Category Archives: Aquarium Sponge Filter
Getting Rid Of Algae On Sponge Filters
This algae on sponge filters article is a follow up from a previous post entitled “7 Ways To Avoid Fish Ich In Your Fish Tank“.
One common question which I keep getting from my readers these days is how it is possible to have algae on sponge filters. A lot of people are surprised that a sponge filter which is supposed to filter out contaminants can have algae growing on it but this is really not a strange thing, nor is it something to be too concerned about.
Algae On Sponge Filters
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You need to know how a sponge filter functions in order to figure out how algae on sponge filters can grow. A sponge filter is a very simple filtering device with one major filtration media which is the sponge. When water is drawn into the sponge head, large debris and waste matter is trapped on the sponge surface. This waste is mostly organic matter and is fertilizer for the algae. After all, algae is plant life. This makes the sponge head now an excellent breeding ground for algae.
Cleaning Off Algae On Sponge Filters
The beauty of a sponge filter is how relatively easy it is to clean. All you need to do is take off the sponge head and give it a little wash to get rid of the algae on sponge filters.
To properly wash the sponge head, you should not use tap water. What you should do is use some of the aquarium water. The best time to do this is when you are doing your weekly water change. Instead of throwing away the water, use if first to wash the sponge head. The reason why we do not use tap water is because the sponge head is also home to colonies of beneficial bacteria that will provide biological filtration to hour aquarium. The chlorine in tap water will kill of the beneficial bacteria and cause an imbalance in your fish tank water.
But just cleaning off algae on sponge filters is just a temporary solution. You have to get to the root of e problem which is why is algae growing in your fish tank in the first place. Once you tackle this issue, you would not have to keep cleaning off algae on sponge filters ever again.
Algae On Sponge Filters Causes
Algae is a form of plant life and as long as you know this, preventing algae from breeding in your fish tank and most importantly algae on sponge filters will be extremely easy. Like all forms of plant life, algae need sunlight and nutrients. Without them, the algae would never be able to thrive.
First off, inspect the position that you have placed your fish tank. Is it in a place that gets an ample amount of sunlight each day? Is it close to a window or door, or worst yet is it outdoors? Having a lot of sunlight is the perfect condition for algae growth. If possible, move your aquarium to an area that gets less sunlight.
Next, is there too much free floating nutrients in your fish tank? These nutrients can come from excess food or fish waste. Are you overfeeding your fish and allowing the food to dissolve in the water without the fish finishing it? Also, since you are using a sponge filter, you need to ensure that you perform regular cleaning or the sponge head would be clogged and not providing sufficient filtration.
To limit the amount of plant nutrients in your fish tank you could plant decorative plants that would compete fiercely with the algae for food. Wisteria is the type of plant that I personally use in all my fish tanks that are prone to algae because they are the best competitors to algae.
Algae Control Essentials
These are some of the simplest ways to combat algae in your fish tank. While algae presence if definitely not deadly to your fish, having them especially algae on sponge filters can be unsightly and more importantly reduce the efficiency of your filter.
Using An Aquarium Sponge Filter For A Small Fish Tank
This aquarium sponge filter article is a follow up from a previous post entitled “Tips For Choosing The Right Aquarium Canister Filter For Your Saltwater Aquarium“.
If you are looking for a filter that is ideal for a small aquarium of about 3 gallons such as ones used for betta fish, then an aquarium sponge filter would be ideal. There are many reasons for why an aquarium sponge filter would be best for a small fish tank, the main reason being the fact that they do not focus the water suction into a small inlet like the other filters. An aquarium sponge filter basically is a special piece of sponge that is attached to the end of the water inlet. In doing so, the inlet that water is suck into is spread out over a wider area, making it virtually impossible for weak or small fish to get sucked in and stuck.
Aquarium Sponge Filter Benefits
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The increased surface area of an aquarium sponge filter also prevents too much water movement. This reduces the amount of stress placed on the fish especially if your fish a very small or weak.
An aquarium sponge filter provides both mechanical as well as biological filtration. Large debris and excess food is trapped on the sponge head and can easily be discarded by washing it. The sponge itself is an excellent breeding ground for colonies of beneficial bacteria which provide biological filtration.
Another benefit of using the aquarium sponge filter is the cost of it. It is one of the cheapest fish tank filters on sale today. Because it is so basic, with its main component being a simple sponge head, it is not prone to mechanical failure like many of the other types of filters and in case of wearing due to long term use, all that is required is a cheap sponge head change.
Maintaining An Aquarium Sponge Filter
Because the mechanical filter is the sponge head that is soaking in the water, you have to clean it at least once a week to ensure that it is filtering at optimum levels. Cleaning an aquarium sponge filter is extremely easy. You would first want to prepare a small container beforehand. Slowly pull out the inlet tube ensuring that you do not shake off the trapped debris into the water. Place the sponge head into the container and dislodge it from the tube. Shake the tube a little to drip off any excess water.
All you need to do now is wash it. The best way to do this is to use some of the water from the fish tank itself. Because you are supposed to be doing a partial water change each week, make good use of the water you take out of the aquarium to wash the sponge head. Do not scrub the sponge as you would be causing damage to it. What you want to do is swish it around the water to dislodge large debris and give it a couple of squeezes inside the water.
Never ever use tap water to wash the sponge head. The sponge head is home to colonies of beneficial bacteria that provide biological filtration. The chlorine in tap water will kill off most if not all of the colonies of bacteria which took so long to grow.
Once washed, just shake the sponge head a little to drip off excess waste water and replace it onto the inlet tube and place it back into the fish tank. Never dry it especially in the sun because it will not only cause your sponge head to eventually crumble but the ultra violet rays of the sun will also kill off colonies of bacteria.
An Aquarium Sponge Filter Is Efficient
Strangely enough, with all the benefits that an aquarium sponge filter provides, it is one of the most underrated fish tank filters in the marketplace today. I guess one of the reasons could be because it just looks so basic and simple that no one can believe it is capable of providing good filtration. Another possible reason is that it does require weekly cleaning unlike some of the other fish tank filters on sale.
Samples Of Aquarium Sponge Filter (Click for specs)
If you are looking for an ideal fish tank filter for your aquarium especially a small one, then you will not go wrong with an aquarium sponge filter.
Aquarium Sponge Filter – Do They Really Work?
This aquarium sponge filter post is a follow up from my previous post “Advantages And Disadvantages Of Different Fish Tank Filters“.
Faced with an array of modern, powered filters these days, many fish enthusiasts do seem to ignore one cheap and relatively good method of filtering the water form their fish tanks. I’m talking about the aquarium sponge filter which is a low budget alternative in case you’re a little tight around the budget. Properly setup and maintained, an aquarium sponge filter provides good mechanical and biological filtration other than supplying oxygen to the aquarium.
Aquarium Sponge Filter
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Aquarium sponge filter works really well for tanks meant for fry and also quarantine tanks. Because of the relatively low suction power of the aquarium sponge filter, small fry will not be sucked into the inlet valve of the filter. For quarantine tanks, the low water movement of the aquarium sponge filter will allow the sick fish ample rest as it recuperates, with placing too much stress on it. However, what you do need to realize is that it does not provide chemical filtration so it will not remove any medication that you might have used to treat the fish.
Another benefit of the aquarium sponge filter is that it is very easy to setup. This makes it an ideal filter for beginners as well as experienced breeders who need a quick filtration system.
How Does An Aquarium Sponge Filter Function
Powered by a small pump, water is sucked through the sponge, trapping sediments, waste and excess food. Also the sponges sold these days allow colonised bacteria which remove ammonia and nitrates from the water. The water suction is created by air lift tubes placed in the center of the aquarium sponge filter that have small holes pierced in them, with an air line inside where bubles will rise out off, sucking the water into them. The water then flows out of a return tube that is generally placed a the half way mark below the water level to provide a little current in the water. It’s as easy as that.
When you first use a brand new sponge, it will be able to remove the larger sediments but will need a few days to turn cloudy water pristine. This is because it needs to build up its colony of beneficial bacteria first, also called seeding. This can either be done the traditional way, that is by just letting the filter run its course but there are other faster ways of building up beneficial bacteria.
One popular method is to allow a brand new aquarium sponge filter to float around the tank for about a week before it is used, allowing it to pick up the beneficial bacteria and thus making it efficient from day one when you decide to use it.
The Disadvantages Of An Aquarium Sponge Filter
The main disadvantage of an aquarium sponge filter is that as it filters the water, it will definitely clog up with the larger sediments. Therefore, the sponge needs to be cleaned regularly. Never allow it to run more than a week without cleaning. It is easy to notice if it is time to clean the filters because the rate of water return will slow down and eventually the water will begin to get cloudy.
Samples Of Aquarium Sponge Filter
Cleaning the aquarium sponge filter is very easy. Just remove the sponge from the inlet tube and gently squeeze it in old tank water or declorinated water. Never clean an aquarium sponge filter with direct tap water because the clorine from the tap will kill off the beneficial bacteria.
