Sponge filters are a great choice no matter if you're 30 minutes or 30 years in the hobby. I've got plenty canisters and hang on back filters too but I've always got a need for my sponge filters. Breeding tanks, low flow tanks, quarantine tanks... The amount of bioload they can actually handle would probably shock most people...
I love your videos. I can't stress how helpful they've been to me as a beginner. I genuinely appreciate the time and effort you've put into these. It's tons of useful information in one easy to find place.
I started with a aquael nano kit all the stuff was amazing even though it was a budget setup. The pat mini is great. But I switched to a double sponge filter with airpump and it's really has totally changed my tanks quality.
really looking forward to using sponge filters when i move into my dorm with my 2 bettas, theyre so much easier to clean and maintain and they look the best
Started with the the hang-on-back filter! But I was worried when I started to see snails and fish inside.. I’m looking forward to use a sponge filter. Very informative!
Snails can crawl in as babies or maybe their eggs get sucked up into it and hatch there.. Or maybe the parents crawled in since they can be out of water for a time. But if it's sucking up baby fish, definitely gotta protect the fish from the filter!
Great advice for us beginners ..However in the UK we have the Seachem Tidal hob filter which has an internal motor right in the aquarium so power cuts are no problem if your not at home , the motor starts pumping water as soon as the power is restored..I’m certain that filter is easily available in the US ..I tried the sponge filter , excellent things , but so noisy especially if your tank is in the bedroom..Aquaclears are as rare to find in the UK as hens teeth ..Pity that .we seldom have power cuts .
Ah, I'll have to check it out! For my sponge filter, I use an air stone inside that greatly minimizes the bubbling sound. The air pump still makes some vibration noises, but the USB nano air pump that I got from Aquarium Co-Op is very quiet.
I had a hob for my first tank ages ago. I had all kinds of problems with it. For some reason my area seems to lose power a couple times year. When I decided I wanted to set up a tank again I went for a sponge filter/airstone combo. It's so much quieter than I had expected. Certainly quieter than the hob I had more years ago than I care to think about. The tank is still cycling so I will see how happy I am long term with it. So far it's a winner.
I appreciate your input for this hobby. From what I’ve been able to glean from your videos, you have experience on a smaller scale with fish and small animals that you have carefully researched. A little less foreboding for some of us that don’t plan on setting up a basement or garage lined with thousands of gallons of tankage. Something I don’t think you mentioned is the setup Greg Sage uses for filtering his tanks. (BTW, thank you and Cory for introducing Greg to those of us that are relatively new to the hobby)! I’ve become an accidental aquarist. In retirement, I live in Florida for the winter, so I couldn’t maintain an aquarium because I was traveling so much. What I did for a teacher I used to work with was supply her with Least Killifish (Heterandria formosa) that I would collect before I came back to my northern home. This year I went all out. I collected Least killifish, Florida flag fish, and some attractive melanistic mosquito fish. Then they closed the schools, so I had no where to take the fish I collected. What I’m in the process of doing now is setting up breeding pools outside and 10 gallon display tanks inside. It’s been a fun learning experience. I bought two 10 gallon tank setups that came with cheap led lighting and a hang-on-the-back filter that provided way too much flow for the tiny least killifish in one tank, and in the other tank, the filter rapidly clogged and started pouring out on my bamboo floor! I’ve since ordered and set up those cheap box filters that Greg uses. Don’t mean to anthropomorphize the fish too much, but they seem really “happy” right now.
I’m still a fan of a good HOB filter with the pump inside the tank (My Aqueon QuietFlows which have been going strong for several years and my new Tidal 110). I like the extra space for media and it will auto-start after power outage since the pump/motor is in the tank for these two filters. I still want to try a sponge filter sometime, especially if I ever get that nano-wall that I’m dreaming of 😁 Thanks for a great video!
I just replaced my aqua clear hob filter on my 10 gallon tank with a nano sponge filter from aquarium co-op. I was so tired of power outages, that it wouldn't restart even when I did water changes. Also the hob flow was too much for the floating plants and female bettas that I had to make a defuser using a diy video. The sponge filters are so much faster to clean and using a ziss control valve I can adjust the bubbles, much quieter since this 10 gallon is on our dresser in the bedroom and I have the usb air pumps ( you guessed it, from aquarium co-op ) that are excellent. When the power goes out I can use a battery power unit. Thanks for all your videos.
Thank you for the very nice informational video. It would have been nice to see the very inexpensive and reliable undergravel filter and also the deep bed "filter" included with these reviews.
I just wanted to cover beginner filters in this video, but maybe someday I'll do a follow-up video on filters that are less common nowadays or more advanced. :)
Totally agree with you. Plus, you can always make some custom housing to hide the sponge filter and surround it with additional biological media. I've done some videos about how I use sponge filters in Nano tanks without them looking unsightly. Great video, your channel is awesome! 👍
I was thinking about buying a sponge filter, but it causes a lot of visual pollution (the noise is kind of easy to fix) and I want to work more with aquascape... I'm going to use a hang on back filter, it seems like the best idea!
The Seachem Tidal Has the motor on the inside of the tank so you don't need to prime the filter. It solves the issue of power outages and the motor running while dry.
With the cartridge i found it was decent filter floss. I just rinse mine out like the sponge. I also removed the carbon from it. Since i dont need chemical filtration. After that i shoved in some ceramic rings a sponge in it. So its probably over filtered since i only have a betta.
Have you tried the Seachem Tidal HOB filter? The motor for it is in the tank with the lift tube so it auto primes every time and doesn't suffer that issue that many HOB filters do. It also has an integrated surface skimmer.
I've tried 2x different types of sponge filters in my 70-litre tank ~ removed them both (they sucked majorly) and am now using an internal filter. My personal preference for all tanks is canisters filters.
Thank u so much you inspired me to get another aquarium I have a 29 gallon with some angelfish and anamo shrimp you also give us good tips and tricks so thanks
Another great video, I wish I had you and a handful of other content creators spreading the sponge filter advise when I first started out... oxygenate that water like a pro 👌👍
Good the Irene brought up the fact that if the power goes out, there is no filtration even when the power comes back on. HOB's must be primed before they will start pumping again. The advantage of in water filters and sponge filters is when the power comes back on, they start immediately.
Hello Irene. Your video was very informative. I have two ten gallon tanks that have the filters that are on the back of the tanks. I like the filters but at times the white particles on the cartridges that are taken out to replace with new clean ones release them from the filter in my fish tank. I have to take some of these particles out of the water.
I love the USB mini-air pump combined with the small sponge filter with the air stone inside. At first I was leary of it (low power) but it does a great job for applications < 15" (and can be powered off of portable USB battery packs).
HOB are the way to go, unfortunately the budget ones are loud, need replacement filters, and sometimes are unreliable. Otherwise they're the best balance and have superior tank flow/airation for the price.
Great video! I also like sponge filters the most. Recently I am trying the suction cup type of sponge filter which allows for more horizontal water movement.
goldfish keeper here! Great video and perfect beginner filter recommendations. Some suggestions for the “intermediate level” keepers: I have a Ziss bubble bio filter for additional surface agitation and biological filtration. If we have a power outage, I connect it to my USB nano air pup to a battery power bank and I know I will have plenty of happy bacteria and oxygenation for days without problems. I also use a canister filter filled with ultimate biohome media for a full complete cycle, aka, reduces my Nitrates and keeps them at 20ppm; an expensive bacteria hotel worth keeping lol.
Just an outstanding informative and well explained video. I was to buy more filter cartridges until I saw your video suggesting sponge instead. But I noted that the cartridge contains carbon particles. Not sure what the benefits are to using carbon. I use to use outside filter, but I find it noisy. The new inside filter is super quiet.
The specific hang-on-back model had another issue for me, it has adjustable plastic tabs to remain straight. But with age these because loose and the filter starts to lean behind your tank, possibly leaking water while you're not watching. I replaced mine with a couple slices of cork, secured with hot glue.
Great video... love sponge filters but my go to filters have always been the internal bubble filters especially for crystal clear water. Penn plax and Lee's makes them and like sponge, are super reliable...but you can add carbon or other media along with floss.
Love your videos! I have been using small, hob filter,s AND sponge filter in my aquariums. I am afraid of using only a sponge, in case it isn't enuf filtration, but recently have tried no hob on one tank. I put 2 sponge filters on that, and using one usb pump, to run both. Works good! Thanks for the info!
Sponge filters are also rated for a particular size of tank, so that could be helpful. Eg, get a sponge filter rated for 20 gallons if you run a 10 gallon, as long as it isn't so huge in the tank. Also, if you have low bio trash, it may be sufficient as well. Eg, a shrimp tank does fine with sponge filter, and did not need HOB filter.
For some reason I love the sponge filters. I have all different types cause I have 17 aquariums. The sponge filters seem to do the best of all. Go figure.
@@anoobis_ if the power goes out theres a chance that the water will go up the line and go into the pump and drain out of the pump onto what ever the pump is sitting on
I would love it if you would explore the Hamburgh Matten Filter. It's all the rage in Europe and now that I've made one myself, I'm a convert. I will never risk flooding and restarting issues with an HOB again.
I would add one negative to the sponge filter that always seems forgotten: air pumps suuuuuuck. I have never been able to find one that won't eventually vibrate itself into a position vibrating so loud it could wake the dead. The only one I've found that doesn't make my eye start twitching every time it starts shaking the house is the USB nano filter that I saw Corey talk about on Aquarium Co-op, but that one also isn't the most powerful, so maybe that's why. I've also found my Aquaclears are hit and miss to whether they restart automatically and whether or not they empty out their water. I've found that generally, not 100%, if it's just power going out, they will automatically restart and work fine when the power turns back out, generally. However, when I restart after a water change, they do need work because I have changed the water level in the tank the water level in the filter change also and occasionally at that point, the suction of the intake valve is lost and then the pump cannot work correctly. Unrelated, but every time I watch your videos I think that I absolutely have to try those loaches next time I have room in a tank. They're so delightful to watch.
Depends on what pump you use, tetra whisper and eheim air pumps are both quiet enough to use on the tank that's sitting less than 2 feet away from me in my living room while I'm watching TV... There's a lot of terrible pumps out there though.
I personally find box filters are the best of all worlds. They can be driven by and air pump like a sponge filter, and also have the mixed media advantage of hand on back filters. Also don't get ruined in power outages and go for barely more than a sponge filter
thanks so much for your help! my cheapo mechanical filter pump broke before i could even use the pack of filters i bought UGH def switching to the air pump-- sounds like a good move :)
I'm using my aquaclear 30 as a glorified sponge filter. EDIT: Some filters like the Seachem hang on back have a motor inside the tank so that it will automatically restart when the power come back on. Check if your HOB has a motor in or outside your aquairum.
I’m kind looking for fully submerged filter. I found out that outside filters are easy to have little mosquito worms😢especially in summer. And no wonder why in winter such cold weather that I still see bunch of big mosquitoes that are size of quarter pretty much. And when I open up the filter one day, I see a lot of worms, and I figure out where the mosquitoes comes from🤣 The fish couldn’t eat it because it’s outside of the tank. So I’m currently thinking looking for fully submerged filter that maybe can help out with a little mosquitoes situation…
Okay this is great for simple filtration how about one with the exotic filtration I mean bio balls and sumps and undergravel filters and above tank filters including hydroponic solutions The most interesting one I saw so far since I've started being interested in fish again is the garden on top of a fish tank where the fish tank water is basically hydroponically feeding a little moss garden / waterfall I bet your hillstream loaches would love that one
So I have owned a few Aquaclears in the past and was a huge fan of the design (though their life expectancy of the unit is not that great and bioslime builds up in the unit quickly, especially around the pump). If you have the opportunity, checkout the newer marineland stuff. I recently got one, and its really nice! I actuallyl like it better than any HOB I have owned over the last 30+ years. One nice thing about Marineland HOB, which I hope carries over into the newer ones, is that they last for ages. Oh! And for your baby fish and shrimp, have you thought about using a matten filter? They are either super cheap to make or buy.
The only time I've had trouble with Aquaclears restarting is after I have to stop them for some reason, then restart. Sometime the impeller is stalled by junk. I've never had a problem after a power outage, though. And I've been trying a sponge filter in one tank: I'm coming to like them.
Sponge filters are actually expensive because you have to buy an air pump, tubing, air stone, air valve, and check valve. But, they are cheap on the large scale.
Guess I'm the oddball here as I use almost exclusively under-gravel filters. I currently have a small 10gal with just a sponge and it works fine but in every other tank I've ever had (including the 20 long I'm currently also using) I've used the under-gravel. The only issue I've ever had is that the roots from live plants will some times get so big that they plug small areas which means the filter doesn't really work in that small space.
That fine pad should be placed after the sponge. The media should be the last point of contact for the water. No mention of an external canister filter
Yes, I put the fine filter pad at the top so that the water hits it last. Didn't mention canister filters since most beginners don't start off with them in their first aquarium.
Sponge filters are a great choice no matter if you're 30 minutes or 30 years in the hobby. I've got plenty canisters and hang on back filters too but I've always got a need for my sponge filters. Breeding tanks, low flow tanks, quarantine tanks... The amount of bioload they can actually handle would probably shock most people...
Would you recommend a sponge filter for one single beta fish in a 5G
@@jaimeperalta3331 yes
IRENE!! Great job! Love my sponge filter too!
Thank you, Michael!
I'll be honest, up till now i still keep expecting you to introduce yourself as "A gamer's wife".
I'm always afraid I'll accidentally say it and not notice! 😂
I love your videos. I can't stress how helpful they've been to me as a beginner. I genuinely appreciate the time and effort you've put into these. It's tons of useful information in one easy to find place.
I started with a aquael nano kit all the stuff was amazing even though it was a budget setup. The pat mini is great. But I switched to a double sponge filter with airpump and it's really has totally changed my tanks quality.
really looking forward to using sponge filters when i move into my dorm with my 2 bettas, theyre so much easier to clean and maintain and they look the best
Started with the the hang-on-back filter! But I was worried when I started to see snails and fish inside.. I’m looking forward to use a sponge filter. Very informative!
An intake sponge on your HOB fixes that problem too
Ricky Chiz Bizkit Yep! Been thinking of doing that too.
Snails can crawl in as babies or maybe their eggs get sucked up into it and hatch there.. Or maybe the parents crawled in since they can be out of water for a time. But if it's sucking up baby fish, definitely gotta protect the fish from the filter!
Great advice for us beginners ..However in the UK we have the Seachem Tidal hob filter which has an internal motor right in the aquarium so power cuts are no problem if your not at home , the motor starts pumping water as soon as the power is restored..I’m certain that filter is easily available in the US ..I tried the sponge filter , excellent things , but so noisy especially if your tank is in the bedroom..Aquaclears are as rare to find in the UK as hens teeth ..Pity that .we seldom have power cuts .
Ah, I'll have to check it out! For my sponge filter, I use an air stone inside that greatly minimizes the bubbling sound. The air pump still makes some vibration noises, but the USB nano air pump that I got from Aquarium Co-Op is very quiet.
I had a hob for my first tank ages ago. I had all kinds of problems with it. For some reason my area seems to lose power a couple times year. When I decided I wanted to set up a tank again I went for a sponge filter/airstone combo. It's so much quieter than I had expected. Certainly quieter than the hob I had more years ago than I care to think about. The tank is still cycling so I will see how happy I am long term with it. So far it's a winner.
I'm a beginner at Fishkeeping and I want this to become my new hobby Thank you always for your videos❤️❤️
I’ve watch so many videos and yours was the only one that showed me EXACTLY what I needed to do🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Thank You for this video❤️❤️❤️ This Really helped me a lot for deciding which filter should I use. Finally I Buy Them All😂
This is by far the best tutorial. Straight to the point and very informative. Thanks a lot!
i learn more here than in school, your videos are so helpful, thank you.
I agree.
Really good explanation of the different options Irene. 👍🏻
I appreciate your input for this hobby. From what I’ve been able to glean from your videos, you have experience on a smaller scale with fish and small animals that you have carefully researched. A little less foreboding for some of us that don’t plan on setting up a basement or garage lined with thousands of gallons of tankage.
Something I don’t think you mentioned is the setup Greg Sage uses for filtering his tanks. (BTW, thank you and Cory for introducing Greg to those of us that are relatively new to the hobby)!
I’ve become an accidental aquarist. In retirement, I live in Florida for the winter, so I couldn’t maintain an aquarium because I was traveling so much. What I did for a teacher I used to work with was supply her with Least Killifish (Heterandria formosa) that I would collect before I came back to my northern home. This year I went all out. I collected Least killifish, Florida flag fish, and some attractive melanistic mosquito fish. Then they closed the schools, so I had no where to take the fish I collected.
What I’m in the process of doing now is setting up breeding pools outside and 10 gallon display tanks inside. It’s been a fun learning experience. I bought two 10 gallon tank setups that came with cheap led lighting and a hang-on-the-back filter that provided way too much flow for the tiny least killifish in one tank, and in the other tank, the filter rapidly clogged and started pouring out on my bamboo floor!
I’ve since ordered and set up those cheap box filters that Greg uses. Don’t mean to anthropomorphize the fish too much, but they seem really “happy” right now.
By far the single best video on RUclips about aquarium filtration! Seriously, thank you for this video!
I’m still a fan of a good HOB filter with the pump inside the tank (My Aqueon QuietFlows which have been going strong for several years and my new Tidal 110). I like the extra space for media and it will auto-start after power outage since the pump/motor is in the tank for these two filters. I still want to try a sponge filter sometime, especially if I ever get that nano-wall that I’m dreaming of 😁 Thanks for a great video!
I just replaced my aqua clear hob filter on my 10 gallon tank with a nano sponge filter from aquarium co-op. I was so tired of power outages, that it wouldn't restart even when I did water changes. Also the hob flow was too much for the floating plants and female bettas that I had to make a defuser using a diy video. The sponge filters are so much faster to clean and using a ziss control valve I can adjust the bubbles, much quieter since this 10 gallon is on our dresser in the bedroom and I have the usb air pumps ( you guessed it, from aquarium co-op ) that are excellent. When the power goes out I can use a battery power unit. Thanks for all your videos.
Haha, those are some of the exact same reasons why I switched over. Great minds think alike. 😉
I just got a sponge filter so far I'm loving it and just watching the bubbles are so relaxing too
Add a corse sponge filter to the intake tube of your HOB and it will work even better. 🙂
Make sure that HOB isn't touching the wall either. Learned that the hard way...
Great video!
Oh man, I didn't think of the wicking effect! Good call.
Can't go wrong with a good ol' sponge filter. Thanks Irene!
4:20 fish at your dentist would love this one
Thank you for the very nice informational video. It would have been nice to see the very inexpensive and reliable undergravel filter and also the deep bed "filter" included with these reviews.
I just wanted to cover beginner filters in this video, but maybe someday I'll do a follow-up video on filters that are less common nowadays or more advanced. :)
Totally agree with you. Plus, you can always make some custom housing to hide the sponge filter and surround it with additional biological media. I've done some videos about how I use sponge filters in Nano tanks without them looking unsightly. Great video, your channel is awesome! 👍
I was thinking about buying a sponge filter, but it causes a lot of visual pollution (the noise is kind of easy to fix) and I want to work more with aquascape...
I'm going to use a hang on back filter, it seems like the best idea!
The Seachem Tidal Has the motor on the inside of the tank so you don't need to prime the filter. It solves the issue of power outages and the motor running while dry.
There are hob filters now with the motor in the tank and they are self priming. Thanks for the video.
One my favorite videos. Thanks alot.
Thank you so much! I just started getting fish and I have been trying to look for a good filter for weeks! Love this vid so much!
With the cartridge i found it was decent filter floss. I just rinse mine out like the sponge. I also removed the carbon from it. Since i dont need chemical filtration. After that i shoved in some ceramic rings a sponge in it. So its probably over filtered since i only have a betta.
Thank you! This was so helpful!
Have you tried the Seachem Tidal HOB filter? The motor for it is in the tank with the lift tube so it auto primes every time and doesn't suffer that issue that many HOB filters do. It also has an integrated surface skimmer.
I've tried 2x different types of sponge filters in my 70-litre tank ~ removed them both (they sucked majorly) and am now using an internal filter. My personal preference for all tanks is canisters filters.
Thank u so much you inspired me to get another aquarium I have a 29 gallon with some angelfish and anamo shrimp you also give us good tips and tricks so thanks
My pleasure! Angelfish are gorgeous. 😍
your videos are so helpful, im excited for my first tank!!
cool , gonna do the sponge thing! TY
Another great video, I wish I had you and a handful of other content creators spreading the sponge filter advise when I first started out... oxygenate that water like a pro 👌👍
Aquarium sponge thanks! About to buy one right now.
So helpful thanks so much!
Good the Irene brought up the fact that if the power goes out, there is no filtration even when the power comes back on. HOB's must be primed before they will start pumping again. The advantage of in water filters and sponge filters is when the power comes back on, they start immediately.
Hello Irene. Your video was very informative. I have two ten gallon tanks that have the filters that are on the back of the tanks. I like the filters but at times the white particles on the cartridges that are taken out to replace with new clean ones release them from the filter in my fish tank. I have to take some of these particles out of the water.
Nice job of explaining Irene! 👍
Love you’re videos soooo much. Reason why I’m obsessed with fish now 🤣
Oh my goodness, thank you!
Great video! Very helpful and informative! Thanks for sharing!
if you get a HOB filter get one with the motor inside the water. like the aqueon ones, tetra has one, and marineland
Thanks Irene, I learn lots from your videos!
Thanks you for making videos like this I bet they help a lot of people out
My pleasure! 😊
Thank you, Irene. I really needed this right now. My HOB filter that came with the tanks seems to be giving up the ghost. lol
Thanks so much for your review! You did such a good job in explaining everything!
Great video, I have internal and external canister filters, not to keen on sponge filters, thanks for sharing
I love the USB mini-air pump combined with the small sponge filter with the air stone inside. At first I was leary of it (low power) but it does a great job for applications < 15" (and can be powered off of portable USB battery packs).
Diy Box filter, especially for small tanks...or sponge
You have a great presentation style!
I like my sponge filter. Thanks for helping me set it up! I am brand new to aquariums.
Great video. I think the aquaclear was bought by fluval. But that is my favorite filter for my smaller tanks.
what about sump filters ?
Im getting a spong filter. I hate buying cartridges for the electric ones. So glade im switching
HOB are the way to go, unfortunately the budget ones are loud, need replacement filters, and sometimes are unreliable. Otherwise they're the best balance and have superior tank flow/airation for the price.
Very helpful video 👍
I used to have a cannister filter but I went back to a HOB. I like the HOBs a lot.
I'm going to get into this so I'm just doing my research before I get started! Thanks you for the video!
Great video! I also like sponge filters the most. Recently I am trying the suction cup type of sponge filter which allows for more horizontal water movement.
goldfish keeper here! Great video and perfect beginner filter recommendations. Some suggestions for the “intermediate level” keepers: I have a Ziss bubble bio filter for additional surface agitation and biological filtration. If we have a power outage, I connect it to my USB nano air pup to a battery power bank and I know I will have plenty of happy bacteria and oxygenation for days without problems. I also use a canister filter filled with ultimate biohome media for a full complete cycle, aka, reduces my Nitrates and keeps them at 20ppm; an expensive bacteria hotel worth keeping lol.
Just an outstanding informative and well explained video. I was to buy more filter cartridges until I saw your video suggesting sponge instead. But I noted that the cartridge contains carbon particles. Not sure what the benefits are to using carbon. I use to use outside filter, but I find it noisy. The new inside filter is super quiet.
The specific hang-on-back model had another issue for me, it has adjustable plastic tabs to remain straight. But with age these because loose and the filter starts to lean behind your tank, possibly leaking water while you're not watching. I replaced mine with a couple slices of cork, secured with hot glue.
Very very informative video. I was about to buy a HOB filter.
Great video... love sponge filters but my go to filters have always been the internal bubble filters especially for crystal clear water. Penn plax and Lee's makes them and like sponge, are super reliable...but you can add carbon or other media along with floss.
Love your videos! I have been using small, hob filter,s AND sponge filter in my aquariums. I am afraid of using only a sponge, in case it isn't enuf filtration, but recently have tried no hob on one tank. I put 2 sponge filters on that, and using one usb pump, to run both. Works good! Thanks for the info!
Sponge filters are also rated for a particular size of tank, so that could be helpful. Eg, get a sponge filter rated for 20 gallons if you run a 10 gallon, as long as it isn't so huge in the tank.
Also, if you have low bio trash, it may be sufficient as well. Eg, a shrimp tank does fine with sponge filter, and did not need HOB filter.
For some reason I love the sponge filters. I have all different types cause I have 17 aquariums. The sponge filters seem to do the best of all. Go figure.
Yes, they're my favorite too! That'd be cool if some aquarium kits were sold with them.
My reminder to anyone getting a sponge a filter... get a check valve too!!!
Don't learn the hard way like I did as a kid.
Oh my goodness, same here! I once used an air pump with my brine shrimp hatchery and forgot to add a check valve. Big mistake!
What does it do? Do I need it for my guppy only tank?
@@anoobis_ if the power goes out theres a chance that the water will go up the line and go into the pump and drain out of the pump onto what ever the pump is sitting on
@@wonderbread2764 I use them on all of my pumps now :) but thanks for the reply anyways!
I would love it if you would explore the Hamburgh Matten Filter. It's all the rage in Europe and now that I've made one myself, I'm a convert. I will never risk flooding and restarting issues with an HOB again.
Eheims Aquaball is also good for starters. It's not maybe prettiest, but simple to use and clean.
I would add one negative to the sponge filter that always seems forgotten: air pumps suuuuuuck. I have never been able to find one that won't eventually vibrate itself into a position vibrating so loud it could wake the dead. The only one I've found that doesn't make my eye start twitching every time it starts shaking the house is the USB nano filter that I saw Corey talk about on Aquarium Co-op, but that one also isn't the most powerful, so maybe that's why.
I've also found my Aquaclears are hit and miss to whether they restart automatically and whether or not they empty out their water. I've found that generally, not 100%, if it's just power going out, they will automatically restart and work fine when the power turns back out, generally. However, when I restart after a water change, they do need work because I have changed the water level in the tank the water level in the filter change also and occasionally at that point, the suction of the intake valve is lost and then the pump cannot work correctly.
Unrelated, but every time I watch your videos I think that I absolutely have to try those loaches next time I have room in a tank. They're so delightful to watch.
Depends on what pump you use, tetra whisper and eheim air pumps are both quiet enough to use on the tank that's sitting less than 2 feet away from me in my living room while I'm watching TV... There's a lot of terrible pumps out there though.
I personally find box filters are the best of all worlds. They can be driven by and air pump like a sponge filter, and also have the mixed media advantage of hand on back filters. Also don't get ruined in power outages and go for barely more than a sponge filter
I prefer the Aqua Clear 20 Filter that comes with the carbon and stuff. It's good for bettas and keeps the tank very clean
On my internal filter you basically have to take it out to clean which lets the gunk rush out. I’ll keep in mind all of this info. Thanks.
Thanks a lot, that was so helpful 😊👍🏻
I use both a hang on back and a sponge filter
thanks so much for your help! my cheapo mechanical filter pump broke before i could even use the pack of filters i bought UGH def switching to the air pump-- sounds like a good move :)
A very good video. Thanks it helped a lot :)
Thoughts on undergravel filters?
Talking about sponges...sees a big spongebob pineapple ornament in the tank, I hits like. 😁👍
Lol! I still have that decoration. Need to set up another tank for the kids someday because that ornament is the best!
*Want to set up your first sponge filter? Check out this tutorial: **ruclips.net/video/BS7gIHUkhuo/видео.html*
I'm using my aquaclear 30 as a glorified sponge filter. EDIT: Some filters like the Seachem hang on back have a motor inside the tank so that it will automatically restart when the power come back on. Check if your HOB has a motor in or outside your aquairum.
I’m kind looking for fully submerged filter. I found out that outside filters are easy to have little mosquito worms😢especially in summer. And no wonder why in winter such cold weather that I still see bunch of big mosquitoes that are size of quarter pretty much. And when I open up the filter one day, I see a lot of worms, and I figure out where the mosquitoes comes from🤣 The fish couldn’t eat it because it’s outside of the tank. So I’m currently thinking looking for fully submerged filter that maybe can help out with a little mosquitoes situation…
Okay this is great for simple filtration how about one with the exotic filtration
I mean bio balls and sumps and undergravel filters and above tank filters including hydroponic solutions
The most interesting one I saw so far since I've started being interested in fish again is the garden on top of a fish tank where the fish tank water is basically hydroponically feeding a little moss garden / waterfall I bet your hillstream loaches would love that one
Noise coming from the air pump is more issue in sponge filter
I'm so behind the times. I still use box filters , media and floss. 🙂
So I have owned a few Aquaclears in the past and was a huge fan of the design (though their life expectancy of the unit is not that great and bioslime builds up in the unit quickly, especially around the pump).
If you have the opportunity, checkout the newer marineland stuff. I recently got one, and its really nice! I actuallyl like it better than any HOB I have owned over the last 30+ years. One nice thing about Marineland HOB, which I hope carries over into the newer ones, is that they last for ages.
Oh! And for your baby fish and shrimp, have you thought about using a matten filter? They are either super cheap to make or buy.
Hi do you have a Link for the Aquarium sponge? I would like to buy one of those instead of a disposable Cartridge for my filter
The only time I've had trouble with Aquaclears restarting is after I have to stop them for some reason, then restart. Sometime the impeller is stalled by junk. I've never had a problem after a power outage, though. And I've been trying a sponge filter in one tank: I'm coming to like them.
I love your videos ❤️
Sponge filters are actually expensive because you have to buy an air pump, tubing, air stone, air valve, and check valve.
But, they are cheap on the large scale.
Guess I'm the oddball here as I use almost exclusively under-gravel filters. I currently have a small 10gal with just a sponge and it works fine but in every other tank I've ever had (including the 20 long I'm currently also using) I've used the under-gravel. The only issue I've ever had is that the roots from live plants will some times get so big that they plug small areas which means the filter doesn't really work in that small space.
I use both a hang-on-the-back filter and a sponge filter. I'm new to this hobby though, so I'm not sure if this is a good thing
If you're worried about flooding, check out water alarms. They are about ten bucks, and provides a massive relief and peace of mind.
That fine pad should be placed after the sponge. The media should be the last point of contact for the water. No mention of an external canister filter
Yes, I put the fine filter pad at the top so that the water hits it last. Didn't mention canister filters since most beginners don't start off with them in their first aquarium.
What's the best for a 3 gallon tank for betta