introduce the air pump to the tube. When the air starts, it pushes the water up the tube. Water pressure wants to fill the tube and the only way it can get in is thru the sponge and the holes drilled in the tube allows water to be pulled from the entire sponge.
Very cool and amazingly simple and cheap. The whole set up is going to cost me $2.00

 

[Pure]

OK. I, too, am lacking some basic understanding about the sponge filter. If I understand correctly, the air pump is used to pump air into the tank. So, connecting the air pump tube to the sponge should force air out of the pump's tube and into the water through the sponge, which clearly won't serve as a filter. So, what aspect of this set-up is drawing water from the tank into the sponge? And, what happens to the water flowing into the sponge? It must return to the tank somehow. How?

Your looking at it wrong. Your thinking that the airline pushes air through the sponge. It doesn't it is left to bubble inside the uplift tube of the filter. As the bubbles go up this tube and out the top it creates a suction that draws water through the sponge and out the top of the tube.

 

[innerchi89]

Where do i get the open cell sponges?

 

[blue_ram]

This is the way I understand it. The tube goes half way into the center of the sponge. You drill small holes in the part of the tube that is in the sponge. Now the sponge/tube setup is in the tank and everything is full of water (sponge, tube inside and outside of the sponge). Then you introduce the air pump to the tube. When the air starts, it pushes the water up the tube. Water pressure wants to fill the tube and the only way it can get in is thru the sponge and the holes drilled in the tube allows water to be pulled from the entire sponge.
Very cool and amazingly simple and cheap. The whole set up is going to cost me $2.00

The rising air bubbles create a vaccum and the vaccum pulls the water through the sponge.

The simplest way to creat one is a small 3/4 x 3 inch tube of pvc. Stuff one end with about 1 inch of filter floss, or use a cotton ball. Drop an airstone in the other end and lay down in the tank on it's side. To ensure the airstone doesn't come back out, silicone the airline tubing to the pvc. To add in biological filtration, add in floss, then some gravel from an established tank and then a little more floss.

Total cost is about $0.50